Mayo selector Colm Boyle says the new All-Ireland champions took some inspiration from Rory McIlroy in their breakthrough triumph.

McIlroy’s long pursuit of a Masters title came to an end last year before and the Holywood man would make it back-to-back Green Jackets in April.

Having lost out in 11 All-Ireland SFC finals since 1951, Mayo drew on McIlroy’s feats at Augusta National for inspiration in the weeks leading up to Sunday’s historic victory at Croke Park.

“Andy (Moran) actually referenced it before the semi-final; it’s a phrase from Rory McIlroy, from one of his Masters wins,’ Boyle is quoted saying by Extra.ie. ‘He (McIlroy) just said, ‘Look, no matter what, I’m going to keep swinging today’.

“Now did we swing a bit too much at times on Sunday? I think our two-point shots were four from 14, so maybe we shouldn’t have swung at certain times, but that’s a mindset thing.

“The boys had the confidence to go for the shot. When you’re under pressure in front of 82,300 people, and you’re still willing to take on the two-point shot, that’s the key thing. And obviously when you can nail them, it’s great.”

On his home county ended the 75-year famine for the Sam Maguire Cup, Boyle added: “This was always going to happen,’ he said of breaking the famine. ‘It was going to happen at some stage. I know people think that it’s never going to happen. But I said it to Andy a good while ago: Mayo are going to win the All-Ireland at some stage. If we don’t do it as a management team, someone will do it after us.”

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