1. The Jim Gavin three-in-a-row bid
After last year becoming the first manager to steer the county to back-to-back football league titles, Jim Gavin is now bidding to create another slice of history as his Dublin team chase three-in-a-row.
Two defeats in Munster and a draw at home to Tyrone in their first four games, threatened their participation in this year’s knockout stages. But they hit full speed in March to reach the last four where they saw off a Monaghan team inspired by a virtuoso showing from Conor McManus.
Dublin’s league consistency has been brilliant under Gavin’s stewardship. They’ll look to maintain that run against Cork on Sunday.
2. Cork’s scars from the 2014 league
The hangover from that 17-point turnaround in last year’s league semi-final weighed heavily on Cork during the subsequent summer action. Not until the All-Ireland quarter-final stage, did they look like a team playing with confidence again.
They’ve built steadily this spring and there’s been plenty positive signals. Going toe-to-toe with Dublin in Croke Park and erasing the memories of last April’s fadeout would be a major step for Brian Cuthbert’s team.
3. Dublin will relish a big test
It’s difficult not to see Dublin still playing big time Gaelic football come early August just like it’s difficult not to see them standing in the Leinster winners enclosure this year. They’ve been flattening opponents in Leinster and are favoured to claim a tenth title in eleven seasons.
If their provincial dominance is set to continue in the coming months, then they could do with a serious examination of their credentials on Sunday. They got just that in their semi-final against Monaghan. A repeat contest would be more beneficial than a game similar to last year’s final stroll against Derry.
4. The O’Neill-Hurley attacking axis
Before Dublin upped the ante and crushed Cork in the second-half of last year’s league semi-final, they had suffered at the hands of Cork attacker Brian Hurley. He posted 0-5 and caused plenty anxiety for the Dublin defence.
Colm O’Neill struck 1-1 that day and when the counties met again this season in February, the Ballyclough and Castlehaven attackers shared 0-8 between them. In short, they are a double act that Dublin need to be wary of and seek to control. O’Neill has bagged 5-34 this spring while Hurley has contributed 2-10.
5. McCaffrey and Rock’s league revival
When Donegal shredded Dublin’s hopes last August, Jack McCaffrey finished the game on the bench. It ended a glum senior season that saw him start just two of Dublin’s five championship games.
But this spring both players have experienced a revival. McCaffrey’s blinding form has been redolent of his breakthrough season for Dublin in 2013 and his attacking forays have yielded 1-6.
Rock has been a regular fixture in attack and has weighed in with 1-41 including a 0-33 haul from placed balls. The pair will want to finish the league strongly and turn to the championship with optimism.
6. National senior final day a new experience for Cork
Cork contested All-Ireland senior finals in 2009 and 2010 along with four successive league deciders – one in Division 2 and three in Division 1 – between 2009 and 2012. But the scale of the overhaul on their squad since then means Sunday is a milestone event for this Cork squad.
There’s only four of the team selected last night that started in Cork’s last league final meeting with Dublin back in 2011. Scan the teamsheet from the 2012 decider against Mayo and Eoin Cadogan, Fintan Goold and Colm O’Neill are the only survivors named in this Sunday’s side. For several Cork players, it’s a landmark occasion.
I just love seeing Brits knocked out
@Succulent Goujons: that’s all well and good, but she’s an Aussie ;) lol