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Oh good, Dublin and Kerry again!

The Division 1 final is a repeat of last year's decider as Kerry get a second shot at ending Dubl...



Oh good, Dublin and Kerry agai...
Football

Oh good, Dublin and Kerry again!

The Division 1 final is a repeat of last year's decider as Kerry get a second shot at ending Dublin's undefeated streak. The Kingdom upset the odds last weekend to book their place in Sunday's decider, aided in no small part by utterly stomping all over Tyrone.

The oddity about this game is how little the actual football is going to be discussed outside of the 70 minutes it's actually on. The discussion points going in are all around the psychological warfare, with Eamonn Fitzmaurice bringing up that Lee Keegan story from the autumn, and the Gooch's retirement.

Heaven help the neutral if Kerry wins, truly a rare thing to say given Dublin's current place in the sport, because there's going to be no end to the guff lords trying to tie the story to Colm Cooper's retirement.

Cooper is, unquestionably, one of the best to ever play the game but get ready for so many takes around Kerry 'doing it for the Gooch' and 'showing there's life after Gooch' if they win.

Then there are the obvious comparisons with what this game will mean for summer. There won't be any shortage of those no matter who wins.

The small matter that this game is in April and it's unlikely these two sides will see each other before late August will be cast aside.

The one thing that won't get dissected enough is what actually happens on the field which is a real pity as these are two terribly interesting outfits.

Kerry haven't played back to back games with similar styles or quality while Dublin have looked like they only want to put the hammer down when they have to.

Kerry's Darran O’Sullivan and Cian O’Sullivan of Dublin the last time the pair met in Tralee. Image: ©INPHO/Cathal Noonan

On Sunday there's clear cause to believe we're going to see a lot more from both sides than we normally do with each outfit trying a few new looks in their last competitive outing before the summer.

Whatever about the inevitable quest to attach other narratives, watch this game for the football. It promises to be really good.

Kildare need a test

The Lilywhites and Tribesmen enter Saturday's Division 2 final in rather different positions ahead of their provincial campaigns. Galway know their summer season will begin with a big test as Mayo will be expected to get passed either Sligo or New York to book a date in Pearse Stadium.

Win that, and Galway will be favoured to retain the Nestor Cup they lifted a year ago. Kildare meanwhile are prohibitive favourites to be Dublin's victims in the Leinster final.

A good outing here might make them believe they can be true opponents to Jim Gavin's juggernaut ahead of the provincial championship and not just another side getting crushed into dust.

A right old cracker

Louth and Tipperary square off in the Division 3 final in a game that has all the potential to be the most enjoyable of the weekend.

Anyone who followed the Premier county's miracle run last year knows this is a young side that likes to attack and adding a piece of silverware would surely bolster their confidence ahead of a likely Munster semi-final with Cork.

Louth, for their part, have a strong history of treating divisional deciders like All-Ireland finals. They will bring the fight to Tipp and that should lead to a good tear-up in front of a paltry Saturday evening crowd.

A break from tradition

Normally the Division 4 final is a guaranteed belter but there is ample cause to expect caution from both Westmeath and Wexford on Saturday. While neither is expected to make big waves in the summer, both will feel the important job for the spring campaign is done.

They are out of the basement and can now turn their attention to the Leinster championship ahead. Neither of these counties would see themselves as Division 4 sides and will have seen this promotion as a market correction.

The trophy would be nice but getting to the first day of the championship with a healthy panel is a much bigger matter.

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