Jim McGuinness says Mayo's inability to manage the closing stages of the game cost them Sunday's All-Ireland final.

Stephen Rochford's men got themselves into a winning position but were unable to get over the line as Dean Rock's late free handed the Dubs their third successive title:

"Everyone in Croke Park and watching around the world knew that Mayo were poised to win the All-Ireland on Sunday," the former Donegal manager writes in The Irish Times. "They had created their perfect storm and the Sam Maguire was there to be claimed. I am talking both generally about their performance but specifically about that moment when they were two points up after 63 minutes. 

"I could feel it as I was watching it in Beijing. You could tell by the atmosphere in the stadium and the faces in the crowd. There was a kind of realisation - a dawning - that they were witnessing history in the making. 

"But 15 minutes later, Stephen Cluxton was lifting the cup and Mayo were devastated: runners-up again. They had lost by a point - again - and there were no words. I couldn't believe it and still can't. And much as we all admire this Mayo group, the bitter truth is that they have only themselves to blame."

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