GAELIC GAMES:And so it comes to pass. The apprehensions of the GAA director general, Liam Mulvihill, at the launch of the Allianz National Football League, that the start of the competition would outstrip the finale in terms of public interest will be confirmed tomorrow in Croke Park.
Eleven weeks after more than 80,000 packed into Croke Park for the first match of the season, the final comes around and will struggle to attract 25,000.
The reasons for the atrophying interest is obvious with the championship only weeks away, but tomorrow's Division One final is an interesting prospect featuring the two best sides in the competition this season.
They arrive from different perspectives but Donegal and Mayo have made good use of the league.
A year ago Donegal were emerging from Division Two and on the way to a last-eight championship finish. Brian McIver has consolidated the progress and turned them into the league's form team.
John O'Mahony has done exceptionally well to help Mayo move on from the horrors of last September. The team have knuckled down and intensified their efforts.
The former Mayo player and RTÉ analyst Kevin McStay says that from a supporters' point of view, this endeavour has been the most heartening aspect of the campaign to date.
Donegal are still in pursuit of a first NFL title - or any silverware since winning the All-Ireland 15 years ago - and there is confidence in the county that this can be achieved. Mayo on the other hand won this title just six years ago and are second on its roll of honour. And at this stage the county is so fixated on the All-Ireland that it's hard to see tomorrow's result impacting hugely whichever way it turns out.
Both sides have plenty of injuries but despite Mayo's absentee list being longer and including big-match players such as Ciarán McDonald and David Brady, Donegal's loss of Brendan Devenney looks the most acute given Mayo have been progressing without their missing personnel whereas Devenney has been the fulcrum of the Donegal attack, scoring 20 points and moving the ball perceptively around the attack.
It could have been worse for Donegal but for Kevin Cassidy's miraculous deliverance from suspension on Thursday night.
His strength and skill have been a big influence on the team from centrefield but Pat Harte and David Heaney, despite being a makeshift pairing, will still win their share of ball.
A major source of possession for Donegal is their ability to win breaks and the wings will be busy places with Enda Devenney and Peadar Gardiner flying up Mayo's flanks from the back, Donegal replacement wing back Thomas Donoghue similarly minded and Barry Dunnion not exactly a conservative in the position either.
Of Mayo's starting attack only Conor Mortimer has yet to score a senior goal in Croke Park, which is an interesting statistic for a side that - apart, strangely, from All-Ireland finals - hasn't scored that many in the past five years.
Donegal's defence can be vulnerable and was exposed, particularly in the opening quarter, against Kerry. But the aerial threat of Kieran Donaghy is not a card Mayo have in their hand.
Even without their top scorer, Donegal have options up front. Colm McFadden will be a big test for James Kilcullen's credentials at full back and overall there is a dynamism about the team that can propel the county to a first league title.
DONEGAL: P Durcan; N McGee, P Campbell, K Lacey; T Donoghue, B Monaghan, B Dunnion; N Gallagher, K Cassidy; C Bonner, B Roper, C Toye; K McMenamin, C McFadden, M Hegarty.
MAYO: D Clarke; L O'Malley, J Kilcullen, K Higgins; E Devenney, BJ Padden, P Gardiner; P Harte, D Heaney; G Brady, K O'Neill, A Moran; M Conroy, A Dillon, C Mortimer.
Referee: John Bannon (Longford).
