The old habits die hard for Mayo

Mayo promised something different: but, unfortunately, what they produced was eerily familiar.

Another name can now be added to the list containing Johnny Crowley, Dara Ó Cinnéide, Kieran Donaghy and Colm Cooper: Michael Murphy was the latest one to find a Mayo full-back line in charitable mood in the crucial, tone-setting early stages of an All-Ireland football final.

A former Mayo player stood on the terraces in 2006 and, in chit-chat with a random Kerry supporter before the game, remarked that he wasn’t expecting much and feared it “might be over after 10 minutes”.