Former Dublin star Ray Cosgrove has warned that Mayo are capable of causing a huge upset in next Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC Final.

The Kilmacud Crokes man has an intimate knowledge of Mayo football because both of his parents hail from the county and there are a couple of former Mayo footballers in his family tree.

And even though Dublin are red-hot favourites to win back to back All-Irelands next weekend, Cosgrove doesn’t think it will be all that straight-forward.

“I think most Dubs would be very confident of putting back to back,” he says. “And if you talk to people outside of Dublin, neutrals, the vast bulk again think it's going to be Dublin. I was talking to someone yesterday and he said it would be the shock of the decade if Mayo beat them.

“I certainly wouldn't be of that mind-set. If you look back last year to the drawn game, coming into injury-time Mayo could have beaten Dublin and probably should have if they had the belief to kick on. I think they're a better, stronger team with more options this year.

“I know they haven't put in a majestic performance yet. But they're improving and getting better as the year has progressed and it's probably no harm Galway beating them in Connacht. With the youth, the U-21s coming through, Stephen Coen, Diarmuid O'Connor having a great year, I'd be very, very wary.

“Obviously I have Mayo connections and I'd be watching them over the years. I think there's one big performance in them. And, to be honest, fellas seemed to be more concerned about Kerry in the semi-final, but I was convinced we'd get over Kerry. This is one that I'd be afraid of.

“Even listening to the Mayo lads, they kind of have unfinished business. And just the focus and preparation for the 18th, it would leave me a little bit wary.”

The problem that most teams have when they play Dublin is that they struggle to match them athletically for the full course of the match. But Cosgrove believes Mayo are the one team who can stay with the Dubs, stride for stride.

“Absolutely. I think, again, when you take the drawn game last year, they were four points down and they were driving at Dublin coming into injury-time. So physically they were a match for Dublin.

“Dublin would be cruising through provincial championship matches without even a finger being laid on them. Certainly Mayo won't fear them after 2012 either. Physically they'll match up.

“Defensively I think Mayo are a step up from Kerry. If you look at Keith Higgins who is probably a contender for footballer of the year. Lee Keegan, Boyler. Brendan Harrison has progressed since last year. Donie Vaughan.

“Yeah, I think you'd be very foolish to buy into, 'Dublin just have to show up'. Because this Mayo team are well experienced and have a big of youth coming through as well.”

Were Dublin to win back to back All-Irelands they would truly join the pantheon of the great teams and arguably even eclipse the legendary team of the 1970s.

There’s a lot on the line for them so, and Cosgrove believes that quest to win titles back to back puts a bit of extra pressure on the Dublin players.

“It certainly will,” he says. “It hasn't been done since 1977. This is the third attempt for this group of players of trying to do it. And it's not an easy task. If it was they would have been doing it on a more regular basis.

“So, internally, there will be that pressure. They probably won't say it externally, but there is the pressure of being up there with the team of '77/'78 that put them back to back.

“Inside in that dressing-room there will be that pressure that this could be the third time they haven't retained it in the last, whatever, five years. So that's an added bit of pressure that will be on the lads' shoulders.”

Cosgrove might be worried about the threat that Mayo will pose, but he is still backing the Dubs to win. If all else is equal in other areas of the pitch, he believes their free-scoring inside forwards will give them a vital edge.

“The big question is who do Mayo play full back? Potentially there could be a miss match there and with the pace of maybe Paul (Mannion) to come in, if he goes to the inside forward line, Eoghan (O’Gara) is going to be a handful, kicked a great score, showed great composure when he came in the last day.

“Kevin Mac is inside as well.  There is goals a bundle in there if the right supply goes in. And that could be the winning and losing of the game, because they have that potential to kick goals.”