Mayo staring down the barrel after loss to Dublin

Mayo 0-7 Dublin 0-9: After just two rounds of league football, Mayo already look to have a huge fight on their hands to retain their top-flight status.

There is plenty of exculpatory evidence to account for their two defeats but they have tough games coming up away to Donegal and Monaghan and Stephen Rochford can see the enormity of the challenge facing him.

Top of the list is the shocking injury problems that have robbed him of experienced players like Keith Higgins, Lee Keegan, Seamus O’Shea, Andy Moran, Alan Dillon and probably most significantly of all Cillian O’Connor. But despite all the setbacks Rochford has suffered in the early weeks of his tenure, he will secretly be delighted with the response of his team in defeat to Dublin.