Murphy: If mental planning right, Dubs will stroll to All-Ireland

Dublin legend Vinnie Murphy has backed his county to walk away with the All-Ireland and to ultimately cruise to the five in a row. Former All-Ireland winner Murphy gave a bullish prediction for the Dubs who begin their summer campaign against Louth tomorrow evening.

Murphy told Hill 16 Army’s Blue is the Colour podcast: “I looked at it last year, they were saying that, ‘This team is brilliant but they’d never really hammered anybody’. Last year they walked away with the All-Ireland — they’re going to do the same this year, once they get the mental preparation right.

“I think they’re going to win it as easily as they won it last year. I’m just hoping they meet a Mayo or a Kerry on the way because last year they were saying, ‘Well, they won it easy but you didn’t beat a Mayo or a Kerry’.

I just think (beat) Mayo or Kerry in the semi-final or final and we’ll have the five in a row.

Ex-attacker Murphy said that beaten 2018 finalists Tyrone could potentially be a ‘fly in the ointment’ but ruled out Kerry entirely.

“Kerry have the same problem for the last seven or eight years — the centre of their defence is wide open,” said Murphy.

“I’d win ball still against that Kerry defence because there’s nobody minding that area 30 yards out. So the ball can still come hopping in and against any team when you get to the Super 8s or the semi-finals, you’re not going to win. That’s been Kerry’s Achilles heel, that they still have this thing, ‘We’ll hammer the hammer, we’re as good, our 15 players are as good or better than anyone else’s’.

“This is a new crew coming in and it’s going to take a little bit of hard medicine I think, and they’ll get it off the Kerry supporters over the next year or two if this golden generation of minor footballers don’t deliver Sam in the next two or three years.

“They’ll be under awful pressure.”