David Clifford cranks up the electricity in Croke Park, reckons Paul Galvin

Former Kerry star interprets Ger Brennan's 'pressure' comments as a gee-up for his own players, much like Dessie Farrell did three years ago

KEEN EYE: Former Kerry ace Paul Galvin at AIB's All-Ireland SFC semi-finals preview event in Croke Park. 'They look leaner and there's a better cut to them', he says of his native county. Pic: Dan Sheridan, Inpho

Paul Galvin reckons Ger Brennan's comments about the weight of pressure being on Kerry this weekend were designed to provoke a reaction inside his own Dublin dressing-room.

Dublin boss Brennan claimed this week that Kerry are the 'standout favourites' for Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final, and that Dublin are only 'finding our feet at this stage'.

Kingdom icon Galvin said it reminded him of an interview given by then Dublin manager Dessie Farrell ahead of the 2023 final between the counties, when Farrell played up David Clifford as 'the greatest I've ever seen'.

"I remember Dessie pulled a great one a couple of years ago," said Galvin at a promotion organised by Championship sponsors AIB.

"He did that piece on Clifford being the greatest forward ever. I remember that headline and I remember thinking, 'You know, you've got Con, Kilkenny and Mannion (playing for Dublin)'. I thought it was a good one by Dessie at the time and he probably was using it to motivate maybe his own forwards, and maybe put a bit of pressure on David at the time.

"Ger, I'd say, was probably thinking along the same lines, maybe trying to turn things up a little bit on Kerry, and maybe challenge his own players as well at the same time. I'd say Ger thought about it like that.

"I think it might have been more for his own dressing-room that he said it."

Galvin, a Kingdom forward himself who claimed four All-Ireland titles, and the GAA's 1,000th All-Star, did agree that Clifford is a special talent. And, ominously for Dublin, he said that he's noticed a fresh 'electricity' in Clifford's play of late.

"I thought he was electric the last day, maybe it was the fact that I was watching him live but I thought there was another gear in him the last day," said Galvin of Clifford's performance against Tyrone.

"His turn of pace, like, early on when the ball beat himself and Cormac Quinn, and they both turned to chase it, that was maybe after 15 minutes, it's unusual to visibly see a guy on the turn take two or three yards away from a defender.

"It looks like his conditioning and whatever physical prep he's doing is really good because I thought his acceleration and his general kind of...there was a kind of electricity to him the last day that I probably hadn't seen this year yet."

Kerry noticeably improved when they returned to Croke Park in 2025, and the same appears to be happening in 2026.

"I think the group definitely has shifted up a gear as well," continued Galvin. "I think there was an extra bit in them the last day, from an energy point of view.

"Often with these physical coaches, these fitness programmes often work this way that you'll see a difference in their physical profile. Often I find with teams, and I saw it with Limerick last weekend, you'll see teams in Munster and you'll see teams in the League, and then you'll see teams in Croke Park later in the Championship and they look different to your eye.

"They look leaner and there's a better cut to them. Probably as a group, they've cut a bit. There's a bit more energy in him (Clifford). He gets turned on up here at Croke Park. I'm sure he gets turned on up here mentally."

Galvin stopped short of guaranteeing a rare Championship win over Dublin though. The former Wexford boss highlighted the 0-27 they conceded against Tyrone.

"We'd want to have our eyes wide open," he said. "It was probably a bit too close for comfort and they were probably scoring with a bit too much ease. I think it boiled down to that. They were getting shots away at will.

"That's the big bit I think Kerry will have to fix if we're to win (Sunday), because you're facing now six forwards that have had a couple of good days out against Kerry. They won't fear it.

"They'll look at that Tyrone game and they'll go, 'There's scores here for us, lads'. They've got those scores in the past and they're probably more aggressive than the Tyrone front players.

"Paddy Small had four points the last day, Colm Basquel had four points, Costello had four points, Con had 1-7. I think the Dublin forwards are coming with their eyes alive, they're going to really look to punish Kerry at the back, and they did it in '23."