NUI Galway manager John Maughan insists winning Friday night's FBD Connacht League final in McHale Park is not a priority for his team.

Maughan will face his former Mayo charges in the decider for the second year running, but his main focus is on next Tuesday's Sigerson Cup opener against St. Mary's of Belfast.

"First and foremost, it's an extra game for us and it will act as a benchmark as to exactly where we are at right now," he told The Mayo News.

"Winning it is not huge on our agenda if I'm being honest because our focus is firmly fixed on St Mary's of Belfast in the Sigerson Cup next week."

One thing Maughan is hoping for is an improvement on last year's final performance which saw the students lose by six points to the Connacht champions.

"Mayo whipped us in Castlebar last year and I think we discovered the very real gap in standards that night," he recalled.

"They were physically stronger, fitter, and faster than us and I think when it came to the tournament stage of the Sigerson, it became even more clear the work we had to do. We were well short of that at the semi-final stage. It was a real eye-opener for Tomás (Tierney) and myself.

"We felt the contact time we had with the squad wasn't sufficient so we changed things around this season. We have trained early morning before work and college and we have a very committed group of young footballers here." Tweet

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