How Mayo CAN Beat Dublin This Sunday

WHILE many GAA pundits have already handed over the Sam Maguire to Dublin for the next 25 years in a row, we here inside the WWN Sports Zone Centre HQ (WWNSZCHQ) have devised the perfect tactics for Mayo which would see them end the dreaded curse.

WWNSZCHQ acknowledges that a Mayo victory would rank alongside any great moment in history such as the end of World War II, however, we’re not comparing Dublin to Nazis, merely implying they too could ultimately be defeated. And here’s how:

Blanket Defence

Dublin have swatted away previous attempts by opponents to use the blanket defence, but what they won’t be able to stop is actual blankets. Yes, actual blankets.

Hear us out; a full Croke Park is a cacophony of noise. Blue, Red and Green flags dance in the air. The referee bends his knees slightly and releases the ball into the air. The 2017 All Ireland Football Final is underway.

But what’s this, Mayo’s starting 15 pull large blankets from under their jerseys and begin putting them over the heads of the Dublin panel. Advantage Mayo, they’re now free to reign down on goal and score freely.

Aidan O’Shea’s surprise position

This experimentation has worked in the past, but now is the time for Mayo to be brave and really mix it up. Playing Aidan O’Shea in an unexpected role, such as occupying the key central position of the Referee will give Dublin pause for thought and disrupt the more dangerous elements of their game.

Start well, continue to play well, win

It’s a simple as it sounds, but amazingly there are still GAA supporters out there that think starting terribly and going 45 points behind is the ideal way to prepare for victory.

Erase the crippling psychological damage visited upon Mayo over the last 60 years

Are we suggesting that in order to win the All Ireland it would take something as elaborate as erasing an entire county’s collective memory and consciousness? Eh, yeah, pretty much.

Big strong lads kick ball good

The likes of Joe Brolly and his ilk have trotted out half-formed thoughts which reveal a real lack of understanding of just how much the game has evolved in recent years. The modern athleticism, the skill, the incredibly detailed training and tactical preparation means that if Mayo remain big strong strapping lads who kick ball good, we could be looking at some green and red draped on the Sam Maguire come Sunday evening.

Let Diarmuid Connolly get himself sent off

Will it be within the first minute of play? Who knows, but a particular antagonistic blade of grass or gust of wind riles up the St Vincents man Dublin will be down to 14 men.

Begin tunneling into Dublin’s trophy cabinet now

A bank heist style attempt to blast through the walls of Dublin’s trophy cabinet will surely give Mayo the upper hand for Sunday. Dublin can’t win three-in-a-row with the Sam Maguire was stolen earlier that day. Will people be arrested? Yes. But, the real question is how much do the Mayo panel want to win this?