Sun Jul 26 2026 - 12:19When Mayo line out on Sunday, they will be wearing a similar jersey to the one worn the last time the county won an All-Ireland SFC final 75 years ago – a custom white kit. It was designed especially at the Mayo team’s request so as not to clash with Kerry’s dark green and gold. But the significance is not lost on the superstitious. The story goes that after Mayo’s victory in the 1951 All-Ireland final, the team refused to stop for a funeral procession and were cursed by a priest who declared they would never lift Sam Maguire again until every member of the team had died. And this, the 2026 All-Ireland final, is the first game that believers think the curse will be lifted. The story is, of course, nothing more than a fanciful myth, but narratives can have a powerful impact on the psyche of a county player. Mayo have lost every All-Ireland final they have appeared in since 1951. In total they have played 13 finals – 11 games with two replays. The have lost each time, by four points overall on average. Three of these losses have been against Kerry – with their biggest All-Ireland loss in the last 75 years happening in 2006 with a 13-point beating: Kerry 4-15 Mayo 3-5. Kerry, as you might expect, have an impressive final record. They have played in half of the All-Ireland finals in the last 75 years, winning almost a third of them. Of 38 finals, they have won 23, winning by an average of seven points. Historic narratives aside, there’s nothing to stop a new generation of players setting their own records this year.IN THIS SECTION