Mayo’s Rob Hennelly makes Instagram statement after All-Ireland heartbreak

Mayo goalkeeper Rob Hennelly has made a statement via Instagram in the wake of the county's agonising All-Ireland final replay defeat to Dublin on Saturday.

Hennelly was a surprise inclusion in the Mayo side for the fixture at Croke Park, with manager Stephen Rochford bringing him in to replace David Clarke.

However the 26-year-old endured a difficult afternoon at HQ, with a handling error and subsequent challenge on Paddy Andrews seeing him awarded a black card.

Diarmuid Connolly slotted the resulting penalty as Jim Gavin's side went on to retain their All-Ireland title, winning the match 1-15 to 1-14.

And Breaffy 'keeper Hennelly has taken to Instagram to express his anguish at Mayo's defeat, which will see the long wait for Sam Maguire extend to 66 years.

His post reads: “I’ll never be able to fully describe what was going through my head at this moment. What I was expecting to be one of my best days turned out to be the opposite, and it breaks my heart that I didn’t come through for my team and county.

"I told a brilliant young man Anthony Casey that that one game wouldn't define him, and today, and probably for a while to come, I'll be telling myself the same thing.

“It is not a good place to be, but I know I have to come back from it, I still believe I have something to offer this team and my county, so now is not the time to relent.

“I have to say that the support I’ve received has been incredible and the messages from friends, family, former team mates, players from other counties, and of course the Mayo supporters, has helped me immensely.

“I don’t know where I’ll be in a years time, but I do know that I’m not going to give up. I love Mayo and this team too much to do that.

“Mhaigh Eo Abú.”