Anyone any thoughts on Galway v Sligo tomorrow. After a good display against a dissapointing Roscommon side, Galway should have the momentum to come through this one as well but Galway have flattered to deceive in recent years so who knows. I hope Galway can build on the end of the league and the Roscommon result to run out winners with a few points to spare here and set up a Connacht final against Mayo in Salthill to add to all the big events that will be happening in Galway over the next few months.

Well done Clare, just know that they are going to celebrate like its .....1995

Well done to Clare, played great hurling and showed strength of character to come through some sticky patches. If that was Galway they'd have ballsed it up. Its been a strange hurling year. I wonder will it be back to KK and Tipp next year or will it continue to be open? Clare look like a team with a good future ahead. Any number of teams will have hopes for next year though.

Cork showed their shrewdness that despite having a very average side they nearly robbed an All-Ireland.

Clare... not really a prediction, just hope they can do it.

I'm heading up to the hurling replay today. Predictions?

More heartbreak for Mayo on All-Ireland final day. They just didn't deliver at the crunch stage once again. I think that defeat psychologically will knock this group back a long way. Still have plenty of good players and won the minor today so more coming through but there are too many in that squad who have continually failed to deliver on the big day.

rossie wrote: I watched it in a pub with some Mayo people and they don't want Kerry. Even though they acknowledge dubs are better they would prefer to play the dubs. I watched second half of ladies game Saturday and Mayo were beaten by Kerry in spite of being the better team.
If that's how Mayo people feel it will be very difficult to shelter the players from that sentiment who after all live with and among them

Spot on. Some cultures have "the bogeyman", in Mayo we invoke "The Gooch".

I watched it in a pub with some Mayo people and they don't want Kerry. Even though they acknowledge dubs are better they would prefer to play the dubs. I watched second half of ladies game Saturday and Mayo were beaten by Kerry in spite of being the better team.
If that's how Mayo people feel it will be very difficult to shelter the players from that sentiment who after all live with and among them

They needed that first half to give them a wake up call, the hype was ridiculous and highlighted again just how poor their opposition have been in previous rounds.

Don't think I've ever seen a Mayo team regroup like that before, though. Great to see.

rossie wrote: What do yee make of Mayo yesterday?

IMO they looked very vulnerable in the first half and benefited from some very soft frees which kept them in it. Granted the disallowed goal levelled that but the pen was outside box so the rub went their way. Aiden o Shea could have gotten a red also for his aggressive grabbing/ pushing into throat.
The other semi will be interesting now and all Mayo will have rosary beads out praying for a Dublin win.

I'd agree and the injuries to Peter Harte and Stephen O'Neill killed Tyrone. However, Mayo got over the line and that's the main thing in a semi-final and the 1st half in particular may have tempered some of the outrageous hype about this team.

I don't think this Mayo team would fear Kerry but they will know regardless of their opponents another first half performance like yesterday will result in more AI final heartbreak.

What do yee make of Mayo yesterday?

IMO they looked very vulnerable in the first half and benefited from some very soft frees which kept them in it. Granted the disallowed goal levelled that but the pen was outside box so the rub went their way. Aiden o Shea could have gotten a red also for his aggressive grabbing/ pushing into throat.
The other semi will be interesting now and all Mayo will have rosary beads out praying for a Dublin win.

It was one of the more complete footballing performances I've seen in a while, or at least it looked that way. But the truth was they might as well have been playing an underage side for all the trouble they were caused. Passes were going to hand like they were on a training run, they weren't being challenged in slightest.

Having said that, the first two goals were very well taken and the very small number of wides, which is Mayo's biggest problem anytime they get to the All Ireland stages, bodes very well.

But the one thing that stood out, regardless of the poor opposition, was they had a look of a team playing with the utmost confidence, which I've never seen before in a Mayo team. Or at least, I've never had confidence in them

Well said, Mayo look very good but how any commentator could say they had been given a proper test by that game is beyond me, would anyone say the same about the Galway game, no, but they were almost the same scoreline. I think a lot of people felt Mayo might be in trouble against Donegal because of a very easy Connacht run, this easy run has just continued tbh, The one thing in their favour is they have been able to keep the intensity high regardless of how poor the opposition might be, that might stand to them.

You have to hand it to James Horan, he has this group tuned in and they have really adapted to the modern game. They are no longer the soft touch they once were.

However, some of the nonsense that has been written and spoken about since yesterday is totally out of touch with reality. One of the best performances ever seen in Croke Park being one of the more grounded statements I've heard!!!

Bottom line was Mayo started superbly and after the 2nd goal the game was over. Donegal were dead on their feet and had the bags packed for home a long time before the final whistle. The signs were there regarding Donegal in recent times. Struggled past Down and took 31 minutes to score a point against an average side like Monaghan who really should have that game put to bed long before they did. The first goal told you all you needed to know about how far Donegal's intensity levels have dropped this year

Key areas of weakness for Mayo weren't tested and while they came up with 13 different scorers or something like that you'd question how many of these lads would come up with the scores when the chips are down.

Having said that they look to have the right mindset and ruthlessness this year. They have done all that can be asked of them to date and I think they will take Tyrone too but I'd still fancy the Dubs to win it out, they seem to be moving through the gears without hitting top form. Although Mayo beat the Dubs last year the Dubs are much more focused in 2013. Strangely I think Mayo may have the edge over Kerry at this stage if they were to meet in the final. Beating Kerry is a massive psychological bridge to cross for the dubs.

What do you gal way folk make of Mayo now!?

I'm pretty excited about the Mayo London game in a car crash way, I don't mind how the score ends up I hope it will be entertaining though. The odds for London are pretty ridiculous but everyone loves the auld fairy tale under dog tale.