Strength in depth drives Dublin onwards

Once renowned as a county that stuttered short of the finish line, Dublin’s ability to pick up the pace as the final whistle approaches has taken the team to the pinnacle of the modern game.

Time and again Jim Gavin’s men have slipped through the gears in the final quarter. More often than not that late push has served only to widen the gap between them and their opponents on the scoreboard.

Not so much against Kerry in this year’s semi-final, when the champions’ ability to engineer six points in reply to the Munster side’s solitary effort edged a classic game in their favour.