“By resigning we wish to remove any obstacle that the players might perceive as preventing them from winning the All-Ireland.”

Mayo 1-15 Galway 2-8: A welcome return of the fire and brimstone long associated with this age-old football rivalry, even if Mayo’s dominance continues to reach unprecedented heights.

Without a game since April 5, Noel Connelly and Pat Holmes have had to content themselves with watching their opponents stretch their legs, test their systems and try out new strategies.