Mayo manager Kevin McStay.

Mayo face a tough journey in GAA round robin series

Mayo have been drawn in Group One of the All-Ireland SFC round robin series.

They will face the Munster championship winners, Clare or Kerry, the Leinster championship runners-up, Dublin or Louth, and Cork.

Mayo's first game takes place on the weekend of May 20/21 and they will be away to Kerry or Clare.

In the second round on June 3/4, Mayo will be at home to Dublin or Louth. The third round game against Cork on June 17/18 will be played at a neutral venue.

The full details of the fixtures will be confirmed on Friday.

The draws for the Sam Maguire and Tailteann Cups were presented by Gráinne McElwain and conducted by Uachtarán CLG Labhrás Mac Cárthaigh, who was joined by former Dublin footballer Paddy Andrews (for the Sam Maguire Cup) and former Laois footballer Ross Munnelly (for the Tailteann Cup).

The full All-Ireland SFC group stage draw is as follows:

Group 1: Clare/Kerry winner, Dublin/Louth loser, Mayo and Cork.

Group 2: Galway/Sligo winner, Armagh/Derry loser, Tyrone and Westmeath.

Group 3: Dublin/Louth winner, Galway/Sligo loser, Roscommon and Kildare.

Group 4: Armagh/Derry winner, Clare/Kerry loser, Monaghan and Donegal.

The schedule of games for the group stages of the Sam Maguire Cup is as follows:

Round one (first named team at home) - May 20/21, Seed 1 (Munster/Connacht champions) v Seed 3; Seed 2 (Munster/Connacht runners-up) v Seed 4; May 27/28, Seed 1 (Leinster/Ulster champions) v Seed 3; Seed 2 (Leinster/Ulster runners-up) v Seed 4.

Round two (first named team at home) - June 3/4, Seed 3 v Seed 2, Seed 4 v Seed 1.

Round three (neutral venues) - June 17/18, Seed 1 v Seed 2, Seed 3 v Seed 4

The top teams in each of the four groups will qualify for the quarterfinals, while the second and third-placed sides will clash in preliminary quarterfinals.

Speaking before the draw, former Mayo ace Lee Keegan stated: "I would have loved to have seen the draw take place next week or the following week, for excitement reasons alone.

"I know it gives teams time and prep, that's great and that's lovely, but just for the bit of excitement and drama, to have it on the week entering into the group stage would have been a bit of craic.

"You get that kind of fever for championship so [it's] disappointing from that aspect. Even as a player, the unknown is sometimes more exciting. You go into that week still not knowing and training is going to be a bit of fun.

"All of a sudden you're prepping straight away and all that is going through your head is that one team. I think sometimes that unknown can bring an X-factor and a bit more fun in training."

The Tailteann Cup group stage draw is as follows:

Group 1: Cavan, Offaly, Laois, London

Group 2: Meath, Down, Tipperary, Waterford

Group 3: Limerick, Wicklow, Longford, Carlow

Group 4: Fermanagh, Antrim, Wexford, Leitrim

New York will join the competition at the preliminary quarterfinal stage.

Full fixture details in both competitions will be confirmed by the CCCC on Friday (May 5).