Farrell says favourites have plenty left in the tank

By hook or by crook — and furious Cavan may just argue it is the latter — Dublin could yet win this Cadbury All-Ireland U-21 football championship as they’ve been tipped to do so from the outset.

But unless Dessie Farrell’s side blow Roscommon away in the May 3 final then their star-studded side may just be remembered more for their steel than their silk.

They remarkably trailed from the first score against Cavan until the 56th minute and only took the lead when Cormac Costello, one of a handful of senior stars, kicked the 60th minute winner.

Dublin did, of course, breeze through Leinster with 46 points to spare though Farrell accepted that they still have plenty left in the tank.

“I think that’s fair,” agreed Farrell. “It’s something we have discussed as well, that we still have yet to play the type of football that we think we are capable of. But I think a lot of the credit goes to opposition as well. The standard is very high and you won’t get anything easy.”

Dublin will go into the final as warm favourites for a third title success in five seasons and a record 12th overall.

But Farrell won’t be leaving anything to chance and indicated that all of his senior players will be pulled from Allianz League final duty next weekend.

Costello and Jack McCaffrey have emerged as key senior players while Eric Lowndes and Shane Carthy have also played in this year’s league campaign.

Senior manager Jim Gavin caused some surprise by using Costello and McCaffrey in their group game against Mayo late last month, just days before the U21 final.

Asked if the senior players were staying with the U21s now, Farrell said: “I would hope that would be the case. I think that’s understood.”

As for the battling win over Cavan, Farrell admitted it was tough to watch.

“It was quite nerve-wracking,” he said. “We knew it was going to be that type of game, that scores were going to be difficult to come by and that it would come down to the wire.”