Gilroy refuses to be taken in by reports of Kerry’s demise
It was a typically polished display from the Dublin manager who lets his team do the talking, thanks to his ability to perfect the art of speaking without saying much.
“You’ve got to look at the overall context of the year,” he said. “Kerry have lost one game, they’ve drawn two games, and they’ve beaten everybody else and that includes all the top teams. They didn’t become a bad team from the end of the league to the championship.
“Maybe they’ve been gearing themselves for this. I just don’t think it’s expecting an awful lot to expect a big performance from Kerry on Sunday. They’ve beaten everybody bar one team. I just think they’ll be massively up for this. So we will we.”
That’s the problem with stats, they can be twisted every which way to suit yourself, but even Gilroy’s clever diplomacy can’t hide the fact that the backdrop for the latest chapter in this famed rivalry has shifted perceptibly.
Dublin bring a momentum and unity to next Monday’s meeting which Kerry can only envy, not to mention a settled starting 15 that has been well supported by the reserve brigade.
Gilroy has made just one change to the side which started against Kildare in the Leinster final with Bryan Cullen replacing Ger Brennan at centre-back and that was enforced thanks to the latter’s suspension.
The substitutes have yet to be named but Ciaran Whelan and Shane Ryan demonstrated their enduring hunger as part of the second wave against Kildare and will probably get the opportunity to do so again.
Kerry will travel to Dublin with Kieran Donaghy still in the throes of recovery and unsure as to their best 15, a point emphasised by the three changes Jack O’Connor made to his line-up during the week.
“It doesn’t matter who Kerry play,” Gilroy claimed.
“They have an awful lot of options, an awful lot of good footballers. They can mix things up and, whatever team they pick, they have many variations. The guys they have on the sideline, you have to be as conscious of those as the guys on the pitch.”
This tie offers Dublin more than the opportunity to move within 70 minutes of their first All-Ireland final in 14 years. It represents their best chance to end a championship losing streak against the Kingdom that stretches back to the famous 1977 semi-final.
Win next week and the boys on Hill 16 won’t have to name check men like Paddy Cullen, Kevin Moran or Jimmy Keaveney when they discuss this once great rivalry. This team has the opportunity to end an eight-game winless streak and emerge from that lengthening shadow. Talk about motivation.
“In some people’s eyes, I’m sure that is the case. When you’re involved with a group you really do end up focusing just on yourself and the here and the now. What happened 30 years ago just has no relevance to today. Whether Dublin won 30 years ago or lost it just doesn’t have any relevance for today.
“I come from a club where people always thought the burden of history was affecting the modern St Vincent’s team. If you’re good enough you’ll win. If you’re not good enough that’s why you don’t win. It’s nothing really to do with history.’’
He added: “Our focus has been that it’s another championship game. It’s taking us where we want to get to and that’s all it is. We don’t win any prizes on Monday. It’s about going on further in the championship and that’s all we want to do.”
DUBLIN SF (v Kerry): S Cluxton; D Henry, D Bastick, P Andrews, P Griffin, B Cullen, B Cahill, R McConnell, D Magee; P Flynn, D Connolly, B Brogan, A Brogan, C Keaney, J Sherlock.
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