A CHRISTMAS ALL-Ireland football final is afoot, but the romantic finish to the year many neutrals crave is not on the menu, according to Marc Ó Sé.
Ó Sé joined Shane Dowling for the latest edition of The42 GAA Weekly to look ahead to Saturday’s Senior Football Championship decider at Croke Park. And while the Kerry legend can feel palpable excitement around him about the possibility of Mayo ending the drought, he can’t see Dublin being undone in their quest for a sixth straight Sam Maguire.
“Talking to people,” said the Kerryman, “the big question is, have Mayo any chance? Could we see an upset?
“The year that’s in it, dare we say it, is this an opportunity for Mayo to put one over the Dubs? I can’t see it happening to be honest with you, this Dublin team have brought it to a completely new level.”
Ó Sé nods towards an unrivalled structure put in place over the years around Dublin. Not to mention some help on the field from ‘some of the ‘greatest players that ever played the game’ and strength in depth that can stretch even the most capable opponent to breaking point.
“Look at the likes of Paddy Small keeping Paul Mannion off the team. Can you imagine maybe the 60th minute, you as a corner-back – take the likes of Oisin Mullen – he’s doing a good job. Then, all of a sudden, he has a completely new task ahead of him and he has to take on the likes of Paul Mannion?
“Ferocious.”
He adds: “Not only do you have to stop the Dublin forwards, you also have to stop the midfield. You have to stop Brian Fenton. You basically have to put a man-marker on Brian Fenton. We see him so many times get into offensive positions where, not only has he a chance of kicking a point, but he gets goal-scoring opportunities.
“James Horan really has to stop that threat. Where is he going to do that?”
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Could “Mel” and “My Name” please make your way to the comments section. There’s an argument here waiting for ye
@Miguel Sanchez: hola Miguel, looking for strangers on the internet again amigo?
@Miguel Sanchez: no argument here, I think we are all in agreement with who wins this one. It really would be the miracle at Christmas if mayo won this
@my name @mel roberts That took longer than expected
@Miguel Sanchez: sorry bout that Ultan
@my name: No bother. Who’s Ultan btw?
@Miguel Sanchez: oh you’re signed into the right account now when you’re trolling strangers on the internet
@my name: dont go crying ya melt
@my name: I’m not sure where you’ve got the name Ultan from but I reckon the likes have vindicated me. And you’re one to talk about not using real names. Unless “my name” is actually your real name in which case I’m very sorry
@Miguel Sanchez: https://www.the42.ie/days-after-beating-man-united-leipzig-top-bundesliga-5297735-Dec2020/
Fair enough ultan I hope you & your likes are very happy together
@my name: that was me making fun of the guy who wrote the same comment twice. Tune in will ya?
@Miguel Sanchez: good one
@Alright Alright Alright: if you think I’m a melt now buddy what till Saturday evening
@my name: it’s fairly obvious that I’m from Tipp and not Dublin if you ever look at the comments on GAA articles on here
Mayo will stay within 3 or 4 of Dublin up until 40/50 mins. Then Dublin will kick on to win by 8/9/10. It’s sad how predictable inter-county footballs become!
@Jamie Bent: a lot better than the way it was going under Jimmy McGuinness
@Jamie Bent: it’s all Ireland final, it will be tense and I’d expect it to be very close. A lot also depends on whether the referee & official will allow Mayo to deploy the fouling strategy they’ve deployed all year aimed at preventing Teams fast breaking from defence or the holding & dragging of forwards deployed previously to shutdown the Dublin forward movement off the ball
@Jamie Bent: I suspect the ref will ‘let it flow’ which is code for ignore strategic fouling – that will suit Mayo and make it much closer
@BMJF: hang ion do you think a team with Johnny Cooper In it doesn’t strategically foul opposition players? Dublin can mix it with the best on that front
@my name: ??? Look at the facts scoring ratios for donegal under mcguinness were high. One ultra defensive game against dublin might be what you are thinking of.
@Jamie Bent: if mayo are within 3 or 4 at half time then that will give them heart and I would actually fancy them. Mayo kerry dublin have been the 3 most consistent teams over the last 10 years so I don’t expect dublin to have it all their own way
@Mel Robets: BMJF would have us all believe that dublin don’t pack their defence either
@BMJF: sounds like ure worried?? As long as Philly keeps trying to mount O’Shea and Johnny S gets his usual digs in, it will be interesting to see if 15 blues will stay in the pitch.
@Jamie Bent: after the year they’ve had, the poor GAA coffers are due a draw or two surely?
@Jamie Bent: oh yeah.. Cavan and Tipp were so predictable.
@BMJF: Where’d you get those blue tinted spectacles you’re wearing… All the winning must have clouded or erased your memory.
@Will Rymer: pack the crowds into replays will they
It will be a national holiday if mayo win it
@Eric Murphy: ABD Day?
Mayo will do it.
@Colm: stay out of the bookies my good man!!!!
Any Mayo fans caught climbing over the walls at Croke Park will be made to return and watch the second half according to the Garda.
Unfortunately Mayo don’t stand a chance
@David O Brien: disagree. McCaffrey gone, new manager, lack of game time, lack of practice, possibly a lack of hunger from the Dubs… any All Ireland between the teams has been close (max 1 point bt the teams at the end). All in all, I wouldn’t write Mayo off.
@lambda sensor: you can say many things about this Dublin team , but no one in their right mind could say they lack hunger. It’s one of their most admirable qualities. How they come back year after year is phenomenal.
Mayo for Sam. And Sam for Joe Bidens inaugural ceremony on January 20th. And then a track up Croagh Patrick on Reek Sunday in Thanksgiving….
No chance Mayo can win it. It would be a bit like, let’s say something really stupid here, Leicester winning the premiership, Greece the Euros or Zambia the African cup. Just forget about it.
In one word, no.
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