Christy O'Connor: Why history gives Mayo hope against Kerry in Croke Park

In the last 12 years, Mayo have played 31 championship games in Croke Park and have lost just nine.  Over the last 11 years, Kerry have played 23 championship games in Croke Park and have won just ten

THE HOPE OF HISTORY: Aidan O'Shea of Mayo jumps over a bench before the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Mayo and Tyrone. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

On the ‘Mayo News’ podcast before the Mayo-Kildare game, the presenter Rob Murphy asked Donie Vaughan if he agreed with the general perception that Mayo were well set up to play in Croke Park. 

Mayo have always traditionally done well at the Dublin venue because of their athleticism, but there were a number of multi-faceted elements to Vaughan’s answer, most of which were nuanced with intricate detail.