The Intermediate Singles final today pits two left-handers against each other, both of whom have picked up some stellar wins to make it to their first final in the grade.
Clogh clubman Mahon is 13 years Butler's junior but he doesn't lack big game experience, having won the All-Ireland U21 Singles last year, and he has recorded some eye-catching wins en route to this final.
He opened his account with a win over Dublin lefty Ian Griffin and followed up by taking the scalps of Wexford's Galen Riordan (a two-time U21 winner who went on to win the Intermediate Doubles this year) and Paul Lambert, who had himself pulled off an eye-catching win over Minor Singles champion Shane Dunne of Kilkenny.
Mahon, then, has considerable momentum behind him as he enters today's final, having
also won the 23 and Under four-wall doubles at the World Championships. He wasted little time returning to the traditional big alley on his return home and comes into this game in fine fettle, defeating Tyrone's Ryan Mullan 21-17, 21-5 last time out.
The physically strong Butler, however, also has some pedigree. He won the All-Ireland Junior Doubles title in 2007 alongside friend and doubles partner David Walsh, whom he defeated in the Munster final this year on a 21-18, 21-6 scoreline.
That game took place in the fine alley at Dungarvan, where Butler also beat Kerry's Jack O'Shea (last year's Junior Singles winner) in the Munster quarter- final and Galway's Kevin Craddock - who made the step-up by dint of a Junior Doubles title last season - in the All-Ireland semi-final on a 21-10, 21-16 scoreline.
With a win over Limerick's Eamon Davern also on his CV for this campaign, Butler comes into the final in a rich vein of form. While the Kilkenny man will likely have the edge in terms of familiarity with the unique court at Croke Park, with its low ceiling and tricky glass sidewall, countering that is the fact that the Déise player has played on this stage before, partnering Walsh to the 2014 Intermediate Doubles final, which they lost to David Hope and Noel Murphy of Offaly.
Butler has long been regarded as a very dangerous player in his home court but HQ provides a different sort of challenge and much will depend on how he adjusts.
Nerves will likely be a factor for both men, too, with a large crowd expected, but both will feel confident that if they can impose themselves, the title is there for the taking. An intriguing and likely very close clash awaits.