MAYO manager Stephen Rochford has dismissed rumours that former Donegal boss Jim McGuinness had addressed Mayo players at a recent training camp.
It had been suggested less than 48 hours before last Sunday's All-Ireland final by RTÉ pundit Martin Carney that McGuinness had spoken to Mayo players at their pre-final camp in Limerick. However, McGuinness has since said the story was "totally untrue".
Rochford also rubbished the claims this week: "I don't know where the Jim McGuinness story came out of," the Mayo boss said.
"I've huge regard for what Jim McGuinness did above in Donegal, but I've never spoken to the man or I've never met the man. I don't know where that story came out of at all. If somebody wants to say the Pope is training us next week, so be it," he added.
"It won't distract us from what the task is on Saturday week."
The Crossmolina man struck a similar note on Joe Brolly's description of Mayo as "celebrity losers", saying: "I don't think it's necessarily fair language, but that's a choice for that... pundit to make. It certainly didn't keep me awake."
Meanwhile, the chances of Mayo's Alan Dillon appearing in his sixth All-Ireland final on Saturday week won't be known for sure until "the middle of next week". The two-time Allstar attacker has emerged as Mayo's biggest injury concern following their dramatic draw with champions Dublin.
Dillon kicked a point during his 12-minute cameo on the field after coming on as a substitute, but had to be replaced after colliding with Dublin's Cian O'Sullivan. The news is better on Mayo skipper Cillian O'Connor, who is almost certain to have recovered from an ankle injury he sustained in the closing stages last Sunday.
Evan Regan, who was replaced by a blood sub in the final seconds after colliding heavily with Dublin's Denis Bastick, is following 'return-to-play' concussion protocols. He is also expected to be available for selection for the first All-Ireland senior football final replay since 2000.
"Alan has had an x-ray and a scan," said Rochford.
"It's just a case of can he move on it next week, that is the concern. He had signalled to come off just before he kicked the point. Thankfully, he was able to manage through for that minute or two... He is the only one there is potentially any doubt about."
Cillian O'Connor, who kicked the equalising score seven minutes into added-time, twisted his ankle in the second-half. The captain "woke up on Monday with a little bit of pain and a little bit of swelling", Rochford revealed, but there are "no concerns" about his availability.
Elsewhere, with the GAA's competitions control committee probing the tunnel incident which preceded last Sunday's draw, Rochford reiterated it was "totally coincidental" that Dublin and Mayo had entered the field of play at virtually the same time: "There was no [case of] 'Dublin are coming here, let's get out' [or] 'Dublin aren't here, let's wait for them'," he added.
"There is a lot more to be dealing with and focused on... I know we got a direction to be second out onto the field. With us being a minute or two late, I don't know why Dublin were four or five minutes late. That is probably a question Dublin need to answer."
