18-year-old Gaelic football phenom Kobe McDonald has played a hand in a watershed All-Ireland final victory for County Mayo overnight.
The youngster, bound for St Kilda at the completion of his schooling, scored three points to help Mayo claim their first title for 75 years.
It is said Mayo's 1951 championship team failed to play appropriate respects to a funeral they passed during their celebrations of their title.
A family member of the deceased supposedly cursed the county in retaliation, that the county would not salute in victory again until every member of the '51 side had died. The last surviving member of the side passed in 2021, and Mayo have now broken through for their first lift of the Sam McGuire Cup since that fateful day, despite 11 trips to the final since 1989.
Kobe McDonald, whose services were procured by St Kilda ahead of significant rival interest, will now attempt to play a role in the Saints' first V/AFL premiership since 1966, and only the second in their history.
75 YEARS AND THE WAIT IS OVER!!!!!
MAYO ARE FINALLY ALL-IRELAND FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS!!!!!!
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"Natural flair and composure" are said to be among McDonald's strengths, with Ross Lyon no doubt hoping such traits will hold the youngster in good stead alongside his raft of promising colts. In Moorabbin, McDonald will join a nucleus of names that includes Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Mattaes Phillipou, Hugo Garcia and Darcy Wilson, among others, as the Saints look to go marching in for just the second time in their history.
McDonald's compatriot Oisin "Guinness Grips" Mullin has stamped himself as the AFL's best tagger this season, and will be out to prove it again on Thursday night, when his Geelong Cats renew hostilities with superstar Nick Daicos and the rest of the Collingwood Magpies.
Mullin previously spent time with Mayo, losing two All-Ireland finals in his time with the county. Fellow Cat Mark O'Connor was granted permission by the club at last season's conclusion to head back to Ireland to compete in the Kerry Senior Football Championship, with O'Connor emotional after helping Dingle break through for a first victory in 77 years.
