Key match-ups for each manager?
Seconds later, Ó Sé was involved in an altercation with Eoghan O’Gara. His involvement was exaggerated but the two events were linked — the An Ghaeltacht man’s frustration was palpable.
The game will be on the mind of Ó Sé, who will be stinging from his rare off-day against Andy Moran last month.
He is the leading candidate to stick to last year’s Footballer of the Year but who can forget just how well Tom O’Sullivan did on Brogan two years ago?
It’s an option but the widely-held view is O’Sullivan will track Diarmuid Connolly with Killian Young given the job of haunting Alan Brogan, who will flirt between the half and inside forward lines.
Barry Cahill and Eoin Brosnan is a match-up either could win but slightly favours Kerry given the St Brigid’s man isn’t a natural forward and Brosnan won’t find himself too much on the back foot.
Bryan Cullen’s propensity to drop back and reputation as a worker, as opposed to a runner, plays into Tomás Ó Sé’s hands if the Dublin captain is stationed as selected.
Paul Flynn, providing his hamstring is okay, or Kevin McManamon look best suited to ensuring Ó Sé’s locomotive forays up the field are shunted.
Yes, match-ups are usually dictated by the defending team but Ó Sé is a special case, his attacks are the stand-out trademark of the Kerry side now older brother Darragh has gone.
As James Horan recognised, keeping Ó Sé as close to his own goal is worthwhile; making him the free man isn’t.
A Flynn-Aidan O’Mahony battle could create fireworks even though both players’ discipline has greatly improved.
If Kerry have two capable contenders for Bernard Brogan, Cian O’Sullivan’s hand is held highest to mind Colm Cooper.
O’Sullivan is a natural footballer who, like Paul Griffin, finds himself man-marking this year — although with some impressive results.
Unlike Cork’s Jamie O’Sullivan in the Munster final, Mick Fitzsimons is of a similar build to Kieran O’Leary and it has the makings of an even contest.
Rory O’Carroll has done little wrong this year and is good in the air, which doesn’t augur well for an out-of-sorts Kieran Donaghy, and O’Connor may be inclined to repeat his 09 trick and push Declan O’Sullivan up to the edge of the square.
Darran O’Sullivan presents the gravest concern for the Dublin half-back line, especially with Kevin Nolan and James McCarthy known to give away frees for high tackles.
Flynn and Cullen will be vital in helping out their wing-backs although Nolan, who has been impressing with every game, is set to be given the primary task of marshalling O’Sullivan as much as he can, with McCarthy duelling Donnchadh Walsh. Ger Brennan isn’t an orthodox centre-back as he sits back more than most sixes. He’ll also rely on his wing-forwards and midfield to lighten his burden if detailed on O’Sullivan.
