COLUMN: Something very special is possible for Mayo in All-Ireland final

THERE are times in a championship season when progress isn't measured by the result alone. It's measured by whether a team is learning, adapting and finding its identity. Mayo's victory in Croke Park felt like one of those moments.

The most encouraging aspect of this team isn't simply that they're in an All-Ireland final. It's that they're arriving there playing their best football of the year.

That hasn't always been the Mayo way. Too often we've seen teams peak early or plateau before the biggest days. This group has gone in the opposite direction. Since the Roscommon defeat, every performance has brought visible improvement.

The second half against Meath hinted at it. The display against Cork showed a side capable of sustaining a high level for almost the entire game. Against Louth, they took another significant step.

There is still another level required to win an All-Ireland. Everyone in Mayo understands that. Andy Moran certainly does, judging by his comments afterwards.

But what should give supporters real encouragement is that this team is still improving. That's exactly where you want to be in late July.

Much of that improvement comes from players becoming comfortable in their roles. It feels like the management has gradually found the right balance throughout the team.

Players know what is expected of them. They understand where they fit into the system. That clarity is showing in Mayo's football.

If one player symbolises where this team is right now, it's Ryan O'Donoghue.

Back-to-back outstanding performances have underlined not only his talent but his leadership. Against Louth he was magnificent from the opening whistle.

The goal, the two-pointer, the intelligent link play and, just as importantly, the relentless work-rate without the ball all combined into one of the finest individual performances by a Mayo forward in an All-Ireland semi-final that I can remember.

When your best player produces on the biggest stage, confidence spreads throughout the team. Ryan isn't just finishing attacks.

He's dragging others into the game with him, setting standards through his tackling, his movement and his decision-making. That's leadership in its purest form.

The numbers from Mayo's forward line tell their own story. Once again they supplied the overwhelming majority of the scoring. If Mayo are to lift Sam Maguire, that trend will almost certainly have to continue.

TOP TRIO

In modern championship football, you're probably looking at close to 30 points to win an All-Ireland final. Mayo's inside unit will likely need to contribute somewhere between 18 and 20 of those.

The encouraging thing is that they look capable of doing exactly that.

The development of Darragh Beirne and Kobe continues to be one of the biggest positives of the season. What impresses me most isn't simply their skill. It's their mentality.

Beirne endured a frustrating opening spell. A couple of chances didn't come off, another ball broke away from him, yet none of it affected his confidence.

Minutes later he produced a brilliant dummy, stepped inside his marker and calmly slotted over the bar.

Then came the goal.

There were bodies everywhere after the initial effort was blocked down, but Beirne reacted quicker than anyone else on the pitch. Before defenders or even team-mates had adjusted, he'd raced into position to receive an off-load from Sam Callinan and calmly side-footed it to the net.

That's the instinct of a natural finisher. Those moments can't really be coached.

Kobe continues to reveal something new every week. Once the game opened up in the second half, his athleticism became impossible to contain.

He was catching kick-outs, carrying the ball at pace and producing moments of skill that only a handful of players possess.

His flick into Ryan O'Donoghue's path in the first half was another example of the awareness and imagination that seem to come naturally to him.

These young players also appear to possess another invaluable quality — the ability to forget mistakes instantly. Ryan O'Donoghue has always had that goldfish mentality.

A poor shot or a misplaced pass is immediately erased before the next involvement. Beirne and Kobe seem to share that same mindset.

For young forwards playing on the biggest stage, that's an enormous asset.

DEFENSIVE DISPLAY

Further back the foundations remain solid.

The defensive unit has grown in confidence over recent weeks. Against Louth they dealt comfortably with everything thrown at them. Donnacha McHugh was dependable once again.

Eoin McGreal brought his usual aggression and competitiveness. Jack Coyne and Sam Callinan were consistently solid, while Enda Hession continued his impressive run of form.

What also deserves recognition is the way Andy Moran has managed games.

Bob Tuohy now looks like a player who completely understands his role. He brings energy and physicality from the opening throw-in, knowing his contribution may last only 40 or 45 minutes.

That isn't always easy for a player to accept, yet he has embraced it. His work around kick-outs and breaking ball has been hugely important.

The substitutions have also been carefully timed and increasingly influential. Tommy Conroy looks closer than ever to the explosive footballer we remember before injury interrupted his career.

Every appearance now carries pace, directness and real purpose. Conor Loftus brings intelligence and composure whenever he enters.

Cian McHale's finishing ability could yet become another valuable weapon before this championship is over.

Those changes don't happen by accident. They reflect detailed planning and a management team that now has a much clearer understanding of how best to use the resources available.

There are still questions ahead.

Mayo haven't recently faced a forward line with the ruthless quality they'll encounter in an All-Ireland final.

Whether it's David Clifford, Paudie Clifford, Seanie O’Shea or the other serious threats, the next challenge will be entirely different. Those players punish every mistake.

Mayo's aggressive press further up the field worked brilliantly against Louth, disrupting attacks before they developed.

The question now is whether that defensive structure can hold up against forwards capable of beating pressure more consistently and creating one-on-one situations inside.

THY KINGDOM COME

Those are the final examinations that await.

But they are good problems to have.

A few weeks ago there were genuine concerns about where this Mayo team was heading.

Since then, they've responded exactly as you'd hope good teams respond. They've improved. They've found greater clarity.

Young players have matured before our eyes. Senior players have assumed responsibility.

Most importantly, belief has replaced doubt.

Now comes the biggest challenge of all.

If this team can find one more gear over the next fortnight, Mayo supporters might just dare to believe that something very special is possible.