Given the uniquely quick turnaround, however, the temptation for most to keep going will be strong.
For Dublin, the lure of a ninth All-Ireland medal, surpassing the five Kerry greats they matched on Saturday night, may prove too much for a couple of their squad to walk away from.
At 39, Stephen Cluxton is the longest-serving inter-county player in the game, having made his debut in 2001.
In an interview with RTÉ on Saturday night, he wouldn t be drawn on the subject of his future.
But given he was Footballer of the Year just 12 months ago and didn t concede a goal in this year s championship, retirement seems highly unlikely at this time.
For most counties, losing a player like Jack McCaffrey would have been a heavy blow.
The doctor from Clontarf is widely considered the best wing-back of his generation and has four All Star awards to support that diagnosis.
But in the wake of the five-time All-Ireland winner s decision to take a break from football - as he did in 2016 - Dublin haven t missed him at all.
The reason? Robbie McDaid. The Ballyboden St Enda s man has filled the No 7 jersey seamlessly, winning turnovers, linking the play and getting forward for scores, such as the 1-02 that earned him the man of the match award in the All-Ireland semi-final win over Cavan or points against Westmeath and Laois.
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5 talking points as Mayo and Dublin clash for the All-Ireland football title. By Kevin O Brien Saturday 19 Dec 2020, 9:00 AM Dec 19th 2020, 9:00 AM 15,491 Views 19 Comments
Con O Callaghan on the way to scoring his second goal against Mayo in 2019.
Image: Tommy Dickson/INPHO
Image: Tommy Dickson/INPHO
1. The case for Mayo
AS MUCH AS Dublin have made light work of their run to the All-Ireland final in recent seasons, the showpiece games tend to be close affairs. Mayo have the athletes to live with Dublin and their full-court press will offer something entirely different to what Dessie Farrell’s side have experienced so far.
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5 talking points after Dublin outlasted Mayo to continue their dominance of the All-Ireland SFC. Kevin O Brien By Kevin O Brien Saturday 19 Dec 2020, 8:55 PM Dec 19th 2020, 8:55 PM 10,199 Views 18 Comments
The Dublin team celebrate with the Sam Maguire.
Image: Ryan Byrne/INPHO
Image: Ryan Byrne/INPHO
1. Impact of Dublin’s bench
IN THE 50TH minutes, Mayo had hauled themselves back to level terms after a Cillian O’Connor free. Shortly after, Dessie Farrell sprang Paul Mannion off the bench, joining fellow substitute Brian Howard on the field and the pair of former All-Stars played a decisive role in Dublin’s dominant final quarter.