Mayo hope it won't be Kingdom come

Almost four months and 64 games after the first match this summer, Munster champions Kerry take on Connacht kingpins Mayo in today's Bank of Ireland All-Ireland senior football final.

If the match lives up to the sides' last clash in an All-Ireland final, then the fans are in for a treat.

Kerry swept to victory in the 1997 decider with Maurice Fitzgerald garnered the plaudits as his one-man show saw him score nine points as the Kingdom saw off Mayo by 0-13 to 1-7.

Kerry have played in three All-Ireland finals since 1997. They defeated Galway after a replay in 2000 and lost to Armagh two years later, whereas this is Mayo's first final contest since.

Kerry are chasing their 33rd All-Ireland title and their first since 2000, while Mayo seek their fourth title, and their first since 1951.

Kerry clinched their place in the final with a six-point win over Derry in the semi-final, while Mayo finally saw off Fermanagh in a two-point victory after a replay.

Seamus Moynihan hasn't played for the Kingdom since the Munster semi-final victory over Cork, in which he picked up an ankle injury, and has not recovered sufficiently to make the starting line-up.

However, Kerry boss Jack O'Connor has assured the Kingdom's faithful that the defender will make an appearance at some stage during proceedings.

Johnny Crowley is the only enforced change to the side that defeated Derry. The attacker, a club mate of Moynihan's, is selected at top of the left and Eoin Brosnan moves to midfield to replace the injured Dara O Sé, whose loss has yet to be felt in earnest by Kerry.

Peter Burke, James Nallen, David Heaney and Kieran McDonald are the survivors on the Mayo side from the '97 final.

They all take their places today but Mayo boss John Maughan made one change from the side that defeated Fermanagh.

Dermot Geraghty is a surprise inclusion at corner-back, with Conor Moran making way for the Shrule-Glencorrib man.

Mayo's Conor Mortimer has a second incentive to hit scoring form. He needs to score four points today to top the scoring charts for the 2004 championship.

He is currently on 1-41 (44pts), three behind Mattie Forde (Wexford) who is on 3-38 (47pts).

KERRY (SF v Mayo): D Murphy; T O'Sullivan, M McCarthy, A O'Mahony; T O Sé, E Fitzmaurice, M O Sé; E Brosnam, W Kirby; L Hassett, D O'Sullivan, P Galvin; C Cooper, D O Cinnéide, J Crowley.

MAYO (SF v Kerry): P Burke; D Geraghty, D Heaney, G Ruane; P Kelly, J Nallen, P Gardiner; R McGarrity, F Kelly; J Gill, K McDonald, A Dillon; C Mortimer, T Mortimer, B Maloney.