Kildare vs Mayo

Mayo down '13 or 14' for Kildare clash
27 January 2014

Mayo manager James Horan. INPHOMayo manager James Horan is in upbeat mood ahead of next Sunday's trip to Newbridge, despite being short over a dozen players due to club commitments and injury.

Horan sees the Allianz League opener against Kildare as an opportunity for others to stake a claim in his team.

"You've the Castlebar lads, obviously, but as well as them you've Seamie O'Shea and Chris Barrett out, you've Donie Vaughan out, Kenneth O'Malley is out, Alan Dillon is out, Conor Loftus is out. Cillian O'Connor is out, Conor O'Shea too… so we've quite a list, probably 13 or 14 players unavailable for one reason or another," he told the Western People.

"But that's a huge incentive for other guys to stake a claim.

"We're very excited this year with some of the new guys that have come in. We've Diarmuid O'Connor, Adam Gallagher, Stephen Coen, Conor Loftus in with us, really top-level players.

"We've Shane McHale, who really stood up on the FBD, Brendan Harrison and David Drake has come in and really shown a great appetite for improvement and development at this level. That's a lot of guys that have come into the mix, and that's essential for this team to keep evolving.

"Then we have the Castlebar lads to come in and we've Mikie Sweeney to come back after Kiltane's success."


Kildare should be def looking to win this one in Newbridge with Mayo missing so many, it will be interesting to see how many of the team that started against Meath are retained.

Sunday 2 February

Allianz FL Division 1

Kildare v Mayo, Newbridge, 2pm

From their All Ireland team, they will still have 9, they also won the all Ireland minor last year so will probably be giving one or two of them a go. A very important game for Kildare one which we are more than capable of winning but it won't be any walk in the park no matter how many Mayo are missing.

We'll be lucky to have 9 of our championship starters ourselves I reckon.

Team I would go with based on what I've seen to date:

1. Connolly
2. Lyons
3. Foley
4. McGrillen
5. Hyland
6. Bolton
7. Cribben
8. Moolick
9. White
10. McNally
11. O'Flaherty
12. Hurley
13. Brophy
14. Mulhall
15. Fogarty

I think Murnaghan would be next in line for a start in the backs. I dont think O'Grady has done enough to start. As someone said on the other thread our forward options are looking a little bit dodgy. I think Dunne is the one who has done most to threaten the starting six but is essentially vying for O'Flaherty's role so won't be starting.

Be surprised if that isn't very close to the line up.

P O'Neill, N Kelly and E Callaghan will be big additions to the forward line when they return. You could argue that PON and EC could play elsewhere but N Kelly will walk back into the forward line. Then add in J Doyle (if he returns), A Smith and T O Connor. Should have adequate cover in the forwards.

I agree that we are a bit light on quality in the forward line. I dont think Smith or O'Connor are going to contribute much to the scoreboard and JD is unlikely to see much if indeed any action in the league.
We seem to have uncovered some options in defenders and midfielders but not enough in forwards, nothing new there unfortunately. The sooner we get players like Leper, Kelly and Paudie back the better. We really need to win this first game as the next few are very tough.

The lack of forward options makes the omission of Rob Kelly from the squad seem even more surprising. He looked to be going well in the the early games and I think he could have been an option from the bench.

On the team, I'd play Hyland at corner back instead of Lyons or O'Grady and play Murnaghan at wing back. I thought Murnaghan played very well on Sunday.

Hyland is still a bit behind the likes of Lyons, McGrillen and Peter Kelly in terms of a full back line player I would rather see him left at half back where he has showed well so far this year for the 21's and seniors.

is conor tiernan injured? surprised he hasnt featured a bit more

I wonder what people would think about trying Gary White out as a centre half forward and put D Flynn and Moolick in midfield. Drop Hurley from team above and move Flats to the wing instead.

Could let him play a free role and get involved around the middle of the pitch. He has all the natural skills and has often played in the forwards for Sarsfields before.

1. Connolly
2. O Grady
3. Foley
4. McGrillen
5. Hyland
6. Bolton
7. Cribben
8. Moolick
9. White
10. McNally
11. O'Flaherty
12. Hurley
13. Brophy
14. Mulhall
15. Fogarty

Would agree with crofter apart from O Grady who IMO has't done too badly and he's been marking the quickest forwards around in the last two weeks. I'd leave Mick Foley at full back all year, its still a position you need a good reader of it and when Mick got his all-star he was there every game instead of been moved around the place. Murnaghan would be unlucky to lose out as he was excellent the last day, tenacious and good with the ball.
Hurley was'nt great the last day but was very effective previously not going to be outfielded by a half back. Gary White and Moolick doing well enough so far. Daryl Flynn and Lyons are good options from the Bench.

If Hyland does come back into the team it could be for McNally with Cribbin moving to the half forward line. Murnaghan could retain his place then.

The only two changes I could see are Hyland and/or Lyons coming in. The team got stronger as the game went on against Meath so I doubt there will be too much tinkering.

Tiernan was on the bench shorty last Sunday - quite good competition for wing back positions. He offers something extra with his pace and could do a job from the bench. Haven't seen his defensive qualities tested yet but Cribben likewise is as much an attacking instrument from that position also.

Have to say O'Grady done very little wrong thus far, would be very unlucky not to start against Mayo on Sunday.

Don't get me wrong - he hasn't done badly and I think there's a strong chance he'll play.
I'd just go a little more conservative and go for Lyons greater experience on this occasion - what is it with Celbridge and corner backs ? - Lyons, Hank, O'Grady and isn't Konstantin from there too?

I agree with our forward options.. We do look quite light but we are missing quite a few atm... We are overcroweded for once with backs.. Options everywhere which is unusual for us.. Id like to see Hurley in midfield cause I think thats where his best option is although its hard to drop either Chalky or Moolick who have not put a foot wrong.. I wouldnt mind playing Hurley as a third midfielder freeing up space Fla and Mcnally..McNally seems to play in periods but then seems to go missing.. He looks a decent footballer if he could find some more consistency...

Id go for

Donnellan
O Grady
Foley
Mcgrillen
Hyland
Bolton
Cribbin
Moolick
White
McNally
EOF
Hurley
Brophy
Mulhall
Fogarty

Lyons will start Sunday he's been our best man marker for the last couple of years and Hyland will come in for Murnaghan even though he was very good last week.

I wouldn't be surprised if Hylo replaced McNally with Cribben going to wing forward, as was seen last year, Mayo's wing backs both of whom are available I think are two of the best attacking wing backs going, placing Cribben there could put them on the back foot while also giving us a player who is defensive minded if and when Keegan and Boyle decide to bomb forward.

Team I would go for is

Connolly
Lyons
Foley
McGrillen
Murno
Bolton
Hyland
Moolick
Chalky
Cribben
Flats
Hurley
Brophy
Mullhall
Fogarty

I wouldn't be surprised if Tomas was given game time this weekend, he wasn't available to Kildare during the O Byrne Cup so depending on how he is going in training I imagine he will see action. I don't think we have any others returning who were "cup tied".

If nothing else I hope the Ryan era heralds the end of Tomas at FF. I was a fan of McGeeney - and would never fault Tomas for effort - but my god how that tactic was stretched out over three seasons is beyond me. I would have been very critical of Geezer for persisting with that approach and not playing the likes of Fogarty and Mulhall (I'll say it again - I was laughed at on here when I suggested the latter merited a run...) In fact, after Athy won the championship I expected Mulhall, Eaton, Reynolds and a few others to be getting call-ups but no dice. The latter two still deserve a try out incidentally.

Anyway, to slightly contradict myself I believe the biggest question marks in this team hang over the forwards - particularly Mulhall and McNally. Mulhall has plenty of talent and I just wonder if he has the temperament. McNally has done well this year, as he did last year before fading away, so hopefully he'll have learned from the experience. Elsewhere, Eoghan O'Flaherty is a player of proven quality, and I believe Fogarty and Brophy have the potential to be top, top players. Mind you, I was saying the same about Kavanagh and Smith a few years ago. But I am excited about those two.

Defence has a good shape to it, and midfield looks solid. I would leave Hurley on the wing for now - he's a fine fielder and well able to score, but chalky and moolick really get stuck in and the do the dirty work.

Hopefully we can secure the two points, as everyone has acknowledged it'll be a tough campaign.

Strong Team:
1)   Robert Hennelly - Breaffy

2)   Kevin Keane - Westport

3)   Ger Cafferkey - Ballina Stephenites

4)   Colm Boyle - Davitts

5)   Lee Keegan - Westport

6)   Shane McHale - Knockmore

7)   Brendan Harrison - Aghamore

8 )   Tom Parsons - Charlestown Sarsfields

9)   Aidan O'Shea - Breaffy

10) Cathal Carolan - Crossmolina Deel Rovers

11) Keith Higgins - Ballyhaunis

12) Adam Gallagher - Mayo Gaels

13) Kevin McLoughlin - Knockmore

14) Andy Moran - Ballaghaderreen (Capt.)

15) Darren Coen - Hollymount/Carramore

8 of their all Ireland team, Carolan came on that day, while Keane started the 2012 final v Donegal, a very beatable team but not quite the poor mouth situation Horan was trying to portray!!

Strong Mayo team no doubt. Hopefully we catch them at a good time in the same way we beat Donegal last year in the league - not long back from team holiday, not much pre season training under their belts etc..

Big test for Kildare full forward line, nothing got easy off those lads.

Whoever plays at 6 should be a good playmaker for us, Higgins wont be staying at 11 long.

Again, great test for whoever is marking AOS. Tommy would have come up against him at sigerson before.

Any word on our starting 15 for Sunday.........

Our forward line is fine.Id make one change cribben for macnally.Podge needs to trim the fitness aswell his still a stone over weight.Darroch Muhall hasn't got a bad temper either he puts him self about like all good forwards do.Alan smith is the exact same.