Galway manager Kevin Walsh is under no illusions as to who are the top dogs in Connacht.

Speaking to The Irish Daily Star, the All-Ireland winning midfielder stressed: "Regardless of who is where, Mayo are streets ahead of everybody else until proven different.

"We can all talk, and obviously you are always looking for the new pretenders to come through from whatever angle, but at the minute, until someone proves different, Mayo are streets ahead.

"At the end of the day it is what it is and you judge it on the last Championship. Unfortunately for all the other counties we can judge it on the last four Championships.

"There's a huge buzz in Roscommon at the minute because of the back-to-back promotions and winning Division 2 - but at this minute Mayo are streets ahead until it's proven different."

Having claimed the scalp of New York, Walsh has turned his attentions to this weekend's clash against Leitrim.

"Week after week we were preparing for the next hurdle, and each one was a potential downfall so we haven't seen a whole pile of Leitrim.

"Looking at their results they finished the league really strong and won their last three games.

"That's often a good sign heading into Championship and I suppose we are in the same situation ourselves. It's important you finish the league strong regardless of the situation you are in.

"Shane Ward is obviously a very good manager. I think he was over the minor and Under 21 teams, which turned Galway over, so he obviously knows Galways inside out. He also has a system in place that is working for him.

"As the league went on they got stronger, so we are under illusions that when those guys see us coming to the door they will be well prepared and they will be confident."

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