‘THE BEAST’ NEVER quite lived up to his intimidating nickname.
There was a time when Julio Baptista was a high-profile figure and commanded a transfer fee of 25 million euro when he joined Real Madrid from Sevilla.
He later moved to Arsenal on loan but struggled to impress in England but for an exceptional four-goal haul against Liverpool in a famous 6-3 League Cup quarter-final victory at Anfield.
Arsene Wenger decided against making the switch permanent and Baptista returned to Madrid for one more season.
From there, it was off to Roma, then Malaga before heading back to his roots and signing with Cruzeiro.
The Brazilian side didn’t renew his contract in December and he’s now been snapped up by Major League Soccer side Orlando City SC.
Their marquee player is a guy Baptista knows quite well – Kaka.
The pair were team-mates at Sao Paulo and with the Brazilian national team.
Still, with striker Cyle Larin the team’s first-choice attacker, Baptista, who’s 34 now, may well be asked to contribute mainly from the bench.
In theory, he’s not a bad substitute to have.
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O Shea is diving all over the place when anyone comes near him and then he is complaining when a free is given against him when he effectively clothes lines a Galway player.
@Finnster: You could say he is hanging them out to dry
@Finnster: must be cold in Galway. They have the blanket well and truly out.
Mayo have been poor in attack. OShea keeping in the game. Galway can’t handle him.
@Finnster: pathetic from Galway at the end with the game won. OShea really has the patience of a saint. And he gets booked as well. Laughable.
@Desheen: agreed. Comer is turning into a very good player but he needs to stop the mouthing while it was pathetic by Paul conroy at the end. Galway still need to do it on a big day and in croker though, potentially a good team.
@Paul Mallon: I think Mayo still need to do it on big day in croker too
@thomas: yea fair point. Hopefully Galway really push on as the gaa need as many teams as possible competing come August time.
@Finnster: are you for real . We’re you at the game ? Mayo can’t take the beating. Galway are no angels but Mayo were filthy today.
@Finnster: and dey didnt beat de dubs in the final…
@Finnster: Mayo were drawn into it alright and are rightly no angles. I was referring to that specific incident. Mayo lost the heads also after that. Galway deserves the win but that was hard to watch. Fair play to them great start to d1.
It will be nice and spicy come the championship. How bad was the last ten minutes? Only heard it on the radio.sounded like a few cheap shots but I am glad Galway are showing some serious spine. Our football team was too nice for a long time.
Safe to say O’Connors league campaign hasent got off to the best of starts
@Sam Walsh: He’s good but he’s a liability, about time he was shown a red card
@Sam Walsh: hes no diarmud connolly.
@John Boyle: Maybe so but I wouldent be too worried if I was a Mayo fan. Still a top class side.
Delighted to see a ref brave enough to send that tramp O’Connor off. He’s always at it. But but but Mayo aren’t dirty of course.
@Ciara Baines: agreed , he was the same last year in the championship against Galway and now O Shea is at it. Galway slowly but surely coming good
@Ciara Baines: mayo are pure dorty . Dey were throwin gps’s at the dubs in the final last year