Sunday, September 22
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final
Dublin v Mayo, Croke Park, 3.30pm
There is the wise old saying that the cream always rises to the top. This may be true when considering both teams contesting this years All Ireland Football final as both Mayo and Dublin have been the two most impressive and consistent teams over the course of the season. Who will be lifting the Sam Maguire Cup on Sunday evening and be crowned the best team in the land? It is a very difficult one to call.
Both these teams have been dining at the top table over the last three seasons, having both at least reached the All-Ireland semi-finals in 2011 and 2012, and it was inevitable that sooner or later both sides would meet on the biggest day of all. Both teams are unbeaten in this year's championship turning in some scintillating performances in the process. Dublin's impressive form has carried over from the Allianz Football League which they won for the first time in 20 years at the end of April. Mayo had a steady league campaign, reaching the semi-finals, but it has been in the championship where they have really shown a determination to make up for their many final heartbreaks in recent years.
While Dublin overcame their western opponents in their two league meetings this season they were both absorbing encounters and a good indicator of the aspirations of both teams for the championship season ahead. Both games were played at a remarkably high tempo with goals proving crucial and fast, energetic movement of the ball overshadowing the blanket defences of previous seasons.
The last time the sides met in the championship was in the All-Ireland semi-final last September when Mayo produced a brilliant performance to knock Dublin out and progress to the final (0-19 to 0-16). Memories of the epic semi final in 2006 between both sides are also vivid and particularly the splendid winning point from the mercurial Ciaran McDonald in to the Hill 16 goal.
Where that recent past leaves us for Sunday isn't clear - Mayo's positive recent championship record against Dublin is offset by the fact that they haven't won the top honour since 1951 whereas the majority of this Dublin side have the experience of defeating Kerry in the 2011 decider.
Both sides have cruised to provincial glory already this year. Dublin had a slightly more difficult path in Leinster, but they made short work of Westmeath (1-22 to 0-9) and Kildare (4-16 to 1-9) before overcoming a decent challenge from Meath in the Leinster final (2-15 to 0-14). Mayo surged through Connacht, racking up big wins against Galway (4-16 to 0-11) and Roscommon (0-21 to 0-9) before a very comfortable final victory over London (5-11 to 0-10).
Although there have been a few tricky moments for both counties in the All-Ireland series, they have both been excellent since coming to Croke Park on the August Bank Holiday weekend. Dublin moved past Cork in the last eight before showing great character in their epic semi-final against Kerry. Mayo delivered the performance of the year so far in the All-Ireland quarter-final against Donegal, when inspired by the marauding Aidan O'Shea in the middle, they blew the All-Ireland champions away with a display of pace, power and skill.
Their semi-final win over Tyrone was an altogether different affair but in many ways it was a lot more beneficial experience for James Horan's side. Having struggled to cope with the Tyrone gameplan for long stages in the first half they eventually managed to get to grips, and once they did, they took control of the game in the second half before easing to a 1-16 to 0-13 win. Dublin condeceded three first half goals to a Colm Cooper inspired Kerry and were still one point in arrears with four minutes remaining but still had the capacity for one final kick and eventually won the game by a somewhat flattering seven points, 3-18 to 3-11.
There has been plenty of discussion in the build-up to the game as to the way both sides play the game. Both play a very attacking brand of football, with a high tempo and a high expectation on players to get forward, and back, in great numbers. Dublin's man-on-man style has been very good for them in terms of the amount of goalscoring chances they create, they have been criticised for not taking enough of them, but it has also occasionally left them vulnerable to attacks at the other end of the field which both Cork, with limited success, and Kerry, with much success, have exploited.
The biggest question over the last few weeks has surrounded the fitness of Mayo forward Cillian O'Connor after he suffered a recurrence of a dislocated shoulder injury in the Tyrone game. O'Connor, who has scored a remarkable 6-14 in this year's championship, has been named in an unchanged Mayo side and this is a serious vote of confidence by the management. The Dublin team shows one change from the semi final with Philly McMahon replacing Kevin O'Brien in their full back line.
With so much at stake and with the smallest things deciding the biggest games is it too much to expect another draw so close to the drawn All Ireland Hurling Final?
Verdict: Draw Odds: 9/1
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