John O'Mahony reckons the current Mayo team is the greatest never to win an All-Ireland.

Since the former Fine Gael TD was manager when they were beaten by Cork in the 1989 decider, Mayo have lost eight more finals, including the last two to Dublin.

Speaking ahead of his induction into the Gaelic Writers' Association (GWA) Hall of Fame at the Jackson Court Hotel in Dublin tonight, O'Mahony said: "We talk about the best players who have never won All-Irelands but this Mayo side are the undisputed best team never to have won. That search goes on.

"I was privileged to have two opportunities to manage Mayo and I'd have loved to have got them over the line in 1989. It would be a real personal regret that I didn't.

"If they had won one along the way, whether it was 1989 or 1996, then they'd have a few more by now. If Mayo beat Dublin last year I think they would have retained the title this year.

"But in this year's All-Ireland, Dublin had the knack of success and Mayo didn't, and it came down to those small margins."

Join us on Sunday for our Live Match Tracker with minute-by-minute updates from eighteen county finals plus Kilcoo versus Slaughtneil.

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