Andy Moran: Midfield battle can lay foundations for Mayo to beat Tyrone in the All-Ireland final

Andy Moran knows all about All-Ireland final heartbreak, but feels his former colleagues on the Mayo team are now primed to get over the line and end a 70-year wait.

Looking ahead to Saturday's decider, the 2017 Footballer of the Year says that his county could hold the edge over Tyrone in the midfield battle.

"If you say with any certainty who's going to win this final, I think you're half bluffing," he said "But my gut is saying Mayo. I think the reason is if you go through the teams, I think it's so even all through the teams, and I think the one place we hold an advantage is in the middle of the field. Mainly because Tyrone have gone with two big guys and I wouldn't be surprised if one of them was changed.

"We play with maybe two half-forwards in along there and I think we can get scores out of there. I think that gives us huge opportunity. I think for some reason, and I know I'm turning into a complete Mayo fan now, but I do believe it's our time and I think the opportunity for both teams here is absolutely massive in terms of Mayo/Tyrone in an All-Ireland final without playing the might of a Dublin six-in-a-row team or without facing Kerry in a final I think gives them both huge opportunities.

"I just feel Mayo are further along the tracks than Tyrone are. Year three of James Horan gives them a huge advantage. The four weeks [break] and getting Oisin Mullin back has given us a huge advantage. So I think they're the reasons why Mayo will win it."

Finding holes in the middle sector could be key for the Connacht champions.

"I think Tyrone will keep that central channel, like they did against Kerry, fairly tight," Moran added. "In around the fringes, when you play with Conor Loftus and Diarmuid O'Connor there, it gives you an advantage when you're playing against two natural midfielders where you can kind of fit between that midfield and that half-forward role and you can exploit a tiny bit of space there which Tyrone might leave. I think it does give us a chance.

"I think there's going to be very few goal-scoring opportunities in this one. I can see a low-scoring game. 1-13 or 1-12 maybe winning the game."

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Canavan to start the final?

Tyrone's substitutes made a significant impact in the semi-final win over Kerry, particularly Cathal McShane who hit the Kingdom for 1-3 following his introduction in the 44th minute.

However, Moran expects another Tyrone forward to win a starting berth on Saturday.

"I think Cathal McShane will stay on the bench. He had too big of an impact the last day when he came on," he added.

"But I do expect Darragh Canavan to start, and I wouldn't be surprised to see one of the bigger midfielders stepping away. So I wouldn't be surprised by that at all if they do shake it up a tiny bit. I'd be actually a bit surprised if they left it the same.

"Against Donegal and against Kerry, they had very similar teams and that seems to be the starting 15. But I think if Canavan has proved his fitness over the last two weeks, I do expect Canavan to start because I think he would trouble most defensive lines. The bench, we won't deny this, Tyrone will have a stronger bench. So I think they'll be leaving the bench, pretty much as it was, barring maybe the exception of Canavan."

Ultimately, Moran expects it to go right down to the wire.

"This is such an unusual game," he said. "I think the collisions in this game are going to be huge. Black cards, injuries, sending-offs could all play a part in this game.

"As a player you're going in there and you're expecting to win the game. That's what you always do. Every final I was a part of, I always expected to win the game. But I would say, this is the most 50:50 game of football I think I've ever witnessed. Maybe I'm a bit too close to it because of my Mayo connections. But it's so 50:50. You can't call a winner in it. [But] my gut is telling me Mayo."

Watch Mayo vs Tyrone live on Sky Sports Arena from 4pm Saturday.