SATURDAY 14 AUGUST
All-Ireland SFC semi-final
Mayo v Dublin, Croke Park, 6pm
ONLINE
Live blogs on RTÉ.ie and the RTÉ News app, with video highlights on social media.
TV
Live on RTÉ Two and RTÉ Player from 5pm, and on Sky Sports Arena from 5pm. Highlights on The Sunday Game on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from 9.30pm.
Viewers outside Ireland can watch the game on GAAGO.
RADIO
Live commentary on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1 from 2pm.
WEATHER
Overcast skies will extend to most areas through the day, bringing outbreaks of rain and drizzle, heaviest later; hill and coastal fog in parts too. Highest temperatures of 15 to 18 or 19 degrees in light to moderate southeasterly winds. For more go to met.ie.
Will this be the day?
It's 2,540 days since Dublin last tasted a championship defeat. Call it a Donegal ambush or brilliant execution of well-timed sucker-punches from Jim McGuinness' side, the Dubs were well and truly dumbstruck on that August Sunday in 2014.
Since then it is them who have called the tune, it is them who have showed composure, craft and guile when it was needed most against the likes of Mayo and Kerry. Going down the stretch you could always rely on the Dublin to see things out. Those off the bench played their part, they had all the aces - two more games to win to complete a magnificent seven.
First up to try and stop them is Mayo. A familiar foe - a rivalry that has embellished the football championship since 2012. Before that we had John Finn's broken jaw in the 1985 semi-final - an off-the-ball incident - but nobody was called to book over it. Names were mentioned alright. John Finn knows he did it, but he will not reveal the culprit's identity. A GAA mystery!
Onwards to the 2006 semi-final and the 'Mill on The Hill'. Mayo standing their ground defiantly, John Morrison standing firm to a shoulder from Paul Caffrey. Great craic for those of us watching on.
Mayo's defiance was again on display as he repelled a late Dublin surge to book a place in the 2012 All-Ireland. Since then, however, it's the blue that has held sway over the green and red in eight meetings. We've had All-Ireland semi-finals and finals, with a couple of replays thrown in, all games to savour but not without controversy.
Both parties on different occasions have been accused of cynicism, we've had scuffles in the tunnel, Mayo accusing Dublin of trying to influence a referee, and Lee Keegan throwing his GPS device at Dean Rock just before the Ballymun man took the kick that won Sam for the Dubs in 2017. There's needle alright.
On the evening that 'Newbridge or Nowhere' rejuvenated Kildare and Mayo's summer was cut short, I was in the company of Dublin fans who sneered and sniggered as Mayo players traipsed off the St Conleth's Park pitch. A case of they're down and let's hope they stay down.
What would spice up the rivalry is a Mayo win in 2021. The Connacht side are in a similar position to where Dublin were in their own rivalry with Kerry heading into the 2011 final, or the Wexford hurlers before they finally got one over on Kilkenny in 2017.
There is a growing view out there that Dublin are vulnerable this year, their bench isn't as strong, their scoring rate has dropped, all may not be right in the camp. Mayo's bench, you could say is stronger, but still is there enough from what we've seen so far from Mayo to say with confidence that they can finally end a nine-year wait?
If they are in front going into the last few minutes, then this indeed could be the day. Mayo don't want to be chasing the game at the death. Dublin are just too good at protecting what they have.
A game to match the intensity of what was served up in the 2017 final would do nicely.
Mayo are improving but will that be enough against streetwise opposition?
In Mayo's championship campaign to date, they have only made us sit up and take notice for 40 minutes or so. That was the second half against Galway in the Connacht final. Before that their games against Sligo and Leitrim were non events.
At the break against the Tribsemen, Mayo were five points down and not playing well. There was a melee of sorts as both sides headed down the Croke Park tunnel. Whether that sparked James Horan's side into life on the resumption we don't know, but what played out thereafter showed Mayo at their best.
They outscored Galway by 1-3 to 0-0 in the third quarter and held them scoreless from play in the entire second half, forced an 11-point turnaround by full-time.
Ryan O'Donoghue was terrific and struck a goal from a 37th-minute penalty which got the fightback underway.
Can Mayo stop the seven-in-a-row? @MartyM_RTE looks ahead to another blockbuster showdown #RTEgaa pic.twitter.com/OWFNAAPXsa
— RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) August 13, 2021
Man of the Match Matthew Ruane capped an excellent performance with Mayo's second goal in the 67th minute, leaving them in the clear.
There were huge performances too from Padraig O'Hora and Conor Loftus while Aidan O'Shea helped win Mayo's penalty with a great catch and lay-off. Tommy Conroy came into the game strongly in the second half too, scoring two important points. Eoghan McLaughlin and Kevin McLoughlin made a telling impact when they were introduced.
However, Mayo in the first half on 25 July would have found life a whole lot difficult against a Dublin side, who despite a perception that they have slipped from a height, would still be capable of making more inroads than Galway would. That is the worry for the Green and Red.
In previous meetings between the pair, Dublin have set the tempo with an early goal and while Mayo did quickly reduce the deficit they were, thereafter, always chasing the game. Quite simply, Mayo have to counter any Dublin green flags with majors of their own. Scoring at least three goals would set them on their way. The Connacht champions will bring much fitness, power and a running game that they will hope to sustain over 70 minutes.
Dublin, while not shooting the lights out, did what they had to do in winning Leinster. Many are expecting them to up it now. Many are also expecting the likes of Brian Fenton and Con O'Callaghan to improve on what they've shown so far. If this semi-final turns into a battle of sorts, they have the personnel who can mix it.
"Dublin's work-rate and the way they are tackling shows that they're not ready to give it up just yet..." - Sunday Game analyst Éamonn Fitzmaurice feels Dublin's bench is not as strong as before, but he believes their intensity remains as strong as ever. #RTEgaa pic.twitter.com/PxDEYTY10f
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) August 1, 2021
Speaking on this week's RTÉ GAA Podcast, Ciaran Whelan said: "Dublin are the masters at controlling the tempo in the last quarter. If you let them get ahead they'll just control it.
"Mayo concede an average of two goals a game and if you give Dublin two goals you’ll have to score 20-points plus to beat them."
Team news - Mayo blow as Mullin ruled out
Reigning Young Footballer of the Year Oisín Mullin will not feature in today's game
Mullin was reported to have picked up a quad injury in training though Mayo did not disclose whether he would be fit in time for the semi-final. However, disclosure has arrived that the Kilmaine player will now not feature and is not even listed among the substitutes.
Replacing him in defence is Eoghan McLaughlin, who was impressive off the bench against Galway in the Connacht final. Mayo make one other change, with experienced half-forward Kevin McLoughlin, another star figure in the second half revival against Galway, starting in place of Bryan Walsh.
Dublin, meanwhile, are unchanged from the side who overcame Kildare by eight points in the Leinster final.
Dublin: Evan Comerford; Michael Fitzsimons, Davey Byrne, Jonny Cooper; James McCarthy, John Small, Sean MacMahon; Brian Fenton, Brian Howard; Paddy Small, Ciarán Kilkenny, Niall Scully; Dean Rock, Con O'Callaghan, Cormac Costello
Subs: Michael Shiel, Colm Basquel, Ryan Basquel, Sean Bugler, Aaron Byrne, Tom Lahiff, Robert McDaid, Philly McMahon, Eoin Murchan, Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne, Cillian O'Shea
Mayo: Rob Hennelly; Padraig O'Hora, Lee Keegan, Michael Plunkett; Paddy Durcan, Stephen Coen, Eoghan McLaughlin; Matthew Ruane, Conor Loftus; Diarmuid O'Connor, Kevin McLoughlin, Darren McHale; Tommy Conroy, Aidan O'Shea, Ryan O'Donoghue.
Subs: Rory Byrne, Colm Boyle, Brendan Harrison, Enda Hession, Jack Coyne, Conor O'Shea, James Durcan, Bryan Walsh, Jordan Flynn, Darren Coen, James Carr.
The prize for the victor is an All-Ireland final date with either Kerry or Tyrone on 4 September.
