Connacht GAA 'annoyed' at Mayo withdrawal

A bad week for the Mayo footballers could be about to get worse as they are in line to punished by Connacht GAA for pulling out of Sunday week's Connacht FBD League final.

The Mayo County Board said in a statement that they are regrettably 'unable to field a team' for the decider against New York in the Big Apple on October 7.

In opting out of the trip Stateside, they cited a conjested fixtures list in the county's Club Championship and the unavailability of players at the end of a long season that culminated in last Sunday's All-Ireland final loss to Donegal.

But this afternoon Connacht chiefs have hit back at the Mayo board for taking the decision at such short notice, a move which will bring about a punishment from the Council.

In their statement, Connacht GAA said: "Connacht GAA would like to express its extreme disappointment and annoyance at Mayo GAA withdrawing from the Connacht FBD League competition at such short notice, considering the home final was played in January and the date for the final in New York had been decided in October 2011.

"Their action has greatly upset the players, management and officials of the New York team who had been making arrangements to host the All-Ireland finalists at Gaelic Park.

"Connacht GAA Council wish to thank the competition sponsors FBD for their understanding at this time and to thank them for their loyal sponsorship of the competition from the outset.

"In the coming weeks Connacht GAA Council will consider what sanctions to impose on the Mayo County Board for failing to fulfil the fixture."

Mayo are back-to-back FBD League champions and hammered New York by 7-11 to 2-8 in last October's 'away' final in the Bronx, with Aidan O'Shea, Enda Varley, Cillian O'Connor and Alan Freeman all finding the net.