Finn offers no excuses but sees positives aplenty

Mayo joint-manager Brian Finn admitted his team was second best throughout Saturday’s Nicky Rackard Cup loss at the hands of Donegal.

“We didn't really play to our potential. We lost a lot of breaking ball along the field. First-half, while we were in the game, our delivery inside was poor. Out of twelve balls into full-forward line, only one ball stuck in the first-half. They were very intense in the tackle. They were in very quickly and harassed us for the ball,” admitted Finn after the seven-point loss at O’Donnell Park.

“It was probably a wake-up for us. We haven't played probably at that level so far this year, so a lot of learnings from it.

“You get nothing easy in Donegal. It's always a very intense, very tough game and that's what we had today. The best team won on the day by a long shot, couldn't take a thing from them. They took their scores, they got their breaking ball, they moved it fast and we didn't respond,” added Finn.

With so many balls into the Mayo forwards not sticking, goalkeeper Bobby Douglas ended up as Mayo’s top scorer with 0-4 and Brian Finn acknowledged that was an issue in itself.

“We had said that ourselves, it wasn't happening up front, the lads are much better than they performed today, which is a positive to take from it. That's not the team that we are, but it was an eye-opener for them to play at that level today.” 

While Mayo enjoyed a successful league campaign, they did not come up against an opponent of Donegal’s quality. The Tir Chonaill men were battle-hardened after competing in Division 2B but Finn said that Mayo’s young squad will be all the better for the experience.

“You can talk about what it's going to be like and you can try and get lads ready for it but until they actually get out there and embrace it and take it on, they don't fully understand it and you have to play at that pace. The game has gone so fast that it's just bang, bang, bang and we weren't there today. That's what we're doing.

“It's a very young squad as well. A lot of these players would not have played at this level before. So I take a lot from this.” 

Brian Finn continued: “It's new to a lot of them and we're happy with the way the year has gone so far. We're in a development stage with it and to be fair, they've done really well so far. Winning the league was a good platform to start and a good win last week. We'll push on from this and we'll learn from it.” 

Mayo will still be without Daniel Huane for next week’s trip to Louth as he continues his rehab from injury. Brian Finn said the final round game against Armagh on the weekend of May 11/12 is a likely a return date and in the meantime hopes for an immediate reaction against the Wee County.

“They've had a very good year so far and they have really improved since we started. At the start of the year they have come on a long way. We have a long way to go and we're under no illusion. We know that and the players know that. But today would be a good learning for both, for management and for the players.”

Mayo are back in action this afternoon (Saturday) at 1pm with a trip east to face Louth in Dowdallshill.