Jack O'Connor believes Kerry are in with a great shout of toppling Mayo in Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final.

The current Kingdom minor boss, who led Kerry to three Sam Maguire Cup successes, has a feeling that the Munster champions could shade a tight contest at Croke Park:

"There is very little between the teams but I think that Kerry have a great chance because the Kerry forwards are really functioning at the moment," he says in The Irish Independent.

"A lot of it will depend on the middle eight, because Mayo have a lot of big strong fellas there, and if they get possession there, they have half backs who can drive on, so that is where the game will be decided.

"If Kerry can gain the upper hand at midfield, then they have the forwards to win the game."

As for the Connacht champions, O'Connor feels they have been pacing themselves this year: "Maybe they are coming along a bit slower this year, and maybe that's the way they want it.

"To me, Mayo appeared to peak too early last year, and everyone knows that All-Irelands are not won in the first week of August." Tweet

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