Let’s get ready to rumble.
It’s hard to believe it but of the 15 Mayo players who started in the 2017 All-Ireland final against Dublin, only four of them – in Lee Keegan, Aidan O’Shea, Paddy Durcan and Kevin McLoughlin – will start in tonight’s All-Ireland semi-final against the same opposition.
For Dublin, eight players have survived from the ’17 final as James Horan hopes that a young and new-look Mayo can finally break that Dublin duck. A huge blow to their chances is the loss of corner back Oisin Mullin – due to a quad strain – but in Eoghan McLaughlin they have a young, fast and fit replacement who plays the game with the same fast-paced style. Elsewhere, corner back Padraig O’Hora has recovered from his rib injury to start in the full back line alongside Lee Keegan and Michael Plunkett.
Dessie Farrell’s Dublin, meanwhile, are unchanged from their Leinster final win over Kildare with Eoin Murchan again missing out. Seam MacMahon has retained his place in the half back line with Rock, O’Callaghan and Costello forming a formidable full forward line.
Saturday night, 6.00. A battle as old as time. Bring it on.
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