All-Star Cillian O’Connor reckons Mayo “relish that kind of edge” that is brought about by straight knockout Championship football. The Connacht champions thrived under the revised arrangements last year when the qualifiers were set aside, marching all the way to the All-Ireland final. The win-at-all-costs aspect of the All-Ireland qualifiers appeared to suit Mayo in 2016 and 2017 also when they bounced back from provincial defeats to reach the All-Ireland finals. That kind of nerves you had as a kid going to Connacht Championship games is hard to beat. We relish that kind of edge.”O’Connor said the experience of losing a fifth All-Ireland final in his career last December hasn’t affected his outlook on the upcoming Championship.

Source: Irish Examiner April 27, 2021 06:00 UTC