Former Mayo forward Martin Carney reckons the 10-point defeat by Roscommon in the Connacht championship was the turning point in Andy Moran’s men’s season.

Carney was in MacHale Park on Monday evening to watch the All-Ireland champions’ homecoming that saw the famous Sam Maguire Cup coming back to Castlebar for the first time in 75 years.

Speaking to RTE Sport, the four-time Connacht SFC winner said he felt the team’s defeat to the Rossies on the fourth Sunday in April was the catalyst for their historic success on Sunday at Croke Park.

"The difference, I think, was the defeat to Roscommon, believe it or not," he said. "They were beaten in the second half of that game by 1-07 to seven points.

"Then they had four weeks to think about it, to mull over it and to actually remodel his team. And [Andy] brought in three young people, three or four lads.

"He brought in Darragh Beirne. He [had] brought in Kobe McDonald, who was still actually in the throes of his Leaving Cert.

"He was still in school at the time, and he brought in the young [Eoin] McGreal lad at corner-back.

"On top of that, he kept faith in a lot of lads, the likes of Bob Tuohy. He kept faith in his captain, Jack Coyne.

"He put a huge emphasis on getting the ball in quickly into his forward line, getting the ball in quickly into those three inside lads [Beirne, McDonald and Ryan O'Donoghue].

"And it made all the difference.”

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