Boyle had been rated doubtful due to the virus which kept him out of last month's semi-final victory over defending champions Dublin.

But he has been passed fit to start and fellow defender Lee Keegan will also line out in the half-back line, having recovered from the dislocated finger he suffered in the 0-19 to 0-16 win over Dubs.

Goalkeeper David Clarke continues as team captain in the injury-enforced absence of Andy Moran.

As Mayo bid to bring home Sam Maguire for the first time since 1951, manager Horan said: "I don't think (the 2004 and 2006 All-Ireland final defeats) will play a part but there's a huge amount to be learned from those defeats. Where there's benefits to this team, we'll take them.

"But this team is plotting its own course. Over the last two years it’s changed some of the opinions that there have been about Mayo football.

"They’re just trying to break it down, game by game and session by session. We're certainly on the right track and improving at quite a good rate."

Asked about facing up to Donegal's ever-evolving system of play, he added: "There’s always a system that you can set up but, ultimately, you have to play the game as you see it. That’s where this Mayo team are very, very strong.

"We’re very good problem-solvers. We’ve played a number of very good teams this year. We’ve played Sligo, who were different to Donegal who are different to Dublin.

"In each of those games we’ve tweaked our game and come through them all. We’re confident if we do our stuff we can be competitive against any team."

MAYO (SFC v Donegal): David Clarke (capt); Kevin Keane, Ger Cafferkey, Keith Higgins; Lee Keegan, Donal Vaughan, Colm Boyle; Barry Moran, Aidan O'Shea; Kevin McLoughlin, Jason Doherty, Alan Dillon; Enda Varley, Cillian O'Connor, Michael Conroy.