Dublin greats admit shadow of Kerry looms large

FORMER Dublin stars Paddy Cullen and Tommy Carr believe Kerry’s presence in the All-Ireland final casts a shadow over the county’s semi-final against Donegal on Sunday.

Both men are of the mind the prospect of a traditional deciderbetween the two counties who have won the Sam Maguire the most times is a factor for the Leinster champions. However, Cullen, who managed Dublin when they lost the 1992 final to Donegal, is concerned it could have a negative effect on Pat Gilroy’s men.

“They have to not think aboutKerry, which is very difficult because the dream final is Kerry-Dublin,” he pointed out. “We have to talk about Sunday but yes it is there and yes it is going to be talked about andmentioned. They are just going to have to be man enough to justconcentrate on what they are doing and they have been very good up until now. A lot of people don’t give this team credit because it’s been mixed and matched an awful lot — there have been players coming in and players going out.”

Carr, who captained the team in the final 19 years ago, thinks the reward on offer in facing Kerry is more an incentive for Gilroy’s side to beat Donegal.

“It’s nearly more an attraction than a distraction. People would see a Kerry-Dublin final as the romantic, ideal final that the public want to see. [Dublin] Players are lying in their beds at night thinking, ‘I hope we get through the Donegal game because I’d love to be playing in a Dublin-Kerry final’. The hangover from the '70's and 80's are still there from the Kerry-Dublin thing.

“Do people want to play in a dream final as opposed to a great final? Yeah, I think they do.”