But here are Mayo, back in a second consecutive national final, having won five games straight, without Ciaran McDonald, Ronan McGarrity, David Brady, and for the most part, Trevor Mortimer too. Donegal won five games straight themselves with Michael Hegarty and Adrian Sweeney starting on the bench. Today is the real test of Donegal's depth though.

Although they managed to reach an All Ireland quarter-final last year without the triumvirate of Cassidy, McFadden and Devenney, this is the first time this year they'll be without Devenney. While there have been higher-scoring forwards in this league . . . like Conor Mortimer, John Doyle and the machine that is Paddy Bradley . . . there has been no more influential forward in this league.

Every contending All Ireland side has had a rookie full-back not just tested but destroyed by Devenney's mix of power, pace and polish this spring, from Cork's Dave Coughlan to Mayo's James Kilcullen (right ) to Niall O'Shea, Cormac McGinley and even Kerry's Tom O'Sullivan. Kilcullen for one will be glad he's not starting today.

There might be 20 minutes in Devenney though, and even if there's not, there is in both Adrian Sweeney and Kevin McMenamin who made important contributions last week. Colm McFadden's confidence and stature is growing by the game, and he should be ready to take up some of the responsibility normally assumed by Devenney.

It is a credit not just to the rehabilitation powers of John O'Mahony but the resilience of his players that Mayo have made it out of the inferno that is Division One for three straight years with three different coaches. But a number of things still concern us, and not just the spine of their team which we outlined last week. Today we might find out they're like the Galway team O'Mahony brought to a league final three years ago . . . a dangerous but ultimately waning team in transition.

It's fine and well to say it's a good habit to keep winning ugly but every league and All Ireland team has a breakout game. Mayo have not had theirs. Only in the second half against Cork did they play with the fluidity of league or All Ireland champions, or indeed, the fluidity of 2004 and their first three games in Croker last summer.

Donegal, in contrast, have hit that standard repeatedly this spring. Simply put, they play the more fluent football, and while their full-back line has appeared vulnerable to the high ball, Mayo don't have the inside manpower to exploit it.

Mayo have beaten themselves as much as the opposition did in three of their last four national finals. They won't today, but, again, they're meeting a team with that bit more football than them. It should tell.

Verdict Donegal by three DONEGAL P Durcan; N McGee, P Campbell, K Lacey; T Donoghue, B Monaghan, B Dunnion; N Gallagher, K Cassidy; C Bonner, B Roper, C Toye; K McMenamin, C McFadden, M Hegarty MAYO D Clarke; L O'Malley, J Kilcullen, K Higgins; E Devenney, BJ Padden, P Gardiner; P Harte, D Heaney; G Brady, K O'Neill, A Moran; M Conroy, A Dillon, C Mortimer