'We have two teams who believe they can win it' Aaron Kernan sticks with Kerry but Mayo have punch to cause an upset

AARON Kernan fancied Kerry to retain the Sam Maguire at the start of the season and although he feels the Kingdom haven’t hit their best form yet he’s not changing his mind.

However, having been in the Meath dugout for their clash with Mayo and seen the Westerners kick on to clear-cut victories over Cork and Louth since, the former Armagh star isn’t ruling out a surprise on Sunday.

“I still believe Kerry will find a way to get across the line,” said Kernan.

“I’m nearly reluctant to say that with conviction because, while Kerry’s history, their experience in the big games and Mayo’s heartache in All-Ireland finals would all point towards one result, the way football has gone this year, games can swing so dramatically from one half to the next.

“Mayo have shown that this year. They built a big lead against Monaghan and then were in trouble but still found a way to get across the line. Similarly, they looked to be in huge trouble against Meath but again they found a way to win.

“Since then we’ve seen some really mature performances from them in Croke Park against both Cork and Louth. They’re absolutely in with a shout.”

Kerry have beaten Armagh, Tyrone and Dublin in their last three games but since beating an Orchard county side that was still reeling from their shock loss to Louth six days previously, their performances haven’t been totally convincing.

“Kerry will have to perform much better than they have at any stage of the All-Ireland series so far,” says Kernan.

“Obviously they were beaten by Donegal at home in the group stages and they’ve been patchy. If they were being honest themselves, I don’t think they’ve come anywhere near their best form yet.

“But that’s also a huge positive if you’re inside that camp because they haven’t played particularly well and yet they’re back in another All-Ireland final.

“They’re just 70 minutes away from winning back-to-back All-Irelands, which would be a very special achievement.

“I’m really excited about the game because I think we have two teams who genuinely believe they can win it. The way they’ll approach it should make for a brilliant spectacle.”

With the firepower both counties can muster, the final could swing one way and then the other as the Clifford brothers, Dylan and Paul Geaney and Seanie O’Shea battle it out with Mayo’s Ryan O’Donoghue, Kobe McDonald and Darragh Beirne.

Kernan’s Meath side led Mayo by nine points in Castlebar but lost the round three clash by three. Even double-digit leads aren’t impregnable these days and Kernan says the introduction of the two-pointer has revolutionised the game.

“I don’t think coaches, spectators or players have fully come to terms with it yet,” said the Crossmaglen native.

“Obviously it gives you an extra point on the scoreboard, but beyond that it creates enormous momentum swings and the crowds are far more engaged now because of the new rules.

“One two-pointer can completely change the atmosphere and the roar you hear when one goes over is incredible.

“The crowd gets behind the team that scores it. That gives them energy and belief and at the same time, the team conceding it often struggles to cope with that swing in momentum.

“I’m not sure whether they’re thinking too much about it or getting caught up in the atmosphere, but teams just haven’t been able to manage those moments consistently and even Kerry struggled with it against Donegal when they went down a man and Donegal controlled much of that second half.

“Every team has shown they’re vulnerable to those momentum swings and I think that’s because everyone is still learning how to manage them.”