GAELIC GAMES/Dublin v Kerry:It's sometimes puzzling that Kerry continue to get so excited about playing Dublin considering how lop-sided the counties' championship record is, but this is a heritage pairing between football's top two.
The atmosphere has been fuelled by the 30th anniversary of the semi-final that marked the zenith of the 1970s rivalry, but the main reason there is so much anticipation ahead of tomorrow's Bank of Ireland All-Ireland football final is that, arguably for the first time since 1978, the counties are perceived to be competing on roughly even terms.
Dublin have been straining towards this sort of status in the past three seasons and Kerry are two matches from becoming the first county successfully to defend the All-Ireland since their rivals Cork in 1990 - a distinction they could end up taking away from their neighbours in next month's final.
There are plenty of concerns for both teams after unconvincing quarter-finals and those problems run parallel.
Dublin's full-back line is always a heart-in-mouth unit. In the corners, David Henry and Paul Griffin are more comfortable playing farther out the field and face the additional challenge of covering for a rookie full back.
One of Ross McConnell's earliest matches was in the NFL against Kerry in Parnell Park last April. Marking Colm Cooper that day, he benefited from his illustrious opponent's being still programmed to play deep, as he had done for Dr Croke's in the club final.
Tomorrow, much as Kerry might like to see how McConnell would cope with Cooper closer to goal, the Dublin full back is likely to have eyes only for Kieran Donaghy, whose aerial strength he should be better suited to countering. That's the theory.
Against Derry - and at other times of the season - McConnell has looked adept at hoovering up ball and moving it safely out of defence, but on man-marking detail he has looked at sea.
By way of a plan B, Dublin are said to have been looking at Darren Magee as an emergency option, but if Donaghy is that rampant, there may be no way back.
That's before in-form Declan O'Sullivan and Eoin Brosnan start attacking a half-back line that suffered badly when Mayo ran at them a year ago.
Kerry have their own problems, with two newcomers to their defence, which has necessitated improvising at three and six. It's not so much the shortcomings of Tom O'Sullivan and Aidan O'Mahony in the positions that troubles the champions as the certainty that they'd be better deployed elsewhere.
At centrefield, most attention focuses on the Ciarán Whelan-Darragh Ó Sé contest, but what will define a successful outcome for Dublin is the extent to which Shane Ryan can restore his relationship with Stephen Cluxton's kick-outs and provide a moving target on either sideline.
Séamus Scanlon is an orthodox centrefielder and unlikely to be comfortable chasing Ryan from one side of the field to the other.
Tommy Griffin - Ó Sé's most successful partner - remains less than fit, but may be in a position to make a longer appearance than he managed against Monaghan, which would be important should Kerry reach the final.
Dublin's forwards have pace and movement but it's not integrated into a coherent attack. Individually they will pose threats, and Mark Vaughan's free-taking has provided reassurance, but in terms of fluid combination play they don't exceed the sum of their parts.
Mental considerations can play a part. How much have Kerry got left? There has to be a reason why teams find it so hard to win back-to-back All-Irelands, and if tomorrow is the fence that's destined to bring Kerry down, then Dublin have the equipment to take advantage.
But the Leinster champions have their own baggage, and if it's tight going for the tape there's no evidence Dublin have the composure to hold out.
More practically, Kerry can unleash genuine pace off the bench in Darren O'Sullivan and Seán O'Sullivan, a potent threat as legs tire. Dublin's bench isn't remotely as well stocked.
IN THE LAST EPISODE: An undistinguished All-Ireland quarter-final in 2004 was marked by a poor display from both teams. Dublin missed some good opportunities in the first half before Kerry pulled away. Ten players on each side survive from three years ago. Dublin haven't beaten Kerry in the championship since the famous semi-final of 30 years ago; in the meantime, Kerry have won six and drawn one.
YOU BET:Kerry are favourites at 8 to 11 with Dublin 9 to 4. The draw is 13 to 2. Kerry (-1) are evens, with Dublin (+1) at 6 to 5. The draw is 7 to 1.
ON YOUR MARKS: Two crises of confidence come face to face on the Kerry square. Conal Keaney isn't having the season he enjoyed last year, whereas Tom O'Sullivan is struggling to convince as the champions' new full back. Keaney had the beating of Kevin McCloy in the air but the tactic was hardly explored at all and the Derry full back ended up man of the match. A similar offer is on the table tomorrow, as O'Sullivan's game is built on pace and anticipation rather than fielding and strength.
GAINING GROUND:Apart from the two matches in Thurles six years ago, the counties' history is overwhelmingly in Croke Park. Interestingly, three years ago the 69,000 crowd wasn't a sell-out even though the game was played on a double bill with Westmeath-Derry.
JUST THE TICKET:Sold out.
CRYSTAL GAZING:There were more negatives in Dublin's final 10 minutes against Derry than in Kerry's quarter-final scare. The champions upped the pace, whereas Dublin fell away alarmingly with systems failure all over the field. Kerry can take their All-Ireland defence all the way to September.
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; D Henry, R McConnell, P Griffin; P Casey, B Cullen, B Cahill; C Whelan, S Ryan; C Moran, A Brogan, B Brogan; J Sherlock, C Keaney, M Vaughan.
KERRY: D Murphy; M Ó Sé, T O'Sullivan, P Reidy; T Ó Sé, A O'Mahony, K Young; D Ó Sé, S Scanlon; D O'Sullivan, E Brosnan, P Galvin; C Cooper, K Donaghy, B Sheehan.
Referee: John Bannon (Longford).
