Kevin McStay 'amused by the lack of detail' in analysis of Mayo

Mayo manager Kevin McStay and Dublin manager Dessie Farrell after the All-Ireland SFC group stage draw. Picture: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Kevin McStay argued some of the analysis of Mayo before this draw had overlooked their strong run of form.

The Mayo manager didn’t agree that his team were disrespected going into this final group game clash with Dublin but felt a lack of homework had been done on them.

“It’s not disrespectful, it’s just people thinking about things,” said McStay. “I mean, did anyone remember we went to Killarney last year and did what we did down in Killarney? So there was always that potential in the team.

“Coming into this game, we’d won five of our previous six games, and that’s a very consistent effort from a Division 1 team. We are playing fairly quality teams generally speaking at the level we are at, and the game we left behind us (vs Galway in the Connacht final).

“Like, was anyone saying we left the game behind us against Galway? So I don’t see it as disrespectful, I’m amused by the lack of detail people are going into, and that’s the way the world has gone, I suppose. But we knew what we were capable of. I have no whinge or anything like that, we get on with it now and learn to live and look after ourselves.” 

McStay was full of admiration for his Mayo players having almost pulled off an All-Ireland quarter-final sealing victory over their old rivals.

“My big emotion is how proud I am in the group that we stayed to our own business the last few months, worked hard to get ourselves into a position to take on the champions and a point up with a minute to go we were so close to it. They (Dublin) are a super team. To win a kick-out and somehow get the ball out of the scrum and they came up with a point.

“It’s just disappointing that we go into a prelim but this time it’s at home so there is a completely different vibe about it this year compared to last year. We came back later to training this season with different loads. We learned a lot from last year so we’ll be in good shape to get ourselves into a quarter-final by hook or by crook.” 

Dessie Farrell said Dublin had a plan for every eventuality coming out of Roscommon but was delighted that they sealed an automatic All-Ireland quarter-final spot.

“A big prize for finishing top of the group. I think that’s the consensus across the board. Either way, we would have dealt with it. If it didn’t work out that way, we were going to use the momentum of a couple of games please god, we are getting a level of intensity that we hadn’t encountered in the championship.

“We had set our sights on that if it had turned out that way. Thankfully it didn’t. To be honest, we would prefer to have the two weeks and be more in control of what is happening.”