Surely the pressure should be on Galway in this? They announced themselves flamboyantly two weeks ago, sweeping aside an exposed Roscommon. This afternoon, they face a side that they have beaten only once in their last five major encounters.

Yet it is Mayo who seem to be feeling the heat more intensely. Between the selective gagging of players and the uncertainty all week over the first 15, it is the home side who look spooked. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, Galway's stock is rising again and the All-Ireland champions didn't look like they were suffering from the hesitancy of last year when they played Roscommon.

Second, Mayo are setting far more gloomy store than seems right by the league dusting they got from Tyrone. Third, form among key players is erratic and constitutes a selection nightmare for manager Pat Holmes. Nonetheless there are positives for Mayo.

Their track record against Galway may be a little false in that the counties haven't met for three years in the championship - meaning that Mayo avoided Galway in the past two seasons when John O'Mahony's team reached two All-Irelands and won one of them - but it is encouraging.

Similarly last year when the teams met in the National League final Mayo upset the odds (three of their last four major wins over Galway have been as underdogs) and toughed out a good win. There is also the hope that Galway were a little flattered by Roscommon the last day. That Mayo were heavily beaten by Tyrone isn't really evidence on its own.

Mayo's defence that day was in trouble from the fast-weaving Tyrone attack but they are likely to be solid at the back tomorrow. It is the front eight that cause concern.

Is the balance better at centrefield without David Brady? He is down for a fitness test despite not having been mentioned as an injury doubt earlier in the week. He has been mentioned all week as someone who was going to be dropped. Whether it's wise to dispense with Brady's big-match credentials and go in against Kevin Walsh and Michael Donnellan with a rookie centrefield - even allowing for David Tiernan's fine club championship with Charlestown and Shane Trench's form in challenges - will shortly be apparent.

The forwards against Tyrone were indeed awful looking but they have better in them. You'd have to say that Galway are more obvious candidates. They have slight injury concerns. Alan Keane conceded a goal the last day largely because of mobility problems caused by ligament damage. A vacancy is left for Derek Savage in the hope that his hamstring heals but that's unlikely.

Their defence is alert and quick enough for corner backs to get on the scoresheet. Centrefield is fine with Kevin Walsh unusually fit for the start of a championship and everyone getting the hang of Michael Donnellan's altered co-ordinates, an accommodation that has taken time.

Most of all, the ability of Padhraic Joyce and the other forwards to deliver devastating passages of scoring makes the All-Ireland champions more likely to pick off the necessary total than their less certain counterparts.