James Horan says Mayo's poor record against Kerry is not an issue.

Horan himself scored a goal the last time the Connacht champions defeated the Kingdom in the championship (in 1996) and they have since lost to the Munster giants five times, including three All-Ireland finals.

Looking ahead to this weekend's All-Ireland semi-final at Croke Park, Horan insists the past will have no bearing on the game:

"I don't even remember the hex at this stage. It genuinely isn't (an issue), no, no. Thanks for mentioning it but it's not an issue for us at all," he is quoted in The Irish Daily Mirror.

"We have had a good few battles with these guys over the last number of years in national league and championship. We know that if we prepare as well as we can, do everything we can, get guys in the right place then we are competitive, as I keep saying, against any team in the country. That is all we are looking to do, prepare as well as we can.

"If you look at some of the players on our team at the moment, the likes of Jason Doherty, Kevin McLoughlin, Aidan O'Shea, how they are playing, and our half-back line, there is a lot of stuff we know now that we didn't in 2011 [when Kerry defeated Mayo at the semi-final stage].

"Some of those guys were just breaking on, so you are constantly learning, all the time. I certainly know now that we are a very strong team, we have a lot of skill and ability right throughout the field, we have guys that can play in different positions and do different things all the time. That is something I am very aware of now." Tweet

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