“Nothing Dublin have met this season will compare to the physicality that Mayo will bring” - Martin Carney's verdict

THE final showdown.

The chance to record the fourth All-Ireland senior title in the county’s history.

The opportunity to get revenge for a defeat last year that ranks high on the list in the ‘one that got away’ category.

An occasion to show everyone in Gaelic football’s firmament that Mayo is the best team in the land and can surpass anything that the three-in-a-row seeking Dublin team throw at us.

Success will require effort and innovation.

Tactically, Mayo must find the template best suited to the needs of the day.

Stephen Rochford must decide on the best strategy to maximise our own strengths and at the same time counter the numerous danger points in the Dublin team.

Thus far, in particular in the latter stages of the campaign, Mayo found the answers by cleverly switching players to positions that best suited the needs of the team on the day.

Think, for example, of the diverse roles played up to now by Lee Keegan, Aidan O’Shea and Patrick Durcan.

Though he was a qualified success at No. 3, there is no way O’Shea will again man the position. I hope he plays in the midfield area, alternating between centre-back and centre half-forward.

His calm and measured distribution, ball-winning ability and strength in the tackle can flourish on a more permanent basis from this zone.

My fear in locating him at either end of the field is that he can become peripheral at times when he is most needed in the thick of the action.

Will there be an urge to slip Keegan into the half-forward line with the responsibility of dampening the influence of Jack McCaffrey?

Absent last year, the Dublin wing-back has conducted his own reign of terror in recent weeks, culminating in a man of the match performance against Tyrone. To thwart his runs from deep, assigning a man-marker is important.

Durcan has excelled coming off the bench but part of me would like to see him given a starting role.

He caused Dublin many headaches in last year’s finals, scoring three points in the process. Management know that his big match temperament is made for days like this and are faced with a big call as to whether to start him or not.

With the exception of their Leinster final win, Dublin have yet to face a real examination of their credentials.

In that particular game, Kildare matched them in many facets of play but when Daryl Flynn missed a great goal-scoring opportunity early in the second half, their chance of an upset faded. Based on what I saw then there are a couple of lessons to digest.

Two early goals, one scored by Con O’Callaghan, gave Dublin a cushion and a relatively trouble-free ride from there. Tyrone were similarly generous, so under no circumstances must Mayo allow Dublin those type of starts from where they can then dictate the rhythm of the game.

Mayo will set up defensively, with O’Callaghan and Ciaran Kilkenny, the team’s playmaker, getting special attention.

Chris Barrett has that required edge to his game to blot out the threat of O’Callaghan, and few take man-marking to the levels of Colm Boyle. He will annoy and frustrate Kilkenny.

Brendan Harrison has hit form at the right time, and there are no bounds to the quality from Keith Higgins either.

No matter how they decide to set up, Mayo must still find scope to release their defenders into attacking roles.

In the past Dublin have struggled to cope with a Mayo half-back line in full flow but the tactic needs to be intelligently implemented and not done in a way that would expose the full-back line.

Winning possession-yielding restarts is important. Stephen Cluxton needs his repertoire rumbled insofar as that is possible.

He is a marvellous player, his range is varied, but has been seen to flap in the past when his kick-outs fail to find their desired targets.

A consistent press must form a central part on Mayo’s approach. David Clarke has expanded his kicking out repertoire but to guarantee success his outfield players must work themselves to the bone in making themselves available.

Seamie O’Shea and Tom Parsons thrive on occasions like this and complement one another. Brian Fenton and most likely James McCarthy are formidable foes. Rugged when needed, stylish if necessary and hard working, the Dublin duo must be challenged at every opportunity. At times McCarthy’s composure creaks under pressure and he becomes ill-disciplined. That weakness is worth exploring and exploiting.

The improved industry and energy from the Mayo half-forward line is one of the reasons why the team is in the final.

Since his return to the starting 15 against Cork, Jason Doherty has excelled. Lauding his tackling and ball-winning prowess is old news but what was a real bonus from the Kerry win was his place-kicking successes.

At times I think Cillian O’Connor puts himself under too much pressure with kicks from distance and his success rate here isn’t high. Doherty is a credible alternative.

Guessing the role asked from Kevin McLoughlin, Mayo’s Mr. Consistency, is difficult. As sweeper in last year’s final he excelled and Mayo could do worse than ask him to reprise it.

Andy Moran and Cillian O’Connor will be tightly marked by specialist man- markers Mick Fitzsimons and Philly McMahon.

With the added protection from Cian O’Sullivan, this trio form the cordon outside the ‘D’. John Small and Johnny Cooper will fill the gap further forward but both are temperamentally suspect.

One can’t argue with the quality that Dublin can summon from the bench. Former players of the year and proven All-Ireland winners will be restless to play their parts.

Mayo’s substitutions must add to what is already there with displays of intelligence and total intensity. Without that coming down the stretch, advantage could swing to Dublin.

The occasion will hold no fear for Mayo and they more than match Dublin for experience.

The transformation from an early season fumbling mass to a team with a palpable sense of purpose has been remarkable.

Momentum, form and sharpness of mind and body have fused at the right moment.

Dublin will be a tough nut to crack. No team in the modern era has attracted levels of attention and admiration as much as they have.

They are competing for the county’s first three-in-a-row since 1923 and that in itself carries a massive weight. They can be got at though.

Mayo have a proven track record in this regard.

Nothing Dublin have met this season will compare with the physicality that Mayo will bring.

In many ways Dublin’s armchair ride to the final can come back to haunt them.

Mayo have form and momentum for victory.

Now is the time.

Forget history.

All Mayo people worldwide hope that the afternoon hours of September 17, 2017, become the team’s crowning glory.