Dramatic
MAYO for Psalm!
Is Mayo’s 67 year old All Ireland curse finally broken? Before departing Knock Airport on Sunday morning following his visit to the Marian shrine, Pope Francis was asked by a female airport official to sign a Mayo jersey.
The pontiff had no hesitation signing the red and green garment but rumours that he enquired about Tyrone’s chances of beating the Dubs are probably a little wide of the mark.
The story of the alleged curse goes back to 1951 when Mayo last lifted Sam Maguire. Following their triumph over Meath in that year’s decider the team allegedly failed to stop to pay their respects at a funeral in Foxford on their journey home from Croke Park.
It is believed that a curse was put on them that they would not win the All-Ireland again until every member of the team had passed away. Mayo have contested the All-Ireland final nine times since then and have come away empty-handed on each occasion.
Following this potential divine intervention a local bookmaker has installed Mayo at odds of 8/1 to lift the 2019 crown.
Unfortunately for Mayo, Pope Francis intervention has come a little too late for them in 2018 as Dublin and Tyrone battle it out this weekend in the All Ireland final.
The Dubs are firm favourites at 1/6 to lift their fourth title in a row and fend off the challenge of the Red Hand county who are available at a generous 5/1 to cause an upset.
Those betting odds alone would suggest a mere cake walk for the current holders but I expect Tyrome to come up with something that will unsettle the Dubs.
Tyrone, I suggest, will have learned much more from last month’s Super 8 clash in Omagh where a late James McCarthy goal earned Dublin victory.
Mickey Harte and his management team will know that standing toe to toe with this Dublin team is a recipe for disaster.
Jim Gavin’s men have settled into a style of play where control of possession is paramount. They are happy to deny opposing teams possession of the football for long periods and don’t mind moving the ball over and back across the 40 metre horseshoe scoring zone until an opportunity presents itself.
Power and pace from numerous options then punch great holes in the opposition rearguard. Dublin will expect Tyrone to ‘sit-in’ and deny them space in the final third.
That’s what they will have trained and prepared for. Mickey Harte knows the Dubs are well used to coping with this type of game plan. He has to come up with something different. Either get into their heads or deny them the possession or control further out the field.
If Tyrone can survive Dublin’s third quarter power surge and are still in the game with ten minutes to go then you never know what might happen.
It’s a huge ask for Tyrone to win but, for football’s sake, I hope they do. Dublin’s stranglehold is not good for Gaelic football, particularly in the rest of Leinster.
Louth ladies reached the TG4 All Ireland Junior decider in dramatic circumstances when a late goal from Kate Flood snatched victory from Derry on a scoreline of 3-7 to 2-9. The goal was scored deep in injury time following a lengthy stoppage for treatment to injured Louth full-back Michelle McMahon. Flood’s late heroics sets up a repeat of the 2010 decider where Louth will face Limerick.