Mayo bid to escape the Hurt Locker

Aidan O’Shea concedes Mayo face their greatest challenge in rescuing their season through the qualifiers.

Mayo’s hopes of six consecutive Connacht titles were foiled by Galway in Castlebar in Saturday’s semi-final with no end of criticism coming the way of a group of players who compelled Noel Connelly and Pat Holmes to step down last season.

O’Shea denied he and his team-mates were getting ahead of themselves but admitted getting his hands on the Nestor Cup yet again was an incentive.