Stephen Stack: Bench ‘gamechangers’ will decide it
The Munster club title-winning Austin Stacks boss reckons Kerry, and indeed opponents Dublin, have strong enough panels to essentially hold up to six key players in reserve for the concluding stages of the game.
The depth of Dublin’s bench was questioned during this year’s championship, though manager Jim Gavin was able to bring on Michael Darragh Macauley and Alan Brogan, two former Footballer of the Year recipients, against Mayo last weekend as well as Kevin McManamon who sniped a crucial 1-1. As for Kerry, their subs contributed 3-4 in the quarter-final win over Kildare while Fitzmaurice introduced two former All-Ireland-winning captains against Tyrone, Fionn Fitzgerald and Darran O’Sullivan, along with Paul Geaney, Bryan Sheehan, Aidan O’Mahony and Barry John Keane.
