Dublin get the best of Mayo with a final flourish

Sun, Sep 24, 2017

Another Sunday in Croke Park and another heart-breaking defeat for Mayo against Dublin in an All Ireland final. This time it was the Mayo Ladies who came up short against the Dubs’ who ran out 4-11 to 0-11 winners against a battling and brave Mayo team.

Browne looking to get over Dubs challenge

Fri, Sep 22, 2017

Such was the confidence of the Mayo set up that they would get over the challenge of Cork in their All Ireland semifinal despite what the bookmakers and others thought, they had their recovery plans in place for straight after their game in Cavan three weeks ago. Mayo manager Frank Browne told the Mayo Advertiser in the lead up to this Sunday's game that after they left the dressing room in Breffni Park, "We went straight back to reality, we went to a hotel in Longford, had something to eat and had a pool session."

Mayo look to make it a fantastic five

Fri, Sep 22, 2017

Ten years since they last graced Croke Park on All Ireland final day, the Mayo Ladies seniors are back in the big house for a crack at a fifth All Ireland title and their first since 2003. The last time that Mayo won the All Ireland they faced Dublin in the final and squeaked through in a very low scoring encounter on a score of 1-4 to 0-5, but this Sunday's meeting will be a far higher scoring encounter.

Tierney is ready to play the captain's part

Fri, Sep 22, 2017

Having a summer back at home, albeit studying for her final accountancy exams, was a great help to Mayo captain Sarah Tierney who had to head back to Dublin recently for work. But having football to take her mind of the study in the summer was something for which she was grateful. "I was sitting my final acountancy exams in the summer so I was home based which was great during the summer. I'm working in Deloitte in my second year there, it can tough going up and down for training. I found football a great release when I was studying whereas some of the others would have been just studying 12 hours a day."

Ready to Rowe in for the challenge

Fri, Sep 22, 2017

The last time that Mayo were in the All Ireland final, Sarah Rowe was out on the field kicking points, but not for Mayo, she was taking part in the children's game at half-time. Ten years later and the DCU PE and biology student is one of Mayo's main attacking threats as they go looking for their fifth All Ireland title.

Ten years waiting for this one to come around again

Fri, Sep 22, 2017

Ten years on from when she hit a consolation goal for Mayo in the All Ireland final against Cork, Fiona McHale is relishing getting a chance to finally pick up a winner's medal in the big one on Sunday. The Carnacon ace has tasted All Ireland glory with her club a few times in the intervening years and has had third level success at a national level both as a player and a coach, but this is the one she wants.

It just wasn’t to be for brave and battling Mayo

Sun, Sep 17, 2017

Sometimes it’s not about being the better team, it’s about finding ways to win games when you are probably second best on the day. Dublin were able to do that, they were able to get themselves over the line right at the end when it mattered most and they claimed their third All Ireland title in a row.

Here we go again.....

Fri, Sep 15, 2017

All-Ireland final fever is here. I still have to pinch myself to contemplate that Mayo are back in the football showpiece again. Looking at Mayo's run to the final you'd almost forget that it started against Sligo in Castlebar on May 21. The ticket fiasco is still the same, however, with most Mayo folk willing to beg, borrow, or steal to get their hands on that elusive golden ticket. Some novel efforts took to Tinder looking for a female acquaintance, the only catch was they had to have a spare ticket for the game. The most desperate are offering their spouses in return for a match day pass, it's all part of the fun, it's all part of the build up.

Looking to take the final step on the journey

Fri, Sep 15, 2017

"We’ll be competitive and we’ll be looking for a performance every day that we go out and we can be honest in ourselves and we did ourselves and the county proud and we’re going the right direction towards what our goals will be.” That's what Stephen Rochford said back in December 2015 — two days after he was appointed Mayo manager. While there have been days when things haven't quite gone to plan they have always been "honest" in themselves as a team and that's what has brought them to where they are right now, 70 minutes away from their final goal.

The Flying Doc is still fighting fit and backing Mayo

Fri, Sep 15, 2017

The Mayo senior football teams of 1950 and 1951 have gone down in both history and folklore among GAA folk the length and breadth of both the county and the country.

Marvellous Dubs can make it a three-in-a-row

Fri, Sep 15, 2017

Between the years 1947 and 1955 Rocky Marciano entered the squared circle 49 times and remained undefeated against all challengers. The reasons are many, including his relentless fighting style, punching power, stamina, and iron chin. However, at the end of his career, 49 pros had thrown everything they had at him, and he always found a way to survive. And win. Retiring with a perfect record 49-0 and an 88 per cent knockout rate, he stands as one of the undisputed greatest boxers of all time. Dublin footballers now stand on the cusp of such immortality with a possible three in a row of titles on the horizon.

The view from the stands and what drives on the green and red faithful

Fri, Sep 15, 2017

Did you ever consider how many miles it would be to fly from Castlebar to Boston? It is very doubtful that sort of random thought came into your head. Do you follow Mayo around the country religiously to every senior game home and away? Well if you’re from Castlebar and take MacHale Park as your starting point for each of those journeys this season, then you will probably have travelled about 120 more miles than it is by air from Castlebar to Boston, by the time you get home from Sunday’s All Ireland final. Crazy as it seems, these are the lengths Mayo fans go to.

E-paper

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