Mayo look set to be without their inspirational captain Diarmuid O’Connor for Sunday’s Connacht SFC quarter-final with New York at Gaelic Park.

The Ballintubber clubman is understood to have sustained a facial injury during a collision in a training session last week, which looks set to sideline him for a number of weeks.

O’Connor made his senior championship debut for Mayo against New York five years ago, scoring a goal.

If Mayo beat New York next weekend, they will be out again against Roscommon in the provincial semi-final on Saturday, May 25 in Castlebar.

As a consequence, James Horan is unlikely to risk O’Connor in a match the visitors are expected to win comfortably.

Keith Higgins and Seamie O’Shea, who are also both nursing ankle injuries, could also be kept in reserve.

A number of players have returned to match fitness since Mayo’s NFL final win and played in club championship games, such as David Clarke, Michael Plunkett, Ger Cafferkey, Cian Hanley, and Cillian O’Connor.

All are expected to be in contention for a place in the match-day squad.

Horan will name 26 players for Sunday’s game, but the rest of the panel will also be making the transatlantic journey and partake in a training camp.

The majority of the Mayo travelling party of players, management, support staff and county board officials are flying from Dublin to New York tomorrow.

The Mayo management and players will attend a fundraiser in New York on Friday night, with the Mayo GAA International Supporters Foundation Gala taking place in the Cipriani 25 Broadway Hotel.

Meanwhile, despite social media speculation over the weekend, Sunday’s game in New York will not be broadcast live on TG4 or streamed online.

The head of sport at TG4, Rónán Ó Coisdealbhá, said: “Unfortunately, TG4 will not be showing the game live, but we will have highlights on Monday evening at 8pm.

"We did receive quite a lot of enquiries as to whether or not we will be showing the game live, but we will not be,” he added.

Mayo GAA PRO Paul Cunnane also confirmed Mayo GAA TV were not given the necessary approval to stream it either.

“Mayo GAA TV would have loved to broadcast the game as it would have been great for the fans all around the world but unfortunately we were not given the necessary permission,” he said.