It's back to the future for bold Mayo

For a team still best remembered for coming so near and yet so far, there is plenty of fight left in Mayo. When they walked out of Croke Park last September after the heaviest All-Ireland defeat in many years it was hard to imagine how they'd rise again. No one died, it just felt that way.

Just over nine months later they are playing like a team reborn, and head into Sunday's Connacht final against Galway seeking their fifth provincial title under manager John Maughan.

Maughan doesn't deny that defending their title would mark the first full step toward recovering from last year.

"I know Mayo haven't embraced the back-door system too well the couple of times they've gone that route," says Maughan, "and it's important to win every game. I know there's also been a lot of talk about the baggage of last year's All-Ireland defeat, but we did play a lot of good football last summer.

"We actually took it easy during the league, and hadn't trained collectively until mid-January. And even then we didn't train with any great intensity. We only really kick-started the thing in late May. So it's important we win the Connacht title now, because I suppose some of our players are at the ends of their careers. It's particularly important for them.

"But we'll have about seven changes from the All-Ireland final of last September, and are bringing on a lot of younger players. But I also think it's a good opportunity to build on the experience of last year.

"People will talk as well about the appetite and the hunger, but I don't think too many players have a problem with that.

"If you're progressing to the latter stages of the championship every year that might be a factor, but I think once you get a taste for it you want to go back again.

"There'd be no greater feeling for this team then to get back to Croke Park.

"I think we have improved from last year. I think we've greater depth in the squad. We're without one of two of our younger players, but I feel the likes of Ronan McGarrity and Conor Moran will be better players this year after their debut seasons last year. You can't buy experience. You have to gain that over time.

"I also think we're a smarter team, and just better footballers. But it's still hard to know exactly how good or bad you are. You can only strive towards consistency, but until the ball is thrown in on Sunday you just won't know how well the preparations have gone.

"Last year we were fantastic in a couple of games and fell flat at a critical juncture. You can't always explain that because it's a combination of things."

His opposing manager, Peter Ford, sends a team equally well balanced between youth and experience - including the positioning of rising under-21 Finian Hanley at full back.

"He's no senior experience, but was full back with his Sigerson team and the under-21 team," says Ford.

"Of course, we're taking a bit of a gamble on Sunday, but I'm happy he'll do a good job."