Former Cork manager and two-time All-Ireland winner as a player, Larry Tompkins, has said Mayo 'need to grow up' and questioned whether they have the 'stomach' to claim a first All-Ireland title in 63 years.
He said that an All-Ireland final is totally unlike a quarter-final and semi-final and that players needed to able to fend off the hype that comes with the big day. He suggested that some Mayo players had let this get in on them and they would 'want to grow up a small bit.'
The players, for some reason, lack the stomach to get the best out of themselves on All-Ireland final day.
He singled out Alan Dillon as someone who, despite excellent performances in the lead up to the final, has consistently failed to deliver come September.
Take Alan Dillon. He has played in four All-Ireland finals, lost all four and taken off in two of them. In the final they just can’t seem to perform.
[Irish Examiner]
