When you get to an All-Ireland semi-final it's a good sign to have a settled team and announce it like Dublin did, early in the week. Obviously they're happy with the 15 they have. That helps give confidence to the players because the management is happy with them.

So it was very unusual for Kerry to delay selection so late in the week.

It's easy to see what might have held things up.

There was a lot of concern after the Monaghan game about Pádraig Reidy but he had been carrying a slight injury and has been moving well in training during the week. Tom O'Sullivan looked uneasy at full back and Aidan O'Mahony a bit the same at centre back.

Playing Dublin will, however, better suit the Kerry defence because they can organise on a "horses for courses" basis and follow their men, who are going to be moving around a lot. I'd expect Marc Ó Sé on Alan Brogan, Tom O'Sullivan to stay with Conal Keaney and maybe Reidy to pick up Jason Sherlock, Dublin's most creative player.

Hopes were high that Tommy Griffin would be in a position to start at midfield or centre back and allow Aidan O'Mahony drop back to the corner. He's unfortunate that long-term injury obviously hasn't allowed him to train sufficiently to get back in the team.

Darragh Ó Sé and Ciarán Whelan are two of the three best midfielders of the modern era along with Nicholas Murphy. If one could get a clear edge on the other it would go a long way to swinging the result, not alone because of the possession but also the psychological impact it would have on either team.

I think, however, they'll be so conscious of that that they could cancel each other out, leaving the Shane Ryan-Séamus Scanlon clash to be of particular influence.

Even if he is capable of making the runs with Ryan I'm not sure Scanlon will be comfortable with that type of game.

If Dublin are to win it will be because their relentless, high-tempo, running game proves too much for Kerry, who looked very sluggish when Monaghan took the game to them at pace. But the question for Dublin is "can they sustain that for 70 minutes?" particularly as the Dublin management is very reluctant to trust their subs.

Kerry have more of a kicking game, which uses less energy and if things are close in the closing phase that could be significant. Kerry aren't afraid to bring in subs because they're tried and tested. Darren O'Sullivan and Seán O'Sullivan are capable of making a serious impact.

Bryan Sheehan's worth starting and makes a difference to the attacking strategy because he likes to move out the field more than Mike Frank and play a roving game.

This will leave more room inside for Kieran Donaghy and Colm Cooper.

There's a need for better ball into Donaghy because against Monaghan it was all straight and high whereas he likes diagonal ball that he can attack. I think Kerry will mix it better tomorrow with quick ball to the wings.

I've had my doubts about Ross McConnell at full back but he could turn out to be a good marker for Donaghy.

He lacks the pace and balance for smaller full forwards like Paddy Bradley but he's good enough in the air and capable of holding Donaghy in those contests.

Paul Galvin hasn't reached the heights of last season. He doesn't look as fit and isn't covering the same ground. There has to be a concern over his shoulder injury because this isn't a great game to be taking on if you haven't been able to put it in at training. We saw that last week with Darren Fay.

Declan O'Sullivan is Kerry's strongest forward. The winter break did him a lot of good and in the half forwards he has extra freedom and is playing now with a few years' experience behind him.

Dublin are a team on a mission. They have an experienced and settled look and the inclusion of

Mark Vaughan and Bernard Brogan has strengthened them up front.

But there is also a fragility about Dublin, who still aren't convincing in the closing stages. I can see Kerry scoring 15 points or so. Dublin won't get that and will need goals. But their power and running in attack very often ends up in blind alleys.

I think this will go all the way and that Kerry have the class, composure and experience to get the vital scores towards the end.