Dublin vs Kerry is like Manchester United vs Liverpool, says Declan Darcy

Watch Dublin vs Kerry live on Sky Sports Arena at 2.30pm on Sunday

By Brian Barry, GAA Editor @BrianGBarry

Image: Dublin vs Kerry is one of Gaelic football's greatest rivalries

It's an All-Ireland final. Five-in-a-row is on the line. Games don't get much bigger for Dublin, especially given they're up against Kerry.

The two counties lead the All-Ireland roll of honour, with Kerry on 37 and Dublin on 28. Sunday will be the 30th championship meeting between the sides, with Kerry winning 17 of those previous clashes.

"Everyone knows it's like a Man United-Liverpool match, it's the big one everyone gets a little bit more excited for when they see it," explained Dublin selector Declan Darcy.

"It will be special occasion alright, for sure. There will be a lot of people looking in and because it's Dublin-Kerry, it'll be special. In fairness, there's always something crazy that happens too."

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Along with Jim Gavin, Darcy is busy preparing the side for the meeting with the Munster kingpins, and knows the Kingdom will bring an offensive brand of football to the table.

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"Their tradition and thought-process is like ourselves, they'll want to play 15-on-15 because that's the nature of what they're about and that's their tradition," he noted.

"We'd like to think that we're the same as well. I think they might change something, but they'll always want to play the game 15-on-15. I don't expect that to change. So I'll be looking forward to that.

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"There have been a lot of challenges for the last four or five years with this [Dublin] group playing teams with 15-behind-the-ball type football, doing a completely different thing that the way they've been reared as kids.

"I'm looking after the U12 boys and that's not the way kids are brought up to play football. It was a huge challenge for them against certain teams they have played.

"But I don't expect Kerry to be like that. I think they'll play the way they want to play. They did that in the league against us, they pushed up man-on-man against us and they put us under pressure. I'd expect them to do the same again."

"That's not the way kids are brought up to play football"
Darcy hit out at blanket defences

For Darcy who organises Dublin's defensive unit, the challenge is to contain the in-form Kerry forward unit, and in particular David Clifford.

"He's a magnificent footballer, there's no question about it," he said of the Fossa star.

"He's been a breath of fresh air for the GAA because he's something new and different and it's brilliant to watch him.

"Clifford on his own could win a game.

"I love watching him play as a GAA supporter because anything can happen, he's a special talent. But we'll prepare the same as we would if we were playing any other team. They all have their star forwards.

"But Kerry have more than just one. They have Stephen O'Brien, who is pushing for Player of the Year, and then you have [Paul] Geaney as well who had his shooting boots on the last day. So they have lots of options in how they function and that's really important for them.

"But we'll prepare well for them and will hopefully have enough done."

Image: Darcy looks after the Dublin defence

As the Sky Blues attempt to go where no side has gone before and achieve a fifth All-Ireland title in succession, they're doing their level best to avoid the hype.

"We have no right to win any way," said Darcy. "We're not entitled to win any game. All we can do is prepare as well as we can and function as best as we can.

"This is the opportunity, happy days, and we're lucky enough we have the quality of players at the minute in that environment to keep driving on.

"But there's no [extra pressure]. Sure we had two-in-a-row, three-in-a-row. No, it's genuinely not a factor or us at all."

Watch Dublin vs Kerry in the All-Ireland final live on Sky Sports Arena from 2.30pm on Sunday.

You can also stay up to date with all the action by following us @SkySportsGAA and get all the latest news, previews and interviews at www.skysports.com/gaa.

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