Mayo v Dublin: the experts have their say

The Expert View
Daniel Carey

TJ Kilgallon

How are Mayo fixed?
I THINK Mayo are in a great position. There’s nothing really expected from them. They’re an extremely experienced, motivated group. People forget how close they were to taking Dublin last year. Is this Mayo panel not stronger than three years ago? Tom Parsons, Diarmuid O’Connor and Paddy Durcan are all new since then.

What of Dublin?
ARE Dublin better than last year? Bernard Brogan is not setting the world on fire. Ciaran Kilkenny is doing a job but not scoring. Their scoring rate has dropped this year. But we all know they’re a serious time with serious runners, especially off the bench, and the way they can finish games. The Dublin defence are ruthless. They’ll target O’Shea and O’Connor.

What tactics do you expect?
I’D like to see Cian O’Sullivan kept busy. I think Mayo have to go after Dublin on Sunday. If you get cagey and say ‘We’ll draw back’, they will destroy you. I think you have to push up on their kick-outs. Take a gamble. You will cough up scores, but you’ll definitely cough up scores if you don’t.

Colm McManamon

How are Mayo fixed?
THEY’RE coming under the radar nice and quietly. Mayo have to bring their ‘A’ game. The performances from the last number of games, for the length of time they played, won’t do the next day. They have to play well for longer. You could afford to have one or two players playing badly, but not four or five.

What of Dublin?
THE Dubs need to under-perform to a certain extent if Mayo are to win, like they did the last day against Kerry. Bernard Brogan and Paul Flynn didn’t perform, Ciaran Kilkenny wasn’t at the races. I always think Dublin fear Mayo. They don’t like playing us. And they don’t like being pressurised either.

What tactics do you expect?
I THINK Diarmuid Connolly will play full-forward to keep Lee Keegan out of the game, stop Keegan’s role going forward. Connolly will probably sacrifice his game to a certain extent, just to keep Keegan busy. I thought Tom Parsons could have been sprung an awful lot earlier the last day. And Sunday’s game is made for Chris Barrett.

Pat Fallon

How are Mayo fixed?
I DON’T know if you can go from not performing to being at your very best. Mayo traditionally perform brilliantly in one game every single year. There’s always been signs all the way along that they’ve been progressing – and I haven’t seen that. But they are very experienced. Despite what the bookies say, this is a two-horse race.

What of Dublin?
THERE’S going to be savage hype. It’s going to be all about Dublin and two in a row. Mayo would prefer to be playing Dublin than playing Kerry. Dublin have been practising all year, I’d say, to play Tyrone. I was up at Dublin’s game against Donegal, and they absolutely dismantled them.

What tactics do you expect?
MAYO know they can match Dublin physically, and they’re the only team in the country, I think, that can match them athletically. I think Chris Barrett willl start, and I think Tom Parons will start at midfield. The heart would always say ‘Mayo’, and I think we will. I think we will fall over the line.

John P Kean

How are Mayo fixed?
THIS is the finest bunch of Mayo footballers who have ever worn the jersey in my time. They’ve a lot of courage and a lot of skill, and they certainly can do it if Dublin are not up to their absolute potential. But they’ve only played in fits and starts this summer.

What of Dublin?
I’D be hopeful that Dublin will be over-confident. If Dublin come to the game with complete focus and play to their full potential, I don’t think Mayo can beat them. But if Dublin go out on the pitch in the wrong frame of mind, it’s impossible for a management team to change it once the ball is thrown in.

What tactics do you expect?
STEPHEN Cluxton’s kick-outs have been a huge problem for opposing teams. The only time they weren’t was when teams pushed up on his kick-outs. In the All-Ireland final three years ago, Cluxton had a choice of any three Dublin players to pick from in the second half. It was depressing. But that’s not going to happen on Sunday.

Alan Flynn

How are Mayo fixed?
MAYO are probably the only team team with men who’ll be able to run with Cian O’Sullivan, James McCarthy and Brian Fenton. Aidan O’Shea will ask a couple of questions. Andy Moran now gives Mayo another threat. Mayo don’t fear Dublin, and have matched them. There must be one big one in Mayo now.

What of Dublin?
YOU’D have to be impressed with Dublin, and how they were able to deal with all the things that Kerry threw at them. They were playing all the football in the first 25 minutes, just running at will. And even after Kerry came back, they were very composed. Dublin really dominated that match, and they’ll obviously be favourites.

What tactics do you expect?
WHICH is more important: to engage Cian O’Sullivan by staying up high (and risk one-to-one situations for your back line), or keeping your back line tight by having a sweeper, and letting O’Sullivan sweep? Maybe at a certain point in each half, go all out, man to man. And then if Mayo get ahead, bring the sweeper back.