Turning the tables: How Mayo conquered their Kerry demons

After losing to Kerry in the 1997 All-Ireland final, as well as shipping hidings in the 2004 and 2006 All-Ireland finals and having lost to them in All-Ireland semi-finals in 2011 and 2014, the general perception perceived Kerry to be a demon in Mayo’s minds that they could not remove.

Mayo's Diarmuid O'Connor celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the 2019 Allianz Football League Division 1 final against Kerry. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

For Kerry, the terms and conditions were basic and simple. Unbeaten in championship in Killarney for well over two decades, there was still more at stake than just keeping that record clean when they met Mayo there in the Super 8s in 2019. Nothing personal. Just business.

Mayo had handed Kerry a lesson when they’d last met in championship in the 2017 All-Ireland semi-final replay. Mayo had already beaten them twice that season, once in Tralee as well as the league final in Croke Park. A third defeat in Killarney was unthinkable. And unacceptable.