Better-balanced Dubs to deliver

HE has been a wandering maestro for so long that we tend to overlook Mick O’Dwyer’s massive contribution to the development of football outside of Kerry.

In 1992 he brought Kildare to their first final in 14 years and six years later they celebrated their first success since 1956. Just two years ago he helped deliver the first Laois title in 57 years and here he is again, hoping to inspire a first ever win over Dublin in a final of the Bank of Ireland Leinster championship.

Along the way we've had no real surprises. Holders Westmeath fell at the first hurdle (to Kildare) but that wasn't entirely unexpected given that they struggled for much of their League campaign. Laois themselves should have exited the competition in their first outing, when only some very bad finishing by Offaly and a dramatic late goal from Russ Munnelly saved them. And, they achieved a remarkable transformation for the semi-final against Kildare which O'Dwyer described as 'one of the best displays from any team' in Croke Park.