I passed London's GAA grounds in Ruislip last weekend. Not the prettiest venue in the world. Mayo started their championship campaign in the English capital and were put to the pin of their collar by the Exiles. They prevailed and now find themselves in the All-Ireland SFC semi-final. Kerry are their opponents.
Jack O'Connor's Munster maestros easily swept aside the challenges of Tipperary and Limerick before seeing off great rivals and neighbours Cork in the provincial decider in picturesque Killarney.
Having beaten Wexford in the last round of the qualifiers, albeit controversially, Limerick were pitted against the Kingdom in the last eight. A baker's dozen of points seperated the sides in the end. Kerry were hardly troubled.
Meanwhile, Mayo advanced to this stage of the championship thanks to a gritty showing against Roscommon in the Connacht final and an inspired display against Cork in the quarter-final. The Rebels only managed one point in the second-half as the men from the west gave football in the province a much-needed boost.
That's the background. Now for the facts.
Kerry go into Sunday's showdown as favourites. No argument there. The Munster kingpins have contested 11 of the last 12 semi-finals. Mayo last made it to the business end of the championship in 2006 when they stunned a much-fancied Dublin outfit.
Mayo were subsequently humbled by Kerry on football's biggest day. Again, a baker's dozen of points seperated the sides and the Mayo scars were slow to heal.
The showing against Cork last time out indicate that Mayo's stock could be on the rise. Can they put back-to-back performances together and get one over on their bogey team?
James Horan has kept faith with the starting XV that took to the field against Cork so confidence is high that the right blend has been found. Horan's counterpart Jack O'Connor would have liked to have done likewise but Paul Galvin's injury means the former Footballer of the Year must settle for a place on the bench with Kieran O'Leary the man to profit.
Doubts still persist about the Kerry midfield and this is an area that Mayo can exploit with the O'Shea brothers well capable of dictating affairs while the Kingdom half-back line, manned by three players who are in the latter stages of their careers - Tomas O Se, Eoin Brosnan and Aidan O'Mahony, is open for breaching.
The likes of Alan Dillon and Andy Moran could prove difficult opponents for the Kerry rearguard but whether they can outscore the forwards at the other end of the field is not yet known.
Kerry still have the best forward line in the country, with Darran O'Sullivan, who has finally stepped out of the shadows of Colm Cooper, Declan O'Sullivan and Kieran Donaghy, able to turn a game in an instant.
Cooper and Donaghy were quiet against Limerick so expect them to be in the thick of things come Sunday. If they are then Kerry should prevail but if the Mayo defence, led by Trevor Mortimer, can keep things tight then there'll be nothing in it.
Kerry: B Kealy; K Young, M Ó Sé, T O'Sullivan, T Ó Sé, E Brosnan, A O'Mahony, A Maher, B Sheehan, Darren O'Sullivan, Declan O'Sullivan, D Walsh, C Cooper, K Donaghy, K O'Leary.
Mayo: R Hennelly; T Cunniffe, G Cafferkey, K Higgins; R Feeney, D Vaughan, T Mortimer; A O'Shea, S O'Shea; K McLoughlin, A Dillon, A Moran; E Varley, A Freeman, C O'Connor.
Verdict: Draw