All-Ireland SFC: Transformed Mayo targeting more unpredictability in Tyrone

Lee Keegan and Padraig O'Hora starred in Mayo's epic semi-final win against Dublin

There was nothing predictable about Mayo's All-Ireland semi-final win.

The six-point half-time deficit, the 50th-minute substitution of captain Aidan O'Shea and the most engrossing of comebacks.

That was not what James Horan had in mind when he set out to make Mayo an unpredictable force, but perhaps it comes with the territory.

Under Horan, the Connacht champions have placed an emphasis on adaptability; not relying on one style of play or a list of individual match-ups to give them the edge in tight contests.

On Saturday against Tyrone it will be the same again for Horan's side. Nothing rigid, everything open to change if the situation demands it. And why not? It has worked for them so far.

"We do a lot on getting your head up and playing what you see to a certain extent, and making decisions based on what you see," says Horan.

"Using the ball as your reference and the movement of your team-mates so depending on the player, the phase of play or the circumstances we try and adapt.

"We have a skillset that is very strong and we try and use that as much as we can. We want to be a positive team and be and attacking threat, it's working well at the moment."

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Flexibility, too, is expected to be required when it comes to the match-ups in Saturday's final against Tyrone. It was Mayo's defenders that came in for the most effusive praise following their epic victory over Dublin.

Lee Keegan offered every inch of his experience to navigate the cause, while man of the match Padraig O'Hora was imperious as Mayo restricted a Dublin forward line, one of the greatest ever assembled in the history of the sport, to just four points during the second half and extra-time.

While Con O'Callaghan, Ciaran Kilkenny et al were kept at bay, Mayo face a different kind of challenge in the shape of Tyrone.

"In some ways it's nearly easier to prepare for Dublin or Kerry because there's a couple of key players on both sides that you have to try and stop," says former Mayo midfielder Seamus O'Shea.

Three-time All Star Con O'Callaghan was well marshalled in the semi-final

"For us we would have obviously marked O'Callaghan and Kilkenny [in the semi-final], Tyrone would have done the same with David Clifford, Sean O'Shea and Paudie Clifford.

"With Tyrone and Mayo it's a little bit more difficult. Neither team probably has that one standout player, they've just got a whole host of players on both sides that can cause you problems.

"There is just a lot of talent throughout the team and the reality is you can't pick a match-up for everybody. At some point in the game the players are just going to have to pick up whoever they're closest to and be able to adapt and get on with it.

"I'm not a huge fan of Leroy Keegan playing in the full-back line but it might suit this occasion if Mattie Donnelly is in there and then he comes out because then Leeroy can follow him out there.

"That leaves O'Hora for either Conor McKenna or Darren McCurry, possibly McKenna and Michael Plunkett on McCurry.

"If you look at the last couple of games, Mayo have changed their match-up in the middle of the game. Against Galway they moved Leroy off Shane Walsh, against Dublin they switched Leroy and O'Hora between Kilkenny and O'Callaghan so they will go in with a plan but they'll have to be adaptable as well.

"If something isn't working they will have to change tack in the middle and go with it."

Captain O'Shea will come back after 'bad day at the office'

For Mayo, the chance to lift Sam Maguire arguably appears closer than ever having beaten the previously all-conquering Dubs.

To most Saturday's final is too close to call with both counties going for a fourth All-Ireland. Should Mayo finally end what feels like an eternal wait, most also agree that captain O'Shea cannot be as ineffective as he was in the semi-final.

The Breaffy man was withdrawn from the action with his side still four points down, replaced by James Carr as Mayo seized the momentum to close in on Dublin's once commanding lead.

"Aidan was just thrilled as a player and as captain that the lads were able to get it done," says older brother Seamus.

"Look, he had a bad day at the office. That happens to all of us and I'm sure he'll be really focused to get that right the next day.

"He'll be fine. Mayo are going to need a big performance from him so I expect a big game from him."

Aidan O'Shea was taken off after 15 minutes of the second half against Dublin

Eoghan McLaughlin is expected to miss the final having required jaw surgery after being on the receiving end of an enormous hit by Dublin's John Small, but Mayo are hopeful that reigning young footballer of the year Oisin Mullin will return to play some part having missed the semi-final.

Mayo's young squad came in for criticism Horan's first season back in charge in 2019, when they were on the receiving end of a shock defeat by Roscommon in the Connacht semi-final.

However, the memorable win over Dublin on the back of last year's final appearance further vindicated Horan's commitment to rebuilding the squad.

Since 1951 they have reached the final on 10 occasions and lost every one, allowing talk of the 'Mayo curse' to reappear every season as they progress through the Championship.

"For the young fellas a win would be an unbelievable start to their careers," says O'Shea.

"A lot of them are in their second or third season so to get that out of the way early on in their career would be a huge thing and they wouldn't have to answer questions like this for the rest of their career.

"For the older fellas that have been around it for so long it would be just a huge reward for the work that they've put in, and their ability to keep coming back and stick at it.

"From the supporters point of view, it's something that the county have craved for so long. It would be a huge moment and there would be an incredible outpouring of emotion. Football is very important to Mayo."