Wouldn’t it be appropriate for the two teams that have given the country the best entertainment in the last 10 years to return to the center stage?

Dublin would have expected to get there.

Mayo I’m not so sure. I’m been thinking about this every week, when did Mayo show up?

For the last 10 years they have come out and competed, they have won, they have lost, they have come back again. They always show, they always give everything.

Read more: No shot of Mayo in a weird year

That’s why they’re there. They have this dark, endless desire to succeed, and that is why they always have a chance.

As I said earlier this year, I can’t see – or even entertain – the notion that Kerry has beaten Cork. But they did.

Can Mayo succeed? 31 Katies ‌ I like it, but I can’t see it happening.

I think Dublin will focus on certain areas of Mayo’s game and beat them as hard as they can – much harder than Tipperary, Roscommon or Galway.

David Clarke’s kick outs are not sorted, they are a serious problem for Mayo as they are against Tipperary.

You’ve done well with Connor Loftus and Matthew Ruan in the middle of the park, but why would they want to stay with Brian Fenton, James McCarthy or Brian Howard?

Will Mayo try to shake things up by taking Aiden Ozia out of their front row and allowing the dubs to play sweeper in front of Cillian O’Connor and Tommy Conroy?

Mayo has quality and toughness in their defense, but they were sometimes seen as harsh against Tipperary.

Read more: Dublin v Mayo – The animosity that defined the day?

The Munster men ran towards them, and Mayo opened 10 or 11 times. Tomorrow you have Con O’Callaghan, Ciaran Kilkenny, Paddy Small or Fenton running to you.

The management, the awareness, the aggression, the satisfaction in Dublin – they are far ahead of what they are there.

James Horan is a great manager and I gave him a great time. He made a new team, but we all hope that Ozin Mullen, Tommy Conroy, Egan McLaughlin, Ryan O’Donoghue will be replaced by Andy Moran, Jason Doherty, Keith Higgins and Siam Ozia.

That’s a very big question, and I don’t think I tested them to the level that Dublin brings.

Cilian O’Connor is another problem. He gave it one of the best semi-final displays, but he will struggle to back it up this weekend. Dublin hammer better than any team, he will not get the room he got against Tipperary.

That’s before looking at match-ups and dealing with Fenton, O’Callaghan, Kilkenny and Kluxton’s kicks.

Everyone is talking about Mayo’s work rate and their turnover, scoring 3-12 against Tipperary. Dublin is a team that matches Mayo’s work rate.

If you go through the man-on-man team you can make a case for Mayo, but Dublin is a great team together.

Verdict: Dublin

Thomas O’Sullivan was speaking in RTE this morning in Ireland

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Watch the All-Ireland Senior Football Final between Dublin and Mayo on RTÉ2 live on Saturday from 3.40pm, listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1 or follow our live blog on the RTÉ Sport Online and RTÉ News app. Highlights of the game on Saturday (9.55 pm RTÉ2).