Finnerty backs Mayo to prove Cork ace Tompkins wrong to question character

Former Mayo footballer Anthony Finnerty has hit back at Larry Tompkins’ claims that James Horan’s players "lack the stomach" to perform to their best on All-Ireland final day.

Finnerty scored the only goal of the 1989 All-Ireland final against Tompkins’ Cork but Mayo couldn’t push on to claim what would have been a first title since their last Sam Maguire, won back in 1951.

The Connacht champions have lost six All-Ireland deciders since then, including the last two, against Donegal in 2012 and Dublin last year, and Tompkins said Mayo need to “grow up” to deal with the spotlight. But Finnerty says Tompkins, who also cited Alan Dillon as an example of Mayo’s collective failures, is doing this current side a massive disservice.