It all began as a preliminary to the first Dublin-Kerry All-Ireland final in 21 years. Mayo's allocated role in yesterday's breathtaking semi-final was to test Dublin and enhance further the prospects of a legendary final. But the plotline got confused and instead a capacity crowd of over 82,000 at Croke Park got a legendary match and a Mayo-Kerry final for the third time in 10 years.
Yesterday's enthralling All-Ireland semi-final was by its final whistle being compared to one of its iconic predecessors, the 1977 meeting of Dublin and Kerry. It was certainly historic, providing Mayo with a first championship win over Dublin in the history of All-Ireland competition.
Yesterday's drama began even before the throw-in when the Dublin supporters on Hill 16, who had dutifully turned up on time, were presented with the affronting spectacle of Mayo taking up pre-match positions practising into the Hill goal. This is a seldom tried act of gamesmanship and the last time it was attempted at this level in 1984, Dublin spanked Tyrone as punishment. The ground hummed with the view that Mayo had better walk the walk after this act of defiance.
And how they did. Mayo won much as they would have wished in their dreams - by hunting down Dublin's second-half lead of seven points and swinging over the winner in the 67th minute through the talismanic Ciarán McDonald. The West was awake and as the late Micheál O'Hehir once so eloquently put it, the Jacks were flushed.