Search Results for 'David Clarke'

What a difference a week makes. I wondered if the Kerry jersey would bring out a performance? That opinion was more in hope than expectation, because Mayo seemed so off the pace against Monaghan, that I felt they surely couldn't turn it around in a week especially against a Kerry team that hit the ground running the previous week in Donegal.

Mayo picked up their first points of this years National Football League thanks to a second half fight back that saw them overturn a four point deficit at the break to run out two point winners at the end on a bitterly cold night in Tralee.

While David Clarke's intervention to stop a couple of goals going past him on Saturday took plenty of deserved plaudits in an excellent display, from the kicking tee the Ballina man also had an excellent night, Mayo won all but four of the kick-outs they took against Monaghan, with Clarke quick off the tee on most of his restarts finding his men close by.

Mayo's 2017 league opener ended in defeat to an aggressive and physical Monaghan in Castlebar last Saturday evening. Despite my declaration last week that Mayo should target the national league for silverware, the target very much now is about survival. Again applause must be given to the 11,000 or so hardy souls who turned out to support the team. The basis for this first round defeat is pure and simple, Monaghan were better prepared and had a better pre season as it was purely obvious going into the final quarter that they had spent more time on the paddock than Stephen Rochford's team.

We've been here before and there is no reason to panic, last year Mayo were caught like deer in the headlights against Cork in their league opener, where a Rebel outfit who ultimately got relegated and had a championship season to forget ran riot on Leeside.

The start of the National Football League on Saturday evening will see thousands flock into MacHale Park to see the new season get under way properly. The league is often seen as time for guys to be given a chance to impress in the early rounds and stake their claim for a place later on in the year. But is this really the case?

It may still only be January, but the meeting of Mayo and Roscommon at any stage of the season is always an encounter to look forward to, and on Sunday Mayo will make the long trek to Kiltoom to take on their neighbours in the final round of the FBD League.

Strength in depth

Mayo picked up their first win of the season with a six point win over IT Sligo in Ballina on Sunday, but they will have to serious up their performance if they are to pick up a second win next weekend when they face Roscommon in their final group game of the FBD League and improve even more two weeks later when they host Monaghan in the opening round of the National Football League. That was the message from Mayo manager Stephen Rochford post their win on Sunday.

It was that all too familiar feeling in Croke Park last Sunday, when Maurice Deegan blew the full time whistle. While 'The Auld Triangle' drowned out the celebrations from the Hill and Dublin supporters around the ground, for us Mayo folk, we sat back and took stock of what had happened, just like we did in 89, 96, 97, 04, 06, 12, 13, and now once more in 2016. If you have not heard the last lamenting few minutes of Mid West Radio's commentary from Mike Finnerty and John Casey, it captures the feeling we all felt as well as anything could. "It's just not meant to be, it's just not meant to be for Mayo," was how Mike called it, before a few seconds of silence came from their microphones before he was able to try to put some sense on what happened. While when he could finally get some words in Casey emotionally adds "is there ever a God going to smile on us," and, "Ah give give us a break, give us a break for God's sake, that team deserve something."