Stephen Rochford has denied claims that Sean Cavanagh was 'targeted' by his Mayo team in yesterday's nail-biting one point quarter-final win over Tyrone.

Former Footballer of the Year Cavanagh's participation was brought to a premature end with 10 minutes left on the clock after he was shown a second yellow card for a high challenge on Aidan O'Shea.

But it was his first yellow card, which came about following a 'wrestling match' with Lee Keegan before the ball was thrown in for the second-half, that irked Mickey Harte afterwards and prompted the Red Hands boss to point the finger of blame at Mayo.

Speaking to The Irish Times, Rochford responded: "I can categorically tell you there was no player targeted from the Mayo dressing room.

"Was Diarmuid O'Connor targeted maybe in the first two or three minutes? If everybody wants to go down that line . . . Certainly Lee Keegan or any Mayo player wasn't under any instruction to target any player."

Westport clubman Keegan subsequently kicked the winning point as Mayo set up a semi-final date with Tipperary and Rochford added: "Vice-captain on the international rules team - you don't get that for no reason.

"When the call came out to him to hit two serious points in a real pressure situation he hit them. Cometh the hour cometh the man."

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