Okay, only 50 minutes left til throw-in. Here\u2019s the player-by-player guide to this year\u2019s underdogs, Mayo.<\/p>\n
[Stephen Rochford\u2019s player-by-player guide to Mayo\u2019s starting team for the All-Ireland final<\/a>]<\/p>\n Even with all the heartache over the years, Mayo are always one of the best supported counties in the country. Malachy Clerkin looks back at how his own friends have dealt with the losses through the years.<\/p>\n [Here\u2019s what I\u2019ve learned from 22 years of meeting Mayo friends after All-Ireland finals<\/a>]<\/p>\n Some big live news coming out of Croke Park from Malachy Clerkin:<\/p>\n \u201cBoth teams have made changes to their panels after picking up injuries during the week. They\u2019re significant too – Stephen Coen is out for Mayo and Diarmuid O\u2019Connor doesn\u2019t make the 26 for Kerry. John McMonagle comes into the Mayo panel,\u00a0Cillian Trant is added to Kerry\u2019s.<\/p>\n No word yet on exactly who will come into either team. Seems likely that Tom O\u2019Sullivan will start for Kerry with Graham O\u2019Sullivan moving to wing-forward. And either Paddy Durcan or Diarmuid O\u2019Connor will surely replace Coen. Should know for sure in the next 20 minutes or so.”<\/p>\n Kerry\u2019s Diarmuid O\u2019Connor spoke to Ian O\u2019Riordan about his routine in the build-up to big games. The schoolteacher says the empty summer\u2019s days can be a blessing and a curse, as you have to figure out a new routine to stop yourself overthinking things on weeks like these.<\/p>\n [Kerry\u2019s Diarmuid O\u2019Connor leaning on tested routines to calm the mind ahead of All-Ireland final<\/a>]<\/p>\n Even though a lot of the coverage leading into today\u2019s game has focused on both sides\u2019 strength up front, it\u2019s the men in between the posts who could have the greatest say on proceedings today. Neither \u2018keeper started this year as the number one, but both have excelled given the chance. While Mayo\u2019s Jack Livingstone has put together a brilliant highlight reel of saves this year, Kerry are expected to get the greatest benefit from their goalie, thanks to Shane Murphy\u2019s pinpoint kickouts.<\/p>\n [Mayo and Kerry\u2019s breakout star goalkeepers will be pivotal in Sunday\u2019s All-Ireland final<\/a>]<\/p>\n Here\u2019s Malachy Clerkin\u2019s All-Ireland final by the numbers. 75 is the big number that Mayo want to cast off today.<\/p>\n [All-Ireland football final by the numbers: For Mayo, 75 needs no explaining<\/a>]<\/p>\n Andy Moran came on a sub in both the previous Kerry-Mayo finals this century, with the Kingdom winning by eight points in 2004 and 13 points in 2006. In both games, the winners ran away with things early, so Moran will be hoping to avoid an early blitz like that this week. However, Darragh \u00d3 S\u00e9 thinks all the signs say that his home county will be crowned champions again this weekend.<\/p>\n [In this All-Ireland final, it\u2019s hard to see anything other than a Kerry win<\/a>]<\/p>\n One man who is not as pessimistic as most about Mayo\u2019s chances today is former manager Stephen Rochford. Even though he still sees an advantage for the Kingdom, he thinks that his former charges stand a good chance.<\/p>\n [Stephen Rochford: Mayo might not need a miracle to beat Kerry after all<\/a>]<\/p>\n It\u2019s a bit of a mismatch in terms of current ability, but when two stars have such recognisability it is almost inevitable that David Clifford and Kobe McDonald are being viewed the protagonists today\u2019s All-Ireland final. That much is clear from tickets to today\u2019s showpiece, which feature the two forwards. Although the AFL-bound teenager is not quite on Clifford\u2019s level just yet, there are similarities in the weight of expectation placed on them at an early, writes Malachy Clerkin.<\/p>\n![\"On](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ZYR723Y6DRHWFCNNQI4YEFXUPU.jpg\")
On and off showers over Croke Park ahead of today’s All-Ireland final. Photograph: Tom O\u2019Hanlon\/Inpho <\/p>\n