An appreciative and rousing welcome was given by thousands of fans at McHale Park, Castlebar, to the Mayo team when they arrived back at their training base yesterday evening.
The gloom of a comprehensive defeat in the All-Ireland final was lifted somewhat by the warm reception given the squad after they had touched down earlier at Knock airport on a chartered Aer Arann jet.
After the team coach had been give a Garda motorcycle escort to the Castlebar pitch, Mr Johnny Mee, the vice-cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, paid tribute to the Mayo team and management and described the squad as great ambassadors for the county.
To roars of applause, he stated: "They have given thousands of Mayo fans many, many hours of enjoyment during the season. They are a young team and no doubt they will be heard of in the future and they will bring the highest honours to Mayo."
Mr Mee added: "What they need now is encouragement not criticism".
During a brief press conference at Knock airport, team manager John Maughan said he feared the Mayo side peaked too soon in the championship. "We probably played our best football in August", he said. "Kerry's hunger was much greater".