An A-Z of Mayo Football in 2023
Eoghan McLaughlin celebrates scoring a second-half goal against Kerry in the All-Ireland SFC which helped serve the Kingdom their first defeat in Killarney in 39 championship matches. Picture: INPHO/Evan Treacy
A cracking league match last February in a great venue.
It wasn’t pretty but Mayo’s most decorated club secured the Paddy Moclair Cup for the first time in 16 years.
That messy, frustrating defeat against the Rebels in Limerick started the rot and derailed Mayo’s season.
JP McManus’ €1 Million contribution to every County Board in Ireland was an extremely generous gesture and one that will give many clubs a significant boost. Anyone moaning about it or questioning JP’s motives should take a day off.
Lee Keegan called it a day on Monday, January 9. As if Mondays in January weren’t depressing enough.
Champions for the first time since 2012. A nice start to Kevin McStay’s tenure as he gave some big guns early season minutes.
– a spectacular or impressive goal. Kevin Quinn’s thunderbolt for Ballinrobe in the county intermediate final was just that.
who was announced as a Player Development Coach with Peadar Gardiner’s Mayo Under-20 team. Sowing the seeds for a third coming?
Monivea’s manager ‘Bunty’ Roche calling Mayo people “a cocky crowd”. It was good banter all the same and added another layer of spice to the age-old rivalry.
The Corofin man’s appointment as Mayo coach caused quite a stir but who gives a damn where our coaches come from if they help us get over the line.
A super performance on a glorious day in Fitzgerald Stadium as we ended Kerry’s 39-match unbeaten home championship run. On that day, Mayo’s form and fitness peaked.
. McHale’s departure from his brother-in-law’s management team raised a few eyebrows but it will be interesting to see how he fares with the ladies’ team who have gone close in recent seasons.
Joe Biden knew his audience in Ballina in April.
A national title is not to be sniffed at, especially when you beat your old enemies in the final.
It’s just Aidan and Cillian left from the 2012 All-Ireland defeat to Donegal.
Between them, the pair have minded Mayo’s net for well over a decade but 2023 really heralded a change of guard. Colm Reape will be happy with his solid maiden season between the sticks.
When was the last time a starting Mayo forward scored a goal from play in a Championship game? See Y for the answer.
– the most important person on any pitch. Often maligned but I thought that the standard of refereeing on County Final day was superb. Garryowen McMahon (senior) and Shane Corcoran (junior) take a bow.
who made a dramatic return to the Dublin fold just before a league match against Louth in March. A ninth All-Ireland medal for one of the game’s greats. He’ll surely hang on to try and capture a tenth.
Time Magazine’s Person of the Year. Did the judges not realise that David Clifford has played 57 competitive games since January 2022 (a game every twelve days) kicking a modest 29-305 in the process? Footballer of the Year will have to suffice.
New regimes and it’s great to see so many past players involved. Ger Cafferkey, Keith Higgins, David Heaney and Ciaran McDonald to name but a few.
The worst thing to ever happen soccer. Let’s hope that we never see anything similar in the GAA.
- Kevin McLoughlin’s left boot. Himself and Jason Doherty will be massive losses to the Mayo cause but they owe it absolutely nothing.
Where would we be without the social media platform for score updates and GAA news? Please don’t tinker with it any more, Elon.
, of long ago, the day when a Mayo forward last scored a goal from open play in championship. The 11th of July 2021 to be precise as Tommy Conroy smashed home a major in a 5-20 to 0-11 hammering of Leitrim in MacHale Park.
A lot Gaelic football was quite sleep-inducing in 2023. Let’s hope for more entertaining action in 2024.
