Keaveney confident Dublin will end Red Hand renaissance

DUBLIN football legend Jimmy Keaveney has no doubt his St Vincent’s club-mate Pat Gilroy will lead the county to victory against Tyrone this Saturday.

Fuelled by last year’s semi-final disappointment, the three-time All-Ireland winner also believes Dublin deserve to win the Sam Maguire Cup.

“I think we are good enough to beat Tyrone although Tyrone seem to have got a wee bit stronger,” said Keaveney.

“They have a couple of young lads on now and a couple of older lads but I think Dublin are in a prime position now.

“They should have won the All-Ireland last year, there is not a doubt in the world about that. I am sure the lads will give 150% now. I am happy enough that we will get over Tyrone.”

Dublin’s victory over Tyrone at this same stage last year went a long way to breaking the Red Handers’ hold over the capital charges.

Keaveney feels the team are still motivated by their seismic defeat to Tyrone in the 2008 quarter-final as well as last year’s semi-final loss to Cork.

“Tyrone hammered them three years ago. I’d say they were too cocky. But that was a Tyrone team in its prime that was playing great football at the time.

“But I think our lads after last year and after the way they lost the game last year and the way that they should have won that game, it is something that will be in the back of their minds this year.”

Keaveney also argues Cork’s exit from the championship has made the possibility of a dream final between Kerry and Dublin more likely.

“Before Cork went out, you were looking at Cork and Kerry and Dublin and Tyrone coming into the scenario.

“If we get over Tyrone I can see it being a Dublin v Kerry final and anything could happen in that game.

“I think Dublin suffering from last year, we will be good enough to pull through this year.”

However, he is adamant Dublin aren’t maximising the strength and talent of their full-forward line, especially Diarmuid Connolly, another club-mate of Keaveney’s.

“We haven’t seen the best of Connolly yet. I think Connolly will be a tremendous player.

“I remember him as a kid coming up through the ranks and you could see there was star quality there. I don’t think you have seen the best of him yet.

“Now we have potentially the best full-forward line in the country. I would like to see the ball going in a lot quicker rather than this short hand passing out the field.

“Let the ball in. They are able to catch the ball in the air. They are very fast and can go by their man.

“They are just not getting enough ball in. If Dublin can get more ball into that full-forward line, they will do the rest.”

All the same, Keaveney hasn’t felt compelled to pass on his aforementioned opinions to his club-mate Gilroy. “Pat is a good friend of mine but who am I to say anything? He knows plenty about it himself. He is no eejit when it comes to management. And Dublin fans deserve an All-Ireland.”