Mayo learn fate as All-Ireland group stage opposition confirmed

Mayo will have to dust themselves off following the agony of Sunday’s loss to Galway in the Connacht Football Championship final, as the picture of who they will face in the All-Ireland series has come into sharper focus.

While there will be much disappointment among Kevin McStay’s men in the wake of the provincial decider, some solace can be taken from evading the ‘group of death.’

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For Padraic Joyce and Galway, the ‘bonus’ of Sunday’s win is jousts with Dublin in Salhill, Cork in Pairc Uí Chaoimh, and a neutral clash with the losers of the Ulster Final.

For Mayo, however, they know at least their first two opponents if they’re to make it out of the group stages in the hunt for Sam Maguire.

Round One will see a familiar face from the same stage in 2024, as Cavan make the journey to MacHale Park once more.

Exactly one year before the potential date for the 2025 edition, Mayo triumphed comfortably over the Breffni in a 0-20 to 1-8 win.

The Cavan game is scheduled for the weekend of May 17/18.

Next up is a trip to Tyrone to take on the Red Hands.

Mayo fans won’t need too much of a reminder of the last time these two sides squared off in the Championship in September 2021.

This year's game will take place on the weekend of May 31/June 1.

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The penultimate game is yet to be confirmed, with the Ulster final between Donegal and Armagh yet to be played.

The side that claims the Anglo Celt on Saturday will play Mayo in the Round Three game at a neutral venue on the weekend of June 14/15.

Mayo fans will have fond memories of a ‘Super 8’ win over the men from the Hills in 2019.

That year was also the last time they ran into Armagh in Championship fare, narrowly scraping by Kieran McGeeney’s men in the qualifiers.