MAYO JOIN BOSS NOEL Connelly revealed their concern over the off-the-ball treatment their players received during yesterday’s All-Ireland semi-final.
The clash between Dublin and Mayo was a tempestuous affair with several flashpoints emerging all over the pitch.
“It’s something we brought to the attention of the linesman on a couple of occasions,” remarked Connelly.
“It wasn’t just Aido (Aidan O’Shea). I thought Kevin McLoughlin got a tough time. Look it this is senior football.
“We don’t expect to come here and be untouched, don’t get me wrong. Some of the jersey pulling to the ground was very obvious at times, I didn’t see as much action taken as I would have liked.
“We make it aware to the linesman and we were asking him to bring it to his (referee) attention. So whether or which it was or not, I can’t tell ya.
“I have said this before, I don’t like going on about the way that Aido maybe gets tackled at times.
“Other players maybe, when I say that, (players) smaller in stature and being marked the same way he is, would be getting frees in my mind.”
Connelly confirmed he did not see the off the ball incident which resulted in Diarmuid Connolly being sent-off.
“I didn’t to be fair, I was actually on the way in to Robbie Hennelly when it happened so I couldn’t answer that question.”
Mayo only conceded 1-1 from placed balls in comparison to the 1-9 that Dublin shipped. Connelly praised his team’s discipline.
“Yes, absolutely. Any day that I suppose Dean Rock doesn’t kick any frees is a good day at the office for your defence.
“We would hope that that would continue next week.”
In the second-half yesterday, Mayo experienced far more joy in pressurising Dublin’s kickouts in comparison to their retreat policy in the opening period.
“You try zone marking or you press up,” explained Connelly.
“You leave the zones free, they had four men in their full-back line in the first half, then you leave the zones free.
“It’s whether or which, and we felt the latter was the one to cover, the zones. That’s the way it was today, it may be a case next week that they will have to press up.
“Today I know it doesn’t look well from a supporters point of view but it’s a 72 or 74 minute game and it’s the end of that that counts. We thought that was the best policy for today.”
