Dessie Farrell in awe of Dublin's spiritual leader James McCarthy

'He’s the most low-maintenance individual you’ll ever come across. Every day he’s like a lion out there.'

TRUE BLUE: Dublin manager Dessie Farrell ahead of Sunday's All-Ireland decider.  Picture: INPHO/James Crombie

This is not the Dessie Farrell we’ve known these past 20 years. The stoic veteran stoking the embers of his Dublin career. The hard-nosed union leader. The collected sideline presence.

But as he speaks about his captain James McCarthy, his voice begins to tremble, his eyes redden. “He’s probably the greatest we’ve ever had,” he declared at Dublin’s pre All-Ireland final press briefing in Parnell Park last week.