Mayo Man Back on Earth, Thoughts From 2 Weeks Ago
Wanted to chronicle my own thoughts on the game (try to make sense of them) as I didn't see anything on the internet for about 10 days as I went into a state of delirium and wanted to throw my own thoughts out into the void after chewing the fat of the game since viewing it Friday night and wondering what the general opinion is to contrast with my own thoughts. Saw the game back, don't want to ruin the romance of the whole thing just yet but I will watch the excellent "in detail" breakdown gaa+ do probably after the club champo.
The balls, the utter and absolute courage to have examined Kerry against Tyrone after the Cork game and the Dublin game the day after Louth and not do anything that they did and what every pundit in Ireland said they'd have to do in the pre-match analysis: sit back and not let the game descend into a shootout. Mayo pushing man to man for much off if not most of the game, targeting the second balls off the Kerry kickout and the ball being carried out of the defense as your primary function to score as Kerry would be in an attacking transition is borderline DaVinci genius. I wouldn't have thought of it in a month of Sundays, it's clear Kerry didn't think of it and had never faced it this season up until then. It's such a genius curveball that complimented what were already Mayo's best strengths it would make you feel like "why didn't I think of that?"
Mayo first 15-20, they were poor in comparison to their second and third quarter in particular but score didn't reflect a lot of what was going on? They were doing a lot right but not really getting the reward for it with how difficult it is to kick into the hill (as Kerry showed second half) but Kerry were just ruthless in their purple patch and I would've it would've dispelled a lot of the "Kerry underperforming" talk when they were that good that early, but not so. Mayo were that step off them early and they were cutthroat through the foot.
Paul Towey got much maligned in the Cusack around me for his play in the first 25 but God I wish I was as selfless as he was. He had a job for 25, did it, Kerry make the change where Foley becomes Tommy's main marker and Kobe (to their surprise I think they would've watched the Cork game) doesn't go out to win traditional primary ball but out goes ROD and Kerry don't tag him. Mayo had also particularly turned the corner 5 minutes+ before Towey came off he wasn't the sole individual problem that needed fixing they were already being reeled in a bit before ROD became unshackled. I was dangerously/foolishly calm at half time after going in a point down after kicking into the hill, head telling me we're in a great place and heart saying we've been hurt before and Jacko will fix their issues now he has them for 15.
Lot of talk in the 25 final about how McGuinness was a fool for letting Paudie have the freedom of Croke Park and how he disrespected the ability of Kerry, Jacko is no eejit but I do think he underestimated the impact of ROD and how much he was killing them when he went hunting for ball and spearheaded the attack, he needed a shadow on his ankles annoying him, smart fouling him and had 15-20 minutes to see how in trouble they were from it, it never came and I can only imagine it's his biggest regret from the game. When the third quarter, James Horns "moving quarter" and Gavin's "championship quarter" came and Mayo hit Kerry for 1-4 to 0-1 in the first 5 minutes the damage was done; Kerry had to now chase the game and couldn't afford containment Mayo started to truly believe they were dictating the game because they could now play on their terms with the lead.
I'll never ever understand Jacko giving out after the game about injuries and the problems the divisional championship has on the county when he's starting players he doesn't believe are fit. Tom O'Sullivan had absolutely no business being out there and cost Kerry both a squad place and a sub slot when they needed energy to match Mayo, especially in those final 10 minutes. It's an awful slap in the face to the fit men on the panel when a lad with his leg hanging off him starts ahead of you, how do they feel this week? Contrast that to Coen approaching Moran Thursday to tell him he can't play because he's not right and would hurt the team if he tried to play through it. God give me the mental strength to be able to tell someone I want to withdraw from the starting 15 of the all Ireland final because I want to help the team, that's the kind of person I can only hope to stive to be every day. Coen for President.
"A Grain of Rice Will Tip the Scales"
I do think a small part of that lack of reaction/respect to Mayos proactive attacking ideas subconsciously comes from a place where Kerry forgot why they Yerrah; they are as good as they're talked up to be, but as soon as the players and public start to believe their own hype and disregard their opponent before they have them beaten you're not going to be 100% going into games and when games at the highest, elite level come down to those tiny margins Kerry just didn't want to know about it compared to the hunger of their opposition.The 80s had the Kerry 5inarow jerseys, the 26 vintage had WhatsApp clips of "I'm more worried of West Kerry winning at the weekend than beating a Tailteann Cup team" being played over a photo of Moran in a bridesmaids suit. It was the uncouth version of what they were thinking; job was already done. Reminded me a lot actually of Mayo's losses to Roscommon when we'd get too big for our boots and would get turned over going in big favourites throughout the 80s, 90s, 00s.
ROD being spoken about with the greats as one of the great all Ireland final performances and they're correct and right to do so but (backs union member speaking) David McBrien and Enda Hession were absolutely unbelievable out there. Championship manager season 10 regen of Keegan and the Boyler so they were. Two absolute Colossuses of men with the work they did, the ground they covered, tackles made, turnovers won and their ability to get us going on the front foot with quick ball when Kerry had no shape were the winning and losing of the game.
I could watch Clifford's score into the wind into the hill on his weak foot all year long. I replayed it about 7 times and will be watching it back more, it's the score of the game, my personal score of the year. McHugh does absolutely everything right, forces him onto the open angle so he's to kick on the run, forces him onto his right and *still*, STILL he swings through it and nails it to drag Kerry back into the game when they absolutely needed a score. There are no adjectives for him, he's just incredible.
I hope McGrail was injured or absolutely gassed because Paudie only really came into the game when he went off and he wasn't one of those BS GPS flagged substitutions, for all we got right unshackling him was nearly the ruination of the game. For all Mayo got right they never ever put Kerry away like they should've and a few under pressure decisions to see the game out were wrong from Andy and very nearly cost us; we were a drop short off extra time and conversations are so much different if Seánie or Clifford kick the scores they normally do. We just had that little dollop of luck they didn't get in 17 after they played themselves into the winning position and sometimes that's all the difference between being called a "bottler" by the online masses and etching your name into immortality.
Football is going to permanently change for all of us after the all Ireland final 26, Mayo's fingerprints on football are going to be the death of the 25-35m 1 point shot in the same way the analytics men killed the "floater" 2 pointer in basketball because everyone tries to emulate what the winners are doing. Everyone saw the 4/13 2pt attempts on the stats sheet and the clip of Marty giving out about it but the maths holds up: if you're 51% successful at 100 2 point attempts that's a better return than *never* kicking a wide with your 1 point attempts. Mayo kicked 17/34 which barely passes 50% (when counties typically aim for 66%) but Mayo won the game. ROD gave a very enlightening interview Friday where he points out that they're basically useless as it's the same shot as the 40m but for half the reward so therefore not worth it. Football in the not so distant future is going to be a combination of fisted points when surrounded by the defenders and 2 point kicks. The 4 point goal is going to get re-trialled in the next 5 years and will probably pass as having a score from range being worth 66% of a much, much harder shot will kill the attempts at it. Mayo did it first (for a change) and the 31 will follow suit.
How do you squeeze the life out of Kerry for 70 minutes and have the ability to stand 7 days later, nevermind go drinking for 7 days straight until all hours? Barry Solans S&C work is as much the reason the all Ireland was won as Andy's ideas on forward play and trusting the youth along with Tally's swarm defense.
God love you if you got this far into an aulfellas doting ramblings, but I sat down an hour ago with the Sunday game hotel party on and started enjoying putting my thoughts to pen. Call off the club championship, decide it by coin tosses and get them all back on the open top buses and keep them up there until November. Up Mayo.