BOTH MAYO AND Kerry are confident that they will have stronger hands to play with come the start of their championship campaigns with injury worries over leading players starting to ease. 

Mayo delivered their first league title in 18 years yesterday afternoon in Croke Park, the success over Kerry ending their luckless run in national finals.

And ahead of a Connacht opener against New York on Sunday 5 May, James Horan is confident that they he will have a more powerful panel at his disposal then.

“There’s club championship in two weeks’ time. Cillian (O’Connor), Cian Hanley (and) Seamie O’Shea will certainly be playing in those.

“Fionn (McDonagh) was very close today but we just didn’t want to risk him. Ger Caff will be back as well, so it’s coming together.”

None of that quintet were part of yesterday’s 26-man Mayo squad. Another player who continues to be absent is Tom Parsons, sidelined since the horrific leg injury he suffered last May against Galway in Castlebar.

Horan was not aware of Parsons being stopped from going onto the pitch for Mayo’s trophy presentation and the incident was subsequently played down by the county’s PRO Paul Cunnane who confirmed the Charlestown club man did share in the celebrations on the pitch after.

Former boss Stephen Rochford had previously stated Mayo’s trip to New York was a potential comeback date that Parsons had discussed.

“It’s hard to write off anything Tom says, to be honest,” stated Horan.

“He’s that keen. We’ll see how it goes.”

For Kerry’s part the league was characterised by the emergence of young guns but the return of midfielder David Moran, who has been hampered by a knee injury, is something manager Peter Keane is looking for ahead of their start in Munster on Saturday 1 June against Clare or Waterford.

“We would be hopeful that David is three/four weeks away but today came too early for him.”

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