Monaghan suffered a heartbreaking 1-24 to 2-20 defeat against Mayo in their All-Ireland SFC opener at Clones, despite mounting a spirited second-half fightback. The Farney County trailed by eleven points at the break after Mayo's ruthless first-half display featured six two-pointers, leaving them with a mountain to climb.

Manager Gabriel Bannigan lauded his team's character as they clawed back to within a point of their opponents. Key players Stephen O'Hanlon and Bobby McCaul missed the match through injury, with McCaul recently returning from a year-long ACL absence.

McCaul's replacement made an instant impact, scoring a goal and a point to spark the comeback. However, he was stretchered off with another serious knee injury, leaving Bannigan 'gutted' for the teenager. The manager described an emotional dressing room, praising McCaul's impact since returning from his previous twelve-month layoff.

The loss eliminates Monaghan from the All-Ireland series, while Mayo advance despite being pushed to the limit. Bannigan's side showed remarkable resilience but fell short when it mattered most.