Dublin set to face old foe in decider
By Daire Walsh
DUBLIN will face a familiar foe at Croke Park this Saturday (throw-in 5pm) as they aim to make it six All-Ireland Senior Football Championship successes on the bounce in Dessie Farrell’s first year at the managerial helm.
For the fourth time in just eight seasons – or the fifth if you include a replayed encounter in 2016 – the Sky Blues are set to square off against Mayo in a Sam Maguire Cup decider.
While Dublin had the measure of their Connacht counterparts in the 2013, 2016 and 2017 showpieces, all three games were won by a margin of a single point.
While the gap stretched out to 10 points (3-14 to 1-10) when the sides met at the penultimate stage of last year’s championship, the nature of their victory over Tipperary last Sunday week (5-20 to 3-13) means Mayo will be afforded due respect by Farrell and his troops.
Of course, Dublin had a comprehensive last-four win of their own at the expense of Ulster’s surprise package Cavan a day earlier.
One of the stars of the show was Ballyboden St Enda’s footballer Robbie McDaid, who has slipped seamlessly into the left half-back role previously occupied by his underage inter-county compatriot Jack McCaffrey.
He kicked 1-2 in their 1-24 to 0-12 triumph against the Breffni men and Mayo will be wary of the attacking threat he is currently bringing to his game.
Templeogue Synge Street’s Niall Scully will hope to pick up his fourth Celtic Cross as part of the Blues’ half-forward line, while the likes of Colm Basquel, Michael Darragh Macauley (both Ballyboden) and Tom Lahiff (St Jude’s) will be vying for a spot on the substitutes’ bench.
Although new blood like Oisin Mullin, Eoghan McLaughlin, Ryan O’Donoghue and Tommy Conroy have added a fresh spark, Cillian O’Connor’s astounding 4-9 haul in their win over Tipperary marks him out as the main danger in this Mayo team.
The role of team captain Aidan O’Shea will also be crucial, with the Breaffy men like to spend time at midfield as well as full-forward.
Meanwhile, Dublin will be hoping for a double success at GAA HQ on Saturday. Lorcan O’Dell (Templeogue Synge Street), Adam Waddick (Thomas Davis), Mark Lavin and Alan Murphy (both Lucan Sarsfields) are all in line to feature for the county’s Under 20s in their All-Ireland final against Galway at 2.15pm.