"Frankly, they didn't respect Cavan enough"

Lee Keegan says Mayo are out of the conversation as All-Ireland SFC contenders following their shock loss to Cavan last Sunday.

Kevin McStay’s side fell to the Breffni men (1-17 to 1-14) in their All-Ireland group stage opener after a below par showing in front of their home crowd in Castlebar.

Writing in his column for RTE Sport this week, Keegan says that “the reality has hit home” that the Westerners aren’t in contention for the Sam Maguire Cup this summer.

“Sunday was doomsday in Castlebar and the fallout has been rough,” wrote the Westport man.

“After the defeat to Cavan, people down here have been bandying around comparisons to the infamous loss to Longford in 2010, the last real low-point for Mayo football.

“The reality has hit home that there are possibly six or seven genuine All-Ireland contenders at the moment and Mayo sadly just aren't in that conversation anymore.”

The five-time All-Star added: “I don't know if the players were still sulking from that (Connacht final) loss or whether the after-taste was still lingering, but their body language was poor throughout the Cavan game. I heard Martin Carney on Mid-West Radio was fuming throughout the game about a lack of intensity, a bad sign.

“Either way, it seemed evident that Mayo didn't approach Sunday's game with the proper attitude. Frankly, they didn't respect Cavan enough.”