Duels to salivate over in explosive Castlebar denouement

The group-deciding Super 8 encounter this evening in Castlebar has the potential to be explosive, a real old-style knockout championship game. There is no love lost between Mayo and Donegal dating back to the now infamous challenge game in 2012 and there are a lot of ifs, buts, and maybes making it a hard game to call.

There are so many talking points and angles of interest. Are Mayo refreshed after their break from the road last weekend and can they rediscover their zest and sparkle that has been absent so far in the Super 8s? Can Donegal afford to absorb any more injuries? If Patrick McBrearty is out will they score enough? Is Mayo’s indifferent MacHale Park form going to be addressed as James Horan is anxious to once more make Castlebar into a fortress? Is it the end of one great team and the start of another - or have Mayo another real kick in them. Are they Croke Park-bound once more? Plenty of questions but I will narrow the focus on a few key areas here.