O’Connor set to miss Mayo’s final tilt

Cillian O’Connor admits he is unlikely to be fit for Mayo’s third tilt at a Connacht title when they face London in Castlebar in the July 21 final.

The two-time young footballer of the year dislocated his shoulder for a second time last month playing for Ballintubber against Claremorris and will likely require surgery at the end of the year.

“It’s getting there. It’s a slow process but it’s improving all the time. I’m trying to stick to the medical plan being laid down for me. It’s getting there but it’s tedious at times and it’s slow.

“The doctor, I keep putting pressure on him to tell me what the timeframe is. But we do a strength assessment every weekend to see how it’s improving because he reckons it’s different for everybody.

O’Connor made his SFC debut against London when coming on a substitute in the infamous 2011 game in Ruislip, which went to extra-time before Mayo won

It’s set up to be a lose-lose situation for Mayo in that they are unlikely to get a battle they’ve so far yet to receive in Connacht.

“It might be billed as that outside of our squad and that might be the way people see it,” said O’Connor. “For us it’s the Connacht championship campaign, there is a trophy at the end of it and we just have to look at our own preparation.”