The old enemies but one comes back into battle wounded.
It’s hard to play down any confrontation between these two giants of Gaelic football but it’s even more difficult to see how Mayo can stop the Dublin juggernaut this early in the year with this many absences.
Stephen Rochford and the second best team in Ireland welcome the champions to Castlebar on Saturday night and, to say they’re understrength is an understatement.
In fact, of the Mayo team that lost in September by a point in the All-Ireland final, there are only five starting in this league clash against the Dubs.
Mayo v Dublin (7pm)
1. Rob Hennelly – Breaffy
2. Caolan Crowe – Garrymore
3. Ger Cafferkey – Ballina Stephenites
4. Eoin O’Donoghue – Belmullet
5. Colm Boyle – Davitts
6. Michael Hall – Breaffy
7. David Drake – Ballaghaderreen
8. Stephen Coen – Hollymount/
9. Jason Gibbons – Ballintubber
10. Kevin McLoughlin – Knockmore
11. Aidan O’Shea – Breaffy
12. Diarmuid O’Connor – Ballintubber
13. Jason Doherty – Burrishoole
14. Andy Moran – Ballaghaderreen
15. Adam Gallagher – Mayo Gaels
That means they’re missing some serious operators. They’re missing Harrison and Barrett, Higgins and Keegan, Durcan and Vaughan, Seamus O’Shea and Parsons and Cillian O’Connor and, for this game, Rob Hennelly has been recalled to the starting number one jersey with David Clarke missing out.
Their work is cut out for them though.
Dublin are in town and they’ve not only just been beaten once in three seasons but they’re also travelling out west with an even stronger squad than the one which has led them to three league wins in succession but Jim Gavin is keeping faith with the same side that beat Donegal.
Here is the Dublin starting XV for today's #AllianzLeagues match against @MayoGAA! Throw-in at 7pm in Castlebar after the @dublinladiesg play at 5pm 💪 #UpTheDubs pic.twitter.com/fnBEkB0Un6
— Dublin GAA (@DubGAAOfficial) February 24, 2018
Diarmuid Connolly is expected to be named on the bench for the side for the first time this season.
The playmaker captain Vincent’s to a Dublin title in the autumn but hasn’t featured for his county yet.
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