James Horan feels his former Mayo side can spring an upset in Sunday week's All-Ireland SFC final if they can find a way to put Dublin "on the ropes".
Speaking on the Leinster champions' semi-final victory over Kerry, the Ballintubber man felt that the Kingdom's goal just before half-time exposed a weakness in Jim Gavin's side which the Westerners must exploit next weekend if they are to claim Sam Maguire.
"The way they conceded the goals, they were absolutely on the ropes," Horan told the Irish Examiner.
"It's about how you get Dublin on the ropes because when that happens they concede heavily. If you think back through a lot of the games, even last year's drawn game with Mayo, the second-half against Laois this year, Donegal, Kerry, there's been times when they've been on the ropes and conceded very, very heavily.
"They were saved by the bell at half-time against Kerry.
"Now they came out and showed what quality they have afterwards so for Mayo it's about how can they get Dublin on the ropes for that period, that's the thing."
Horan also feels that these are the game's two fittest teams in GAA history, adding: "They're the two best-conditioned teams in the history of Gaelic games, in my opinion. But that's just one aspect of the game. They both have a huge amount of top level players as well. When you throw it all in together, there will be fireworks."
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