Three-time All-Ireland winner Sean Cavanagh has said that this could be the end of the road for this current Mayo team.
Stephen Rochford’s side have lost four of the last six All-Ireland finals and have struggled with injury this year after a subpar league campaign that saw them win just two games from seven.
Cavanagh does not think that they will qualify for this summer’s Super 8 series and feels that Galway have now surpassed Mayo as the best team in Connacht.
“They have been on the road. I know we say it every year but for a long time now they remind me of the [Tyrone] team that we had in 2010, 2011,” he said on The Sunday Game.
“Where they are capable of a big performance, they are capable of going and winning next week, but they have an awful lot of uncertainties about them. They have an awful lot of injuries, men that have an awful lot of miles in the legs.
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“Galway have that freshness, that energy. That X factor. Galway have the momentum. Mayo are reliant on an awful lot of things aligning next weekend. If they don’t align, it is a long road back. Even if they do make it to the Super 8s it is going to really test their panel.
“I feel they were lucky to get through the qualifiers series last year. They had a fairly weak league albeit with some injuries and disruptions to their team. I just feel we are starting to see the end of the road of this great Mayo side.”
All-Stars Cillian O’Connor and Lee Keegan are currently both out injured for Mayo and Rochford confirmed last week that the county are planning to be without the latter in this summer’s championship.
Donal Vaughan and Chris Barrett have both made successful returns from injury while captain Cillian O’Connor should be involved in their Connacht SFC opener with Galway next weekend.
“I don’t see him partaking in the game,” Rochford said of Keegan.
“Locally, they’re all thinking how did Robbie Henshaw get back (the rugby player lined out in Leinster’s Champions Cup semi-final 10 weeks after sustaining a similar shoulder injury). In a professional environment, more can be done. I don’t know what it is but Lee required surgery. We’re planning very much without him.
“Cillian O’Connor has progressed well, isn’t back into full training yet. We’re confident he will be involved. Brendan Harrison is in full training. He has had some game-time with club. Chris Barrett, Donal Vaughan are back.”
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