Over 5,000 supporters turned out to greet the Mayo Senior Football team and management on their return to  Elvery's McHale Park in Castlebar yesterday evening.  

Fans cheered and waved flags as Team captain Cillian O'Connor, first from the team bus, emerged and addressed the multitudes gathered.

He said that the effort to recapture Sam Maguire will be redoubled in 2017.

Cillian's speech was brief as was that of the only other speaker, team manager Stephen Rochford.

 Stephen Rochford, like Cillain, generously congratulated both the Dublin team and its manager, Jim  Gavin, on their "super two in a row."

He encouraged supporters when he declared: "I honestly do believe that Mayo football is not far away from the greatest day of all.

We have an excellent supply of footballers (from under 21 level) coming through. We will start to focus our efforts on 2017 in the coming months."

"The Green and Red of Mayo" song blared out over the loudspeakers as the team arrived at McHale Park on coaches from the local train station and were greeted by a welcoming party which included the chief executive of Mayo County Council Peter Hynes, the cathaoirleach of the authority Al McDonnell and– the cathaoirleach of Castlebar Municipal District – Michael Kilcoyne.

 Afterwards the squad joined family, friends and relations at a function in Breaffy House Resort.