Can Dublin buck Division 2's troubled final trend?

Dessie Farrell's team aren't just facing the might of defending champions Kerry on Sunday. There's considerable history against them too

BUCK THE TREND: Can Dessie Farrell and his Dublin side buck the trend and win the All-Ireland Final as a Division two team? Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

By and large, the All-Ireland final has been a cold house for Division 2 teams. On Sunday, Dublin become only the sixth team from the second tier in 25 years to make the ultimate stage of the football championship.

As extraordinary as Dublin’s final record has been since 1995 (played 11 won 9 drawn 2), no team from Division 2 has won that season’s All-Ireland SFC title. Armagh in 2002 were the last non-Division 1 side to lift the Sam Maguire Cup but they resided in Division 2A that season, which was effectively the third division, as did Kerry who they defeated.