All-Ireland Final, September 18th, 2016 - Dublin v Mayo

[The Hill is Blue]

Mayo by 3 points with a good helping hand from the referee and the GAA.

Of course Mayo can win on Sunday but they will need to blot out any of the negative thoughts about previous years that are bound to be filling their heads. Their big danger is that if their carefully planned strategies and "surprise" tactics don't seem to be working and they find themselves chasing the game will they succumb to the paralysis of "here we go again".

That's the big question.

I don't agree with that. Dublin have never beaten Mayo out the gate in championship. If it was Kerry who built up a lead in a final v Mayo, then perhaps a "here we go again" vibe might have arisen, but not with the Dubs. Last year both games were on a knife edge and in the 2013 final, when Dublin looked like they could win going away, Mayo dug deep and clawed it back to 1 point (and if that had been under the new rules where a proper amount of injury time is played, then they most probably would have dug out a draw too.)

If Dublin win, it'll be because we are the better team on the day, not because of any psychological stuff (and vice versa)

Obviously the better team on the day must be favoured to win but sometimes a team can be caught up in a losing mentality which can prevent them from cashing in on their real capabilities. It happened to the Dublin team of the late 1990s and for most of the early 2000s. Remember also the final minute of the 2013 final when Mayo seemed to "freeze in the headlights" and spurned a chance of going for a goal with the last kick of the game.

[yellowcard]

It shouldn't have to be seen as a slight on Mayo to worry for them on Sunday. Its is simple recognition that they are playing against the greatest side in a generation and the best Dubln team ever who are at the peak of their powers. There will be absolutely no disgrace in losing this particular final if they are to leave everything on the field on Sunday. Firstly I'd love to see Mayo win but if that is not possible I just hope that the game is at the very least competitive because I really fear for what Dublin might do to Mayo on Sunday.

[JoG2]

On what basis do you way Mayo have improved? Sunday is the only time we will be able to tell that I think but so far nothing to suggest they've improved.

Beat a much touted Tyrone team in a very thorough  manner. Cantered past Tipperary who had beaten Cork and hammered Galway.

Not sure I'd agree with that synopsis of those games. Did they beat Tyrone in a very thorough manner? Tyrone missed about 4 good chances towards the end to draw or even sneak a win in that game. Yes they beat Tipp by 5 but Tipp were on top for long spells in the game and really it was a purple patch just before half-time that was the difference in the end. Plus a rather jammy goal near the end. I mean a win is a win in the end and the Tyrone one especially was a good one as Tyrone were well fancied beforehand but it was still nip and tuck all the way.

they are not good chances when you've the likes of Cathal McCarron (good footballer as he is) shooting and Niall Morgan kicking from way out..has Morgan ever scored a free can anyone confirm? 

On paper Mayo are stronger than the last couple of years and Dublin are weaker. Games between the two counties in recent years have been tight affairs. Sunday will be no different, they'll be very little in it. I'm still going with a 2 point victory for Mayo, and hoping to any god that I score a ticket !

[JoG2]

It shouldn't have to be seen as a slight on Mayo to worry for them on Sunday. Its is simple recognition that they are playing against the greatest side in a generation and the best Dubln team ever who are at the peak of their powers. There will be absolutely no disgrace in losing this particular final if they are to leave everything on the field on Sunday. Firstly I'd love to see Mayo win but if that is not possible I just hope that the game is at the very least competitive because I really fear for what Dublin might do to Mayo on Sunday.

are you a Dub?

[yellowcard]

It shouldn't have to be seen as a slight on Mayo to worry for them on Sunday. Its is simple recognition that they are playing against the greatest side in a generation and the best Dubln team ever who are at the peak of their powers. There will be absolutely no disgrace in losing this particular final if they are to leave everything on the field on Sunday. Firstly I'd love to see Mayo win but if that is not possible I just hope that the game is at the very least competitive because I really fear for what Dublin might do to Mayo on Sunday.

are you a Dub?

A Dub hoping that Mayo win? Definitely not. That said, I don't have the general dislike of Dublin that a lot of non Dubs seem to have. They play the game in the right way. I enjoy watching them play and to my mind they are the best footballing side I've seen play the game in living memory as I never had the fortune of seeing the Kerry golden years team.

[JoG2]

It shouldn't have to be seen as a slight on Mayo to worry for them on Sunday. Its is simple recognition that they are playing against the greatest side in a generation and the best Dubln team ever who are at the peak of their powers. There will be absolutely no disgrace in losing this particular final if they are to leave everything on the field on Sunday. Firstly I'd love to see Mayo win but if that is not possible I just hope that the game is at the very least competitive because I really fear for what Dublin might do to Mayo on Sunday.

are you a Dub?

A Dub hoping that Mayo win? Definitely not. That said, I don't have the general dislike of Dublin that a lot of non Dubs seem to have. They play the game in the right way. I enjoy watching them play and to my mind they are the best footballing side I've seen play the game in living memory as I never had the fortune of seeing the Kerry golden years team.

I'll confess I didn't read the last part first time around ! You're a fierce man for the Dubs. I'll agree though, they are brilliant to watch. I do hope to watch Mayo topple them on Sunday (like yourself it seems) 

[Declan]

On paper Mayo are stronger than the last couple of years and Dublin are weaker. Games between the two counties in recent years have been tight affairs. Sunday will be no different, they'll be very little in it. I'm still going with a 2 point victory for Mayo, and hoping to any god that I score a ticket !

Agreed 

[JoG2]

On the ticket front, are Dublin / Mayo fans finding it harder to get tickets this year?  I'm in a few draws for tickets and would dearly love to go, but would probably end up giving it (with a heavy heart) to a Dublin friend living up in the North-West (if I won).

[Walter Cronc]

On the ticket front, are Dublin / Mayo fans finding it harder to get tickets this year?  I'm in a few draws for tickets and would dearly love to go, but would probably end up giving it (with a heavy heart) to a Dublin friend living up in the North-West (if I won).

Appears that way. In a couple of draws myself - if I win I'll be giving it to a mate in Dublin also.

[Jinxy]

On paper Mayo are stronger than the last couple of years and Dublin are weaker. Games between the two counties in recent years have been tight affairs. Sunday will be no different, they'll be very little in it. I'm still going with a 2 point victory for Mayo, and hoping to any god that I score a ticket !

Are they?

[seafoid]

Mayo beat Tyrone in a "very thorough manner" in the same way that Russian beat Michael Conlan in a very thorough manner.

But they have the right feng shui

[JoG2]

On paper Mayo are stronger than the last couple of years and Dublin are weaker. Games between the two counties in recent years have been tight affairs. Sunday will be no different, they'll be very little in it. I'm still going with a 2 point victory for Mayo, and hoping to any god that I score a ticket !

Are they?

yes imo

[Declan]

On the ticket front, are Dublin / Mayo fans finding it harder to get tickets this year?  I'm in a few draws for tickets and would dearly love to go, but would probably end up giving it (with a heavy heart) to a Dublin friend living up in the North-West (if I won).

Yes - tickets very thin on the ground

[Boycey]

Tis only Thursday, the serious horse trading only starts now as people begin to get the actual tickets into their hands...

[twohands!!!]

Anyone thinking Mayo's win over Tyrone was convincing/ thorough should read the article below.

https://dontfoul.wordpress.com/2016/08/08/mayo-v-tyrone-2016-ai-quarter-final/

Also as for them beating a Tipp team who beat Cork and Galway that's just grasping at straws stuff given how poor Galway and Cork were this year. Tipp had so few options they played a lad with a broken bone from the start in midfield in the semi-final. They lost one of their key players to a black card early one and had so little in the way of options, the sub they brought on to replace him was subbed off again and they still made a game off it. Was anyone in the land using Kerry's much more comfortable win over Tipp as evidence that they could give Dublin a game?