Tomás Quinn: Fringe benefits the key for Jim Gavin and Eamonn Fitzmaurice

Already we are faced with a challenge, a familiar one: Weighing up exactly what these early season games mean and how relevant are they?

Dublin and Kerry have enjoyed contrasting winters on the back of September’s All-Ireland final but one thing they do have in common is both squads enjoyed an off-season team holiday, Kerry’s slightly later than Dublin’s. As such, both are likely a little behind in where other teams may be in their preparation.

At times, Saturday’s League opener felt like a run-out for many players to stretch their legs and it did not have the bite of last year’s corresponding fixture in Killarney.