Mayo have the edge to finish final task

Tyrone v Mayo:THE HEADLINE from the drawn final last Sunday read, "Mayo stumble with line in sight", and they did as Matthew Donnelly's last-second intervention saved Tyrone.

It's just that it was probably fitting we get to do it all again as to pick the most deserving winner from the first instalment was an impossible task.

Mayo felt afterwards they let it slip. They had similar thoughts after drawing with Kerry in the semi-final and look what happened. It's rare any Kerry team is on the receiving end of such a beating, 10 points was the margin, and it could well have been more.

"There is more from us," said their star centre forward Aiden O'Shea after picking up the man-of-the-match award despite a fractured thumb. O'Shea is a fine player, gathering two points the last day and a wealth of possession that he laid off with intelligent precision but this Mayo side is primarily about the sum of its parts. The defence is solid, and unusually for Mayo minors they are big, with team captain Shane Nally a threat going forward from wing back.

James Cafferty and Tyrone's Niall McKenna will pay more attention to each other in midfield this time. The eventual domineering force here will go a long way to helping his team to victory. In the forwards, Aidan Walsh and Cathal Freeman both look capable of catching fire.

Tyrone boast three reliable scoring forwards in Ciarán Gervin, Conor O'Neill and Paddy McNeice, while Donnelly showed an admirable calmness to catch and kick the equalising score off Kyle Coney's smart assist. Much was expected from Coney - who joins the Sydney Swans in November - and while he grew into the drawn game his wandering impression of Brian Dooher often ended with him being a yard off vital collisions. Tyrone would be better served by leaving him within range of the posts and feeding him ball. He had 2-16 up to last Sunday when he registered 0-0.

Tyrone's chances of completing a senior and minor double took a blow with the loss of captain and corner-back Ryan Pickering due to a broken collarbone. Ronan McNabb, who started his first championship match against Mayo after recovering from a groin operation, resumes the leadership role.

Mayo appear to have the slightest edge, providing they can resist the intensity Tyrone will bring to bear in the closing stages.

TYRONE:T Harney; F McQuaid, G Teague, R Tierney; S McCrory, P Harte, R McNabb; N McKenna, M Rogers; C Girvan, D McNulty, M Donnelly; K Coney, P McNeice, C O'Neill.

MAYO:R Hennelly; D Dolan, K Keane, J Broderick; S McHale, E Reilly, S Nally; J Cafferty, G McDonagh; C Freeman, A O'Shea, R Geraghty; K Charlton, A Walsh, A Corduff.