You have to expect people to have a lash and a cut and I've no problem with that because we haven't won. So for today's match the guys just have to knuckle down.

But they are guys who have one extra dimension. I don't say this with any degree of vindictiveness against any previous management team but for the first time in 30 or 40 years we actually have the 30 best footballers in the county available for selection.

To an outsider that may seem like something very simple, but believe me, it's very difficult to get everyone onside.

And it wasn't just John Maughan who had problems from that perspective, the same issues came up with John O'Mahony. But now, maybe because of an alternative mode of management, these players are getting on with it and it all seems to be very free and easy.

This Mayo side are also as good, if not better, than any Mayo team I've seen in the last 20 or 30 years. They have two advantages over all those other sides. Firstly, they have three forwards, bang in form, playing at All Ireland level, in Conor Mortimer, Ciaran McDonald and Alan Dillon. In the past we've gone into games with only one or two in All Ireland form but with these guys, I'm positive they will perform. Secondly, this Mayo team have serious pace in defence. You can go through it man for man and they are all very athletic.

That's a huge attribute to have going into an All Ireland final. But it's mainly the forwards who are standing out and they seem to be scoring a little more and a little easier than Mayo teams of the past.

When it comes to scoring for Kerry, everyone seems to be talking about Kieran Donaghy. But there is still a question mark in my mind. I'm sure he is an exceptional player but I want to see him prove it one more time. Against Longford, he was exceptional, but he was up against a man who was playing out of position. Against Armagh he won the battle about 60-40 but for 30 minutes Francie Bellew was going fine on him, albeit with the help of Kieran McGeeney. And then the last day he wasn't marked by Graham Canty. I would have liked to have seen that match-up.

It won't be easy for him on David Heaney either. In Mayo we'd have massive faith in Heaney. We always feel that more likely than not he will do the right thing but I'm more concerned about the breaks that come off Donaghy. He will certainly get breaks and if he can break to his advantage while Mike Frank and Colm Cooper are scrambling around, then I would say that's where trouble will come from. And that's a big part of the reason why you have to fancy Kerry. Also, we haven't won it in so long so history is very much with them. I'm not sure there is an awful lot between the teams on the evidence of 2006 and I don't think anyone could make a massive argument that Kerry have had a great year. I'm pretty sure they haven't. In fact you'd have to say throughout the year Mayo's form has been a little bit better.

Yet as Mayo people we go into the final more with hope rather than confidence. But it's never going to be anything more than hope until we win one and maybe we can crack on from there. But the big problem is winning that first title which is why we are a bit slow to jump out and say we are going to do it. Darragh O Se is key, and while Ronan McGarrity won't be concerned about him in the slightest, it is hard to see how McGarrity will dominate him.

With Donaghy and the two corners, it's a huge ask for the Mayo full-back line.

All Irelands are won around that 20-metre line and Kerry have three very serious operators in there so I would be extremely worried.

Believe me, Mayo winning would not be close to a shock because they are very capable of winning it, but having said that, I just think Kerry will edge it.

Kevin McStay is a former player with Mayo and Ballina Stephenites and is now a pundit for RTE television In conversation with Ewan MacKenna