The Irish Times GAA staff – plus special guest Cora Staunton – tease out the big questions that will decide the final
are now more experienced and Jack O’Connor’s acute match management equips them for the task. Old champions looking to pull off one last job aren’t necessarily the most reliable of prospects but the strengthening of the panel and Pat Gilroy’s influence have given Dublin an edge and momentum.Jack McCaffrey: named on the substitutes' bench but his introduction can give Dublin a major impetus. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/InphoKick-outs and turnovers.
Both teams will have a high press following set plays – frees and 45s etc – but will they expend energy on going after restarts outside of that? Aside from winning the kick-out battle, the team which forces the most turnovers will have one hand on Sam.Make your case for who you think will win Dublin have a better spread of scoring forwards but Kerry have the best forward. And is Michael Fitzsimons marking David Clifford really a good matchup for Dublin? Kerry also have the ability to create overloads with Shane Ryan, while it’s unlikely Stephen Cluxton will be floating around the opposition 45. Dublin possibly have a stronger bench, but should Kerry merely break even on kick-outs and turnovers, then if they can supply Clifford with enough ball Sam Maguire returns to the Kingdom.
If Dublin get their match-ups right then they have more around the edges than Kerry. But if they don’t and instead decide to play Russian roulette in the full-back line with David Clifford, anything can happen. Get the match-ups spot on and nullify Clifford, then Dublin will be more than halfway there.Shane Ryan: has settled into the goalkeeping role spectacularly for Kerry, has been assured from kick-outs and roams outfield to good effect, providing the extra man.
If Dublin are to win, though, what kind of a total for David Clifford would represent a break-even situation? Clifford kicked four from play in the 2019 replay and Dublin still won; last year, he kicked four from play and one mark, in a low-scoring game that Dublin lost. He’s probably even better now.
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