Fitzmaurice has no excuses

Afterwards, there was no sugar-coating from Eamonn Fitzmaurice in the bowels of the MacHale Park stand.

Even if he wanted to, he wouldn’t have been able to sell this defeat as anything more than it was.

Even if just eight of the team that began last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final turned out in this the first week of February, only a foolish soul would have dared cite extenuating circumstances for this reverse.

Instead, Fitzmaurice told it like it was.

“A disappointing day out. We didn’t play well. We didn’t perform. Simple as that. We’re not going to be hiding or looking for excuses. A poor performance, the lads are disappointed.

“We have to regroup and look forward to next weekend. It was always going to be a tough fixture with Dublin coming down having played so well [v Cork], us having played so poorly today. Looking for points next weekend it makes it tougher but we have no excuses.”

With a significant wind in the first half, James O’Donoghue’s 17th-minute goal gave them a two-point lead but their hold on it was flimsy and going into the break it had been neutralised when they needed to be ahead facing into the town end.

“I think so, the breeze was strong. In fairness to Mayo they came out of the blocks. They looked like the team if anything that had a lot of the football over the last few weeks.

“We didn’t look sharp which surprised me because we have had a good few games in the last few weeks and we were happy with them but Mayo were very sharp in the inside line.

“They put in great ball, they kicked great scores, we were struggling for all our scores. James O’Donoghue got a great goal and it kept us in it really. There was no fluidity in our play and we just didn’t play well. It was as simple as that.”

Was fitness an issue? Not in Fitzmaurice’s opinion.

“I wouldn’t think so. The lads have a good bit of work done.

“This season above all others when we were able to get back on December 8. We would have a lot more work done than we would in other years.

“So I don’t think it was a fitness issue. We looked a bit leggy. Mayo looked sharp and fit. It’s a work in progress.”

The worrying aspect for Kerry is none of the old guard are expected to be back for the visit of Dublin to Killarney next Sunday. The blend of what he has available to him and the young players will have to do.

“Some of the younger players coming through we have a lot of time for them,” he insisted. “Part of developing as a player is having experiences like today and realising what it takes at this level.

“It’s going to be a wake-up call for some of the lads but in terms of their long-term development it’s part of the thing, this can happen.”

He added: “We have plenty of time for the lads in the panel and we think that they bring a lot to the table and you can have days like that.”

Fitzmaurice confirmed Johnny Buckley, who captained Kerry yesterday, will be unavailable as he returns to training with Dr Crokes, while Shane Enright is a concern after picking up a hamstring injury close to the end of yesterday’s game.