Speaking after Saturday’s cakewalk win in Breffni Park, Farrell was pessimistic about either’s chances of involvement.
Neither player was part of the Dublin panel and asked whether they might recover in time for Mayo, Farrell replied: “No, probably not if I’m being truthful. But we’re doing everything we can to get them back as quickly as we can. We’ll see how that goes. Two weeks. It’s going to be a challenge.”
McCarthy picked up an injury in the Leinster final win over Louth while Gannon hasn’t played since damaging a hamstring on the occasion of the last meeting of Dublin and Mayo, in the League on March 3rd.
Farrell acknowledged the huge importance of the Mayo game, with the winner topping the group and qualifying automatically for the All-Ireland quarter-final.
The loser will be consigned to a preliminary quarter—final, albeit at home, and will have to play three matches on consecutive weekends to make the last four.
“Yeah, that’s very important,” Farrell admitted. “The week turnaround is difficult. There’s a big prize for the winner the next day.”
As yet, there is no confirmation on where that game will be played, or even on which day. It is expected that the CCCC will formally fix the match on Tuesday, for either Tullamore or Breffni Park.
“It’s definitely a problem,” Farrell said about the wait to find out. “Even not knowing what day is a problem. We have two doctors on our panel (Mick Fitzsimons and Jack McCaffrey) there and they’re continually asking us what do we know about when the game is on because they have to move shifts around.
“And there are others in that position too. It’s far from ideal. Even logistically – booking hotels, all of that type of thing. It’s a challenge, for sure.”
Just over 9,000 people made it to Breffni Park, with Dublin running out 19 point winners. It comes just a week after 11,176 attended their opening group game with Roscommon in Croke Park.
However, Farrell insisted that the championship was now entering its key phase and that public interest will likely reflect that over the coming weeks.
“There is a lot of doom and gloom about the championship the last couple of weeks,” he suggested.
“But I think it was around this time last year it really started heating up so I’d expect it to be the same this time round. I think everyone should hold judgement for another couple of weeks have passed and see what the next few games bring.”
