Dublin legend puts Kobe McDonald ahead of two Mayo icons already

Huge praise

In his competitive debut for Mayo, he came off the bench against Monaghan and finished as his side's top scorer with 1-4.

On Off the Ball, Paddy Andrews - a seven-time All-Ireland winner with Dublin - put the 18-year-old ahead of two of Mayo's greatest ever forwards: current manager Andy Moran, and the championship's all-time top scorer, Cillian O'Connor.

Andrews said: "Technically he's brilliant. And Mayo have no problem and never have, and it seems like they never will have a problem of bringing through these unbelievably athletic players.

"But Mayo haven't had someone like him. And I'd even include Andy Moran and Cillian O'Connor, two of the best ever forwards, in this.

"He just strikes me as, he's technically incredible at this age, and he just happens to have the physique and all the other stuff to go with it straight away.

"So the hype is justified and I think Andy has done very well in terms of protecting him and not just throwing him in the first day against Galway.

"Mayo need a marquee guy to go with Ryan O'Donoghue, and this kid, like yesterday was just proof of it, he could be the answer."

Speaking after the game, Moran commented on McDonald's performance and when he might be leaving to play AFL with St Kilda.

He said: "The guys will tell you - the locals - that he's been doing this for a couple of years now in Mayo. But it's a big step up today and you're saying I was a marksman, I never did anything like that at 18 years of age.

"There's a big difference and he's honestly just a great fella. He wants to learn and he wants to be part of the team, so it's no surprise to us that he'd come out and perform like that.

"Oh yeah, I think Crossmolina are hoping to have him in September, hopefully for the summer.

"He'll probably head off then."