Kieran Shannon: Ability to win tight games enhances Dublin's greatness

All their finals have been still in the balance entering the last 10 minutes and in all those finals they have never been the ones to lose their balance or at least lose the game

LEGENDS: James McCarthy, left, and Michael Fitzsimons of Dublin celebrate after the All-Ireland SFC final win over Kerry at Croke Park. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

A few days out from their 2018 All-Ireland final against Tyrone, back when James McCarthy, Mick Fitzsimons and Stephen Cluxton were on only the five All-Ireland medals apiece, Mick O’Dwyer offered a vision as to how far their greatness could extend but also a qualifier as to the extent of their greatness.

The Jim Gavin team then closing in on a fourth consecutive All-Ireland title were “exceptionally good”, “playing wonderful football”, “certainly the best team I’ve seen for quite a long while”.