For the third time in pivotal championship matches, Mayo failed to hang on to a one-point lead in injury. Chrissy McKeague sent the contest into extra time with a fisted point in the fifth minute of injury time.
Though Mayo did claw back a three-point deficit in the second half of extra time, ultimately they lost out in the penalty shoot-out.
“Obviously very disappointed personally. personally and I know the team.. you have to be bloody disappointed. Our season is over. I am pretty sure we have been competitive in every single match we have played in.
“We lose the Connacht final with the last kick of the game. We draw with Dublin with the last kick of the game and we lost today with the last penalty of the game. That is tough.
“Those are the margins involved. We are getting the wrong side of those margins too often,” said McStay, who acknowledged Mayo must be a ‘bit more ruthless and clinical and stretch out our leads when we should stretch them out.’
“My own sense of it is that it takes skill to do it. The best teams, the best players kick those points in those moments. Maybe we are not quite there yet.
“Maybe we don’t have that level but we believe we have the potential to get there. They (the players) are hugely committed to playing for Mayo. I know they practice that skill to get better – that won’t be the issue. Can we push it on will be the big question?”
When it was pointed out that McKaigue has fisted the equalising point from virtually the same position as Cormac Costello fisted the equaliser for Dublin last weekend to send Mayo into the preliminary quarter final, McStay said the team were well aware this was a ‘crucial moment’.
“The other team are pushing and they are committing fellows deep and in behind the ball. The ball comes off the post. I think we jumped early for the bounce, that is my memory.
“The other team are committed to the equaliser or otherwise they are out of the championship. We are trying to learn how to defend it but it is not easy. I knew they (Derry) were in difficulty form wise but they have quality players. See how they mind the ball and their efficiency was a good bit better than ours.”
With tongue in cheek McStay described the championship format as ‘flawed’. Despite going through the round robin series unbeaten Mayo are out whereas Derry are through to the last eight despite losing three games.
“Everybody knew there was a possibility you could lose three games and still end up in the quarter final. If we were in that position we would have been delighted to stay alive even if we had lost two or three games. I am just disappointed for the group. We put a lot into it. We are not heading where we wanted to go next weekend.”
McStay acknowledged that the team’s first half performance was below par.
“We didn’t play well for long periods in that first half. We know that. Even at half-time, we were happy enough to be only three down. A goal can change it – and it did. But we didn’t build on the goal then.”
He said Aidan O’Shea was taken off because he was ‘spent’ but McStay described his performance as ‘immense’.
“We gave it our best shot. They don’t know any other way but the effort they put in trying to win these matches. I’m going to reflect and say we’re hugely competitive but we’re not at the top, top level yet. That’s where we want to get to and until we do, that’s where we’re at.”