In a wide open race, can you really write us off?

Never try to read the mind of a madman. And never try to predict the fate of the Mayo football team. Be honest, amidst all the doom and gloom, who actually saw that wonderful performance coming?

After the Cavan debacle, we simply wanted to see some bite, energy and heart in Omagh – and we got that in spades. What we saw was a team battling for their ailing manager and, indeed, for their own reputations. Kevin McStay has had a rough few weeks and months, but one can only hope that Saturday’s brave and defiant performance lifts his spirits and gives him a much-needed shot in the arm.

I’m sure he’s itching to be back on the sidelines against Donegal, and we all hope he’s pitchside – not couchside – for the group decider in two weeks. As stressful and intense as being on the sideline is, watching from home can’t be much easier. The helplessness, the powerlessness, the frustration – it must only grow the further you are from the arena.

Stephen Rochford more than ably deputised and got every call right. His selection, tactics and motivation of the team were all spot on. Giving Sean Morahan and Conal Dawson their championship debuts, starting Paddy Durcan, bringing Bob Tuohy in from the cold, and dropping his Crossmolina clubmate Jordan Flynn were all big decisions, but Rochford didn’t shy away from any of them. Morahan, Dawson and Tuohy showed very well. Flynn impressed when introduced. And, well, Paddy Durcan was awesome.

There was a directness to Mayo’s play too and the “launch it long” tactic to Aidan O’Shea was clearly a ploy that had been practised and rehearsed to good effect. Rochford’s biggest success, though, was the way he had his players absolutely champing at the bit – rabidly hungry. They tore into Tyrone from the first whistle and the fancied Northerners simply couldn’t live with Mayo’s running power and athleticism.

Granted, Tyrone found it hard to lift themselves after the previous week’s heroics in Ballybofey, but if they’re genuine All-Ireland contenders, it makes you wonder how far Mayo really are from the top tier. The seven-point winning margin absolutely did not flatter Mayo. Tyrone could have had little complaint had Mayo won by double that. We only took two of our five gilt-edged goal chances but the fact that we created those openings with such regularity is hugely encouraging.

To a man, Mayo were superb. There were outstanding performances all over the park. In goal, Colm Reape had his best performance in some time and kept things simple with his kickouts. He drove them towards Mayo’s fetchers in the middle and his teammates were ravenous on the breaks. Mayo completely wiped Tyrone out on kickouts and dominated midfield in general. Win the midfield battle and you win the match – it’s a tale as old as time.

Mayo’s backs also limited Tyrone’s dangerous forwards to very few clear-cut chances. Jack Coyne can be very proud of the job he did on Darragh Canavan. He got tight and aggressive, sowing seeds of indecision in the maverick’s head. Canavan was dangerous and kicked a few nice scores, but he also coughed up quite a bit of possession under serious heat from Coyne and co.

His goal was a thing of beauty, but it’s hard to pin that one on Coyne. There seemed to be crossed wires between Paddy Durcan and the other defenders, as Canavan was allowed to drift too far without being engaged. No matter how well you defend though, brilliant players will always conjure bits of magic during a game – limiting their impact is the name of the game. Coyne and Enda Hession did just that on Canavan and McCurry.

Rory Brickenden was also solid throughout and chipped in with two lovely points of his own. David McBrien was more prominent and influential than I’ve seen him in months. I still prefer him at full-back, but this was undoubtedly his best showing at centre-back this season.

Overall, Mayo’s defensive unit was extremely well organised and effective. Tyrone carried the ball a lot, trying to punch holes through Mayo’s rearguard rather than kicking long, but Mayo turned over a power of ball. Each turnover added fuel to the fire, giving Mayo belief, momentum and the oxygen to go the distance.

To produce a display like that after more than a year out injured once again showed that Paddy Durcan is nothing short of superhuman. His dummy and jink may not yet be back to full sharpness, but he hasn’t lost his running power or his uncanny ability to carve out scoring chances. Any forward in the country would be proud of the way he creates openings for himself. I’m not sure you can teach that – it’s a natural gift: the vision to spot gaps, the timing of the run and the conviction to take on the shot.

Anyone who thought a cruciate injury would turn him into a more reserved, stay-at-home defender was badly mistaken. He’s a guaranteed score-getter – and that’s before you even mention the belief, energy and leadership his totemic presence brings to the team. He lifts everything around him.

After a year of near misses, narrow defeats, and struggles to score from play, you can’t help but wonder how many of those tight battles – against Galway, Dublin, or Derry – might have swung our way had Paddy been fit.

In attack, Mayo weren’t as efficient as they could have been – particularly at the start of the second half – but I still liked what I saw. There was more directness and adventure with no backward steps taken. Ryan O’Donoghue might not be at his absolute best right now – perhaps a symptom of playing in a side that has been low on confidence – but it’s the mark of a truly great player that he can still be so effective even when just a shade off form. His work-rate, pace and mental toughness make him a formidable opponent in all seasons. Even when things don’t go smoothly, he never stops trying – and it’s very hard for a defender to get the better of someone who never hides.

The Breaffy duo of Aidan O’Shea and Davitt Neary were fantastic down the home straight too. O’Shea stood up when the game was in the melting pot midway through the second-half while Neary’s electrifying pace and dancing feet gave Mayo an extra gear just as Tyrone began to wilt. I wouldn’t be against using him in that impact-sub role going forward – he has a turbo boost that will frighten the life out of tiring defenders.

The most pleasing aspect of Saturday’s win was the manner in which Mayo rallied when Tyrone got within a point with a quarter of the game remaining. After a testing few weeks, that was a gut-check for Mayo – and they passed with flying colours. Against the wind and with the home crowd finally beginning to stir, Mayo grew stronger and Tyrone barely entered our defensive 45 for the remainder of the game. That bodes well for the future and suggests the Mayo players still believe they can have a big say in this championship.

It will require a similarly gargantuan effort to topple Donegal and keep the season alive. Write Mayo off at your peril.

One more thing

PSG won this year’s Champions League despite having lost five times on their way to glory. Could a team like Mayo, Dublin, or Tyrone do the same in the All-Ireland, each having already suffered two defeats in this championship? The race for Sam Maguire has never been more open