KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 31/08/2019 09:57:41    2230916

Well now, the eve before the All Ireland final and im off into the City just to soak it all up, before a good rest and hitting the mean streets of Drumcondra in the morning. Its about time we wrote a strongly worded email to RTE advising them its not so much "up for the match" thes days as opposed to "Rolling out of the bed and getting a lift to the match".

I like to implement a social media ban the week of the All Ireland final and haven't read much of what has been written on here in the last, week its all predictable at this stage and i find there is much more enjoyment in just taking in the real life atmosphere then arguing on the interweb.

So ive been buzzing round the City, taking it all in and enjoying it, yapping about the match with other Gaels, taking in the banners, the color, excitement and in the last few days all the bits and bobs the county has been doing, fair play to Dubin City Council, turning the Liffey Blue, The Muriel of Jim, The Banner down by Woodquay and the shindig down in Smithfiled tomorrow. Dont know if anyone has been out by the North Strand but four of the five lamps are lit blue and with a fair wind hopefully that will be five come Monday. Dublin airport also lighting up the night sky in Blue, in respect for their colleague Jim and his team. It all adds to the sense of occasion and sure it doesn't come around often so why not enjoy it and take it all in.

I feel we have had the best of the build up, everything centering on how Kerry can beat the Dubs and most of the rallying calls coming from the Kingdom ex players. There is no media narrative about Dublin anymore, its all been done before, so just how to beat us really. So that suits us grand, out of the spot light and hatching our plans. I find it funny people talking of Tommy Wash as a game changer, largely because 1) A Better player in Kieran Dongahey never got a sniff from our back line 2) Not a peep of Diarmuid Connolly, which suits us grand, but as bench players go i know who id i prefer to impact the game.

So the match itself, an unusual feeling, im quietly confident, i'm usually not but for some reason ive been waiting for the nerves kick in and they just haven't. Im not arrogant enough to think its forgone conclusion and i definitely think Kerry could win the game. But we are good, very very good.

Pressure? I dont really feel it and i honestly think the players wont either. The best quote i saw this week was from Mick McCauley, when asked what the five in a row meant to him? He replied "Everything and Nothing". Thats where i am with it really.

If Dublin are beaten tomorrow, we've jut lost a game of football really and haven't won the All Ireland this year. This team have provided so much joy over the years and we created such a legacy for Dublin GAA, that tomorrow in a lot of way is just bonus territory really and in many way just irrelevant to what the county feels for this team.

Part of me feels the five in a row is a very ego driven foreign concept, that means something to counties like Kerry or Kilkenny, their way isnt our way. Our way is marked by humility and building from community up, so part of me feels, its a bit of a false accolade foreign to us and its not our way. For me the real win these years has been growth of the game in the county built on the back of this great team, 1000's upon 1000's of kids will be this morning decked out playing GAA in Dublin, the reach of the game between North and Southside, we are now a united county in representation. Its a thing of beauty and the five in a row somehow feels meaningless beside it.

I also think Five in a row is a bit of mental construct anyway and its only as important as the value you put on it. So in a way it means nothing.

But then it also means everything. If im being honest, i dont want five in a row for myself or our fans, though obviously a lovely and rare thing, but this great team has given us enough. To be honest i really want it for the players. They've given us such joy and entertainment over the years, that i just want it for them and what they have given to Dublin GAA and their own communities. The way i look at it is this one is for them.

To share a little bit about where i coming from, the lads were down in Clare a couple of weeks ago. But since then they were sent back out to their clubs were they have been coaching Cul Camps, mentoring kids and doing loads to raise the profile of their clubs. Its now become the Dublin way and its why im so confident the lads are so plugged into the communities they represent, its huge motivation that i think is unique to us. Also whats not often in the public is these young men give a lot outside of sport to the betterment of communities. We have been accused of professionalism but truth be told, Bran Fenton and Jack are involved in health care, Philly does so much work with people and families with addiction, MDM works with underprivileged kids and families in the North Inner city, Dean has big role out in Stewards hospital with people with special needs, i can go on and on.

So why i want the five in a row isnt for myself, for bragging rights or for us as fans, i want it for these exceptional group of young men, who have given so much joy, pride, entertainment, built a lasting legacy fro Dublin GAA, but also have given so much to the communities of Dublin and the betterment of those communities as exceptional young men. So in a way it means everything.

So why maybe four in a row was for us fans and being selfish, i want the five in a row for the lads and what they have given. I know the will go out, humble and represent this county proudly. Their motivation wont be for the glory that could be theirs, but the abiding motivation will be representing their communities of who they do so much however. Its why im not nervous and its why i think we will win, its why it means everything and nothing.

So lets hope for a great game tomorrow. Surprisingly it seems the majority of the country are supporting the Dubs and is a lovely thing that those from other counties have enjoyed this team with us for what hey have done, how they have played and how they have represented the County and GAA. So......

Coooooooooooooommmmmmmmmme OOOOOOOOOn You Boys In Bluuuuuuuuuuueeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4518 - 31/08/2019 10:27:03    2230929

Nice to see the new €87 million taxpayer funded Irish Aviation Authority control tower at Dublin Airport lit up in blue especially for the Dubs. Nobody else figures on their radar. Maybe the now regular flyover by the Air Corp can have Sky blue smoke only, released for the Dubs only. Nice to have the Hill dominated in blue & tog out in the usual dressing room & warm up at the usual end. What theme music will be played for the Dubs at half time. Shake hands with a familiar figure in the middle of the field prior to the game & Johno rewarded for his staunch defence of all funding & exceptional volunteers by handing over the trophy. Yes all is in place for the coronation.

moc.dna (Galway) - Posts: 1212 - 31/08/2019 10:54:01    2230940

Aibrean (Kerry) - Posts: 349 - 31/08/2019 11:49:56    2230950

Well for someone who claims their county's 'way' is marked by 'humility', neither their latest thesis on here or the fact that half the capital city is being painted blue would support such an assertion!

It's very fun what some lads try convince themselves of, maybe I'm the same trying to convince myself that tomorrow Kerry have a chance! Certainly no pundit is giving us one. Peter the Great says it will be a double-digit defeat - we haven't a prayer is the prevailing opinion of the experts but to quote the late yet immortal Muhammad Ali: "Chump all I need is a prayer, because if that prayer reaches the right man ... mountains will fall!"

I seek solace too in scripture and remember what the Book of Ecclesiastes said: "I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all".

And finally I look on those intangible but very real forces that drive Kerry football and its teams - self-belief, history tradition:

""Listen, asthore, for those old eyes are sealed
Tell me once more when the Kerrymen take the field
Tell an old man who is feeble, grey and old
Do they walk proudly still wearing the Green and Gold?"

It's Kerry in a final and you just never know ;)

TheHermit (Kerry) - Posts: 6354 - 31/08/2019 12:23:35    2230956

baire (Galway) - Posts: 1849 - 31/08/2019 12:23:59    2230957

plike (Kerry) - Posts: 569 - 31/08/2019 12:37:59    2230960

And finally I look on those intangible but very real forces that drive Kerry football and its teams - self-belief, history tradition:

Something this Dublin team also have in abundance!

Jackeen (Dublin) - Posts: 4097 - 31/08/2019 12:43:25    2230963

timmyhogan (UK) - Posts: 290 - 31/08/2019 12:49:21    2230965

plike (Kerry) - Posts: 569 - 31/08/2019 12:57:50    2230968

Dublin's ability to land the 10/15 minute knockout punch is their greatest weapon. No one to date has got up from it.

Allgael (Dublin) - Posts: 13 - 31/08/2019 13:01:05    2230970

Laois beat the Dublin hurlers at longer odds. Come on Kerry!

An ríocht abú!!

BliainanÁir (Laois) - Posts: 598 - 31/08/2019 13:03:54    2230972

endgame (Roscommon) - Posts: 2509 - 31/08/2019 13:36:07    2230977

avonali (Dublin) - Posts: 2004 - 31/08/2019 13:42:07    2230979

Well it's almost upon us. Safe travelling to the Kerry fans and anyone else who are making their way to the big smoke for this historic match. I'll see you all on here tomorrow evening, happy or sad. May the best team win.

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8808 - 31/08/2019 13:49:54    2230982

plike (Kerry) - Posts: 569 - 31/08/2019 14:44:59    2230989

moc.dna (Galway) - Posts: 1212 - 31/08/2019 14:50:12    2230990

endgame (Roscommon) - Posts: 2509 - 31/08/2019 15:06:04    2230994

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4748 - 31/08/2019 16:45:06    2231017

avonali (Dublin) - Posts: 2004 - 31/08/2019 17:07:24    2231020