GAA: Sherlock in centre-forward role

Dublin are always one of the most keenly watched teams in the championship, and this year will be no different.

However, they are not listed among the front-runners for All-Ireland honours, although winning a Leinster championship is never beyond them in any given season.

The source of the unusual level of pessimism among Dublin fans, who are not known for talking down their teams’ chances, is the recent league campaign.

Dublin only just narrowly avoided relegation after getting their act together late in the season, and at numerous times before that they looked anything but a formidable outfit.

However, in what could be Tommy Carr’s last year in charge, the league was never going to be a priority and perhaps too much has been made of the Dublin performances.

They will certainly be a different team in the championship and it must not be forgotten for the first half of last year’s Leinster final replay they looked like potential All-Ireland-winning material.

Longford, by contrast, enjoyed a good league campaign and just missed out on promotion because of scoring averages.

They have long been recognised as a team with the potential to cause a shock in the province, but have been dogged by bad luck and injuries in recent years.

Their preliminary round win over Louth was a massive weight off their shoulders, as it was their first win over strong opposition for some time.

It also guaranteed them their first appearance at Croke Park in almost two decades and as underdogs they will relish the big stage and a chance to upset the form book.

The Goldsmith county have a very strong half-forward line that contains the Barden brothers, Enda and Paul, as well as Trevor Smullen.

In the inside forwards, Niall Sheridan can be a handful for any full-back as Louth’s Stephen Melia found out in the last game.

There is definitely the potential is the pressure and atmosphere does not get to the players, and if they can keep a tight rein on the Dublin forwards.

Longford have made one change to their team.

Dromard’s Padraig Jones, who replaced Brendan Burke in the last game, retains his place at corner back.

The Barden brothers, Paul and Enda, swap positions in the half-forward line.

For Dublin, Stephen Cluxton will start in goal as regular netminder Davy Byrne has not recovered from a leg injury.

Retired 1995 hero John O’Leary, a current team selector, could be asked to step into the breach in the event of anything happening to Cluxton.

Cluxton is one of four debutantes on the side, with Wayne McCarthy, Niall O’Donoghue and Martin Cahill all getting a start for the first time in the premier competition.

In defence, Johnny Magee, the regular centre-back, has not proven his fitness as expected, and his place goes to Paul Curran, with Tom Lynch coming in at wing-back for a first championship start in over two years.

Lynch last started against Laois in the 1999 Leinster semi, but was subbed just 21 minutes into a nightmare game for the Na Fianna man.

He has, however, been very impressive in the latter stages of the league and has earned his place for this game.

Also unfit to start is Colin Moran, one of Tommy Carr’s better forwards.

The Under-21 player has been hampered with hamstring and back problems, which means Jason Sherlock will be given the centre-forward role.