Mayo forward Cillian O'Connor is hopeful that Aidan O'Shea's knee injury is not serious and that'll he be able to play this season. 

Breaffy attacker O'Shea picked up the issue at Mayo's first collective training session last week ahead of start of the Allianz Football League.

It had initially been feared that the All-Star would face a lengthy spell on the sidelines but O'Connor is optimistic that his teammate will be back soon.

“I've not heard anything for definite now yet,” the Championship's record scorer told gaa.ie.

“Still optimistic that he'll be alright. It was just a kind of a contact injury as opposed to a muscle or a soft tissue, so not really one that can be avoided. Just a bit of chance.

“I think he has to wait for a second reading on a scan or something before he'll know for sure. Still hopeful that it won't be anything too serious.

Every now and again we have a game and the country sees a performance but all the while, behind the cloak, he’s driving things on in training for six, seven, eight, ten sessions between games and that’s really where the big value is in him for us.

“I’m looking forward to knocking off him and all the lads in training in the next few weeks.”