Sixty-two-years after his father Sean captained the county to their last Sam Maguire Cup success, former Mayo star Dermot Flanagan is hoping the current team can end that famine with a victory over his adopted county of Dublin on Sunday.

It would be the stuff of fairytale if Andy Moran could emulate what fellow Ballaghaderreen man Flanagan achieved in 1950 and '51, but Dermot - for whom a coveted Celtic Cross proved elusive despite playing in four All-Ireland finals (including one replay) - looks upon the Ballaghadereen connection as a mere coincidence.

"It's obviously fantastic for the club to have Andy as captain, but I wouldn't see it as a lucky omen or anything like that. I don't tend to be too romantic when it comes to football," the two-time All Star defender explains.

"It won't feature in anybody's minds once the ball is thrown in. Listen, it's there for Mayo if they want it badly enough. They're the only ones that can make it happen."

Dermot certainly doesn't subscribe to the view that Mayo are destined never to win another All-Ireland title after losing six finals since 1989. Nor does he believe in the so-called curse placed on the county by an enraged Foxford-based priest in 1951 which has gathered momentum with each passing year.

"People are reading way too much into this 62-year thing," the 51-year-old barrister says.

"I can assure you it wasn't at the forefront of mind when I was playing. We came very close in 1996 when we should really have beaten Meath in both the drawn and replayed finals. Liam McHale's sending off had a big bearing the second day.

"I know if Sean Flanagan was still around (he died 20 years ago), he'd be telling the players to concentrate on the game, to seize the moment and to leave nothing on the pitch. Sean had great players around him who all went on to do well in their lives outside football. I see a lot of similarities with them and the current squad."

As someone who has lived in the capital for most of his life, Dermot is extremely familiar with the Dublin GAA scene and is currently involved with the Clan na Gael Fontenoy club in Sandymount as an underage coach. He also knows a thing or two about the Dublin team, who have already beaten Mayo twice this year in the Allianz League.

"This is a big match for both teams," he points out.

"I saw the two league games in Croke Park and Dublin had the upper hand both times. Jim Gavin has done well to blend in the new guys so quickly, which has also helped to keep the older guys on their toes.

"I would see a number of similarities between the teams. Physically, they are both fairly evenly matched. I would say Dublin have created more chances; more goal chances. Last year's (All-Ireland) semi-final turned on a great save by David Clarke from Bernard Brogan. It will come down to whichever team takes their chances. Knowing both managers, they will have something up their sleeves to counteract the opposition's strengths. It could be a cat and mouse affair."

He continues: "I'm optimistic about Mayo's chances. They will have opportunities and it'll be all about taking them. There will be individual and team battles to be won and lost. Winning primary possession around the middle of the park will be huge and will be crucial to the outcome.

"Dublin have the advantage of having All-Ireland winners in their team, and their newcomers are very good also. But this is a young Mayo team which has made a lot of progress under James Horan over the past two or three years. They will be around for a number of years and I've no doubt the best is still to come from them. I played with James and have very high regard for what he's done.

"It's a very, very enticing game and I'm obviously hoping it will be Mayo's day."

Dermot's big fear from a Mayo perspective is that they will allow Dublin to get a run on them like they did in last April's Allianz League semi-final when they hit the three-in-a-row Connacht champions for 2-9 in 18 breathtaking first half minutes.

"I wouldn't like to see a Dublin purple patch again. Dublin are always capable of blitzing teams so it's very important that Mayo keep it tight and don't let them get too far ahead. You don't want to be chasing the game - it's always a difficult place to be. You will see the best of Mayo if it's nip and tuck," he contends.

Much of the focus in the lead-up to the final has been on Cillian O'Connor's battle to be fit. The double Young Footballer of the Year dislocated his shoulder for the third time inside a year in the early stages of the All-Ireland semi-final win over Tyrone, and while many feel his fitness is vital to Mayo's chances, Flanagan believes Mayo have the strength in depth to cope in the event of him being unable to play.

"Cillian is a very important player for Mayo. Not only is he a proven goal-scorer, he is also their main free-taker, so he would be a big loss if he's ruled out," he says.

"But I thought the rest of the team stepped up brilliantly when he came off injured against Tyrone. The likes of Cathal Carolan and Mickey Conroy are well fit to come in and do a good job. The bench will have a big impact, just as it did in 1989 when Cork were able to bring on three All Stars - Danny Culloty, Mick McCarthy (RIP) and John O'Driscoll - against us. We didn't have the same calibre of subs to bring on and they ended up winning by three points. That was the difference."

Dermot was just five-years-old when his family moved from Ballaghaderreen to Clontarf after his famous father - who served as a TD from 1951 to '77 - was appointed a Government Minister. He played underage football in Clontarf with former Dublin half back Dr Noel McCaffrey - father of current star Jack - before going on to play senior for both Ballaghaderreen and Civil Service.

"I spent many years travelling between the two counties. While I played most of my senior football with Ballagh', I did have a few good years with Civil Service as well. In 1992, I captained them to a league title and a county final appearance against Kilmacud Crokes, which we lost." he recalls.

"Apart from a couple of years I spent in Kilkenny, I've lived in Dublin since I was five."

Dermot believes the close ties that exist between Mayo and Dublin will only add to the occasion.

"It's going to be a great, great weekend because there are so many Mayo people living in Dublin. There is a very active Mayo Association in Dublin and there are so many links, like the one between Bernard Brogan and the former Mayo footballer Padraig Brogan, who are second cousins.

"I played football with Noel McCaffrey when I was younger and I've become very good friends with Declan Darcy, who's a Dublin selector, through our involvement with the Clan na Gael Fontenoy underage teams."

Dermot - whose dreams of emulating his father by winning an All-Ireland medal were crushed by Cork in 1989, Meath in '96 and Kerry in '97 - will be cheering on Mayo in the company of his wife Ros and their eight-year-old twins, Jack and Amelia.

Jack is keeping the family tradition going by togging out for the U8 team which is coached by his dad in Clan na Gael. One of Jack's team-mates, Callum McDonald, is a grandson of another Mayo great, Paddy Prendergast, who played alongside Sean Flanagan on the all-conquering teams of 1950 and '51.

"It's some twist of fate to have two grandsons of Mayo greats playing together on the same underage team in Dublin. With the Mayo and Dublin connections we have, the Flanagan household will be divided on Sunday, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a Mayo win," he concludes. Tweet

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