As soon as last September's All-Ireland football final had ended, one of the richest sources of consolation for Mayo after a second successive defeat was the precedent of Dublin almost 20 years previously.

Like James Horan’s team, Dublin in a three-year period lost two All-Ireland finals and a semi-final. Comparisons are very difficult to sustain in the vastly changed landscape of the football season – calendar-year league and qualifier format in championship.

Jim Brogan – coincidentally of Mayo stock – was a selector with all of those Dublin teams and managers Paddy Cullen and then Pat O'Neill as well as more recently with current Dublin manager Jim Gavin, (who played on the 1995 team), when he led the county to two All-Ireland under-21 titles. He says the momentum has to come from players.

“There was a realisation amongst the players that they hadn’t been far away from winning and they were responsive to what management decided to do. We had made it clear that we were giving it just one more year no matter what happened and I think that helped.

"We were able to make and take high-risk decisions or calculated gambles without anyone questioning – like bringing a player, Jason (Sherlock) in from minor."

Faster presence
Sherlock's introduction made a huge difference to how the team played, making the full-forward position a more mobile, faster presence in the attack and allowing Dessie Farrell switch from corner forward to centre forward -–at times rotating with Paul Clarke to the wing.

Gavin played a familiar role in the modern game, a defensive wing forward who successfully defused the threat of attacking wing backs Graham Geraghty of Meath and Cork’s Ciarán O’Sullivan,

Farrell remembers that the depression of the defeats in successive years by Donegal, Derry and Down lifted reasonably quickly.

“When the dust had settled after the defeats there was still a sense of optimism that we could learn from the mistakes and get over the final barrier. A number of things had to be realised . . .One was a greater resolve. There was probably a sense we could do more – were we completely applying ourselves in the way we needed to. You have to ask questions.

"Jason added a new dimension and there were positional changes. I moved out from the corner to the half forwards and Paul Clarke came in from midfield. We had to defend better as a unit because we had the name of being very cavalier . . "

Blind belief
Brogan believes one of the threats to a team in Mayo's position is a blind belief that if you keep plugging away your luck has to change at some point.

“You have to win it on the field. There was a developing feeling that after all of the disappointments that ‘we deserve to win it’. Psychologically that’s a dangerous mentality. I think that’s a danger for Mayo because it can easily happen. You roll all the way down the hill and claw your way back up towards the top and you’re thinking, ‘We have to get a break at some stage’.”

He also believes that in some instances, problems and solutions can’t be foreseen and there are days when it’s impossible to rationalise a successful decision.

"It happens on the day as well. We were good as a management at thinking out all of our options in advance but then something happens that you never thought of. In the final Brian Stynes, who had come into the team only a year before after playing Aussie Rules and played really well at midfield, was put back onto Mattie McGleenan (Tyrone corner forward).

“You’d look at it and wonder, ‘what made you decide that?’ You just do it in the moment.”

Seán Cavanagh will make his first NFL start of the season in Tyrone’s Division One clash with Kildare. The former Footballer of the Year has been selected in the half forward line, with emerging prospect Conan Grugan partnering Colm Cavanagh at midfield.

Manager Mickey Harte has also called up Connor McAliskey and Ryan McKenna for the trip to Newbridge.

Harte has made three changes from the team that defeated Mayo, with Tiernan McCann, Shay McGuigan and Peter Hughes the players to lose out.

Tyrone won on both their visits to St Conleith’s Park last season, in league and championship.