O’connor dismisses Connolly Mayo jibes
CILLIAN O’CONNOR says Mayo pay no heed to comments made by Fergus Connolly on their All-ireland prospects. Connolly, a sports scientist who was involved with the Dublin senior footballers’ backroom team when they beat Mayo in the 2013 All-ireland final, claimed in a recent interview that “as long as I’m alive Mayo will never win an All-ireland”. Speaking as eir launched the seventh season of their All-ireland SFC, O’connor said: “I suppose when we’re in the thick of it we have to be as cold about it as we can and as ruthless, and analytical and look at the facts rather than making a sweeping generalisation. “I think when you’re involved in it you can actually see the different components to games and where you did well and where you didn’t do well and they’re the things we have to focus on, they’re the things the other teams are focusing on, tiny percentage gains. “We’re trying to make sure that we’re focused on those things, the tiny little gains that we can make in our performance or preparation. “We can’t be sitting back looking at headlines and stuff like that because that’s not going to help us get better.” O’connor’s team-mate Aidan O’shea, below, also came in for some stick via Connolly, who claimed he “does media for himself”. He’s one of a number of critics the Breaffy man has had of late and O’connor added: “I think if you are honest – anyone who is getting some stick they might feel is unmerited or a bit over the top, it’s hard to completely block all that out. “Having said that Aidan is experienced, he’s been around the block. “He’s been focussing on getting his fitness and training and skillswork right. “I don’t think going to be delving into finding out what’s the latest dig thrown at him.”