With two days to go until the biggest game of the year for Mayo – so far, at least – it’s probably a good time to stand back and take stock of the wider landscape. The Mayo camp will undoubtedly be doing the same – taking a few steps back to get a run at the huge step up in tempo and physicality that awaits them on Sunday in Castlebar.

It always strikes me at this time of year how strange our relationship is with the National League.

MAYO V GALWAY: All you need to know ahead of the Connacht final

When we are in the thick of it, it’s the be-all and end-all. It essentially operates in a vacuum, so games are analysed and scrutinized to death, but the minute it’s over, it’s usually instantly consigned to the insignificance of history. Sure we can barely even remember who won the thing (ahem).

That said, in Mayo, our own topsy-turvy campaign is probably still quite fresh in our minds, not least because it gave us very little indication as supporters of where we are as a team.

On paper, as league finalists, we put in an excellent campaign. And if results are all that matter, Mayo have done very little wrong this year so far, apart from the small matter of losing by ten points to Galway (if we’re being facetious, at this point). Combined with our Connacht campaign so far, our performances have frustrated, bored and thrilled in........

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