Former Tyrone footballer Owen Mulligan believes that Mayo’s NFL success this year can be the catalyst for them to go on and lift ‘Sam Maguire’.

Mayo lifted major silverware in Croke Park last month when coming from behind to defeat Kerry in the FL1 final and in doing so, ending recent years of heartbreak at Croker.

This was Mayo’s first NFL title since 1981 and Mulligan, who won three All-Ireland titles with Tyrone in the 2000s, feels that they have developed some character that they may have been lacking before this.

“In the past, they would have folded like a deck of cards after conceding those two goals, but they got themselves better organised at half time and were a much better side after the break,” Mulligan told the Irish Post.

“Maybe Mayo have turned the corner. At this stage, they’ve lost games every way possible and perhaps now, they’ve finally become battle-hardened to the setbacks.

“James Horan knows Mayo GAA better than anyone else and he looks to be a man whose under a lot less pressure now than when he first managed them. He’s more relaxed on the sideline and that reaches out to the players on the field.

“Mayo got a taste of what it’s like to kill off a top-four team in Croke Park when it mattered.”

He added: “Now that they’ve landed a national title I see no reason why Mayo can’t push on and destroy a big team in the final quarter of games.”

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