MAYO HAVE INSPIRED DUBS

CON O’CALLAGHAN says Dublin’s keen edge is partly down to Mayo being their sharpening stone.

The All-ireland final goalscorer and three-in-a-row hero said Dublin continue to be so successful because Mayo are pushing them so hard.

Dublin have beaten Mayo along the way in each of the last three seasons though have required replays in 2015 and 2016 and won two of the matches by a single point. O’callaghan agreed that Mayo being as good as they are is helping Dublin.

He said: “Yeah definitely. It’s driving the standards up, they are as good as it gets. It’s either draw with them or beat them by a point. That is the way it has been for the last few years between us.

“I know Stephen Coen (left) from UCD. I was talking to him for a few minutes after the final.

“He was very gracious in defeat because I know it was really tough for them to take.”

But O’callaghan knows Mayo don’t want Dublin’s sympathy.

He said: “It is tough for them but when you play sport at a high level, this is what can happen.

“If they keep knocking they might get a little bit of luck in the future.

“We might have got that little bit of luck in the last number of years in certain aspects.

“So maybe they’ve been a bit unlucky as well.”