Five time All-Ireland winner Tomás Ó Sé believes that Mayo could live to regret not beating Dublin at the first time of asking in the 2016 All-Ireland football final.
In testing conditions at Croke Park, Dublin were far from their normal fluent selves and it wasn’t until the 29th minute that a Dublin player actually scored.
Bizarrely though they were in the lead at that stage as two own-goals by Kevin McLoughlin and Colm Boyle handed the advantage to the Dubs.
Mayo won the tactical battle and negated much of the cut and thrust from the Dublin front line but were still unable to get over the line and end the 65-year wait to bring Sam Maguire back to the county.
Speaking on the Sunday Game, Ó Sé insisted that Dublin would be the happier of the two sides with the result and questioned whether Dublin will be as poor in the replay on 1 October.
"I think Dublin will be very, very happy that they actually got a draw out of it."
"I don’t think there was an awful lot of good football today even though it was exciting in the second half," he said.
"There was two freakish goals in the first half, it’s isn’t often you’d see a team lead by two points and having not scored.
"The Dubs were as flat as a forward united as I’ve ever seen them and you have to give Mayo credit for that. I think Mayo went for it at stages but at the end it was a great score from Cillian O'Connor to draw it.
"I think Dublin will be very, very happy that they actually got a draw out of it."
Ó Sé believes that it’s unlikely that Dublin will be as disappointing in the replay as they were today and that Mayo may live to rue their missed opportunities today.
"It’s been a long, long time since I’ve seen those Dublin forwards as quiet. I think it was a mixture of them not being on song and the way Mayo set-up.
"It was there for the taking if they just went for it.....will you see Dublin as bad again? I doubt it.
"Maybe I might be wrong and maybe Mayo could come back but if they don't and Dublin turn them over the next day, Mayo will rue today.
"I think Dublin do have a lot more to improve on."
Tomás Ó Sé, Dessie Dolan and Ciaran Whelan offer their thoughts on the All-Ireland football final. https://t.co/gdWzr5geST
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) September 18, 2016
