Darran O'Sullivan is hoping to continue what has been a good year for him personally, when Kerry face Dublin in Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final at Croke Park.

A fifth Munster Senior Football medal came his way this Summer, after Kerry's triumph over Cork in the decider, while earlier in the year he bagged 1-3 as Kerry claimed McGrath Cup honours.

On the colleges front O'Sullivan was part of DIT's history making team, that claimed their first ever Sigerson Cup title, alongside players such as Kevin O'Brien, Sean George, Ciaran Reddin and Harry Dawson who have all been around the Dublin Senior squad at some stage in 2013.

O'Sullivan says that great camaraderie was built up and among players from different counties, but on the inter-county scene those friendships have to be put aside when on opposing sides.

"I was based up in Dublin and went to college, and I'm still up in college up there. You do form friendships with these fellas. You have an awful lot in common with them. At the end of the day if you are friends with them or not, it's different on the field," he said.

"Whatever happens on the field, happens on the field and you get over it. Some people say it's nice that you are friends with this fella or that fella, but they are not going to be thinking about it and I'm not going to be thinking about it come the game.

"Obviously it was nice to win the Sigerson with DIT and it was good getting to know fellas from other counties and stuff, but it will be well and truly parked to the back of my mind."

The Dublin-Kerry rivalry is one of the GAA's most enduring rivalries, with the counties meeting in six All-Ireland finals, and one semi-final between 1975 and 1985.

O'Sullivan says those games of the past offer great inspiration, and after a Kerry-Cork pairing, facing the Dubs is the next best rivalry for a Kerryman.

"It is of course, sure. Watching the Kerry Golden Years you are watching classic games from the seventies and eighties. This group of players are half forming their own history I suppose, with the recent battles we have had. We go in and we have a lot of respect for each other as individuals and as a team. You go in and you shake your man's hand."

More recently, Kerry have met Dublin three times in Senior Championship action, since O'Sullivan first got involved with the Kerry Senior squad back in 2005. While the record is two to one in the Kingdom's favour, the 27-year old says that past meetings will mean little this time around, and that each game stands on its merits.

"You have to look at every game differently and you have to take each game on its merits. This game is not going to be like it was in 2011," he said.

"It won't be anything like the game in 2009 or 2007. You know about certain fellas and individuals, but that's a different Dublin team now. A lot of the fellas are still there, but they have a lot of new fellas, fellas that we wouldn't know as well, but I suppose you could say the same about them.

"They know a lot of our boys, as do a lot of the country, because we have been a settled team. We have a lot of new fellas in around the panel - it could be up to them and they could be the game changer for us on the day."

Kerry picked up their 75th Munster Senior Football title this Summer thanks to a 1-16 to 0-17 win over Cork before 36,370 at Fitzgerald Stadium, with O'Sullivan scoring a point while Colm Cooper led the Kingdom's scoring charge with 1-3.

The Kingdom overcame the challenge of Cavan at the quarter-final stage, and while some observers have suggested that Kerry are coming in from the cold to this last-four encounter, O'Sullivan says it matters little about what is being said outside of the camp.

"I'll be honest I am never worried about the wider world when it comes to Kerry. All I am worried about is ourselves. We have had an awful lot of success which we earned and we are working hard to earn more success. People rate the team or they don't rate the team. That's their kind of deal.

"Our performances this year at times haven't been good enough and that's why we are coming in under the radar. That's why Dublin are rightly so picked as favourites. We have nothing to prove to anyone."

Sunday will see Kerry contest their first All-Ireland semi-final since 2011, and their third in five campaigns.

O'Sullivan says that it's great to be at this stage of the competition any year, but particularly in a year which has seen teams like London making history, with Paul Coggins side reaching their first ever provincial final, and also the progress of Cavan to a first-ever quarter-final appearance.

The London born student says everybody is upping the ante, and overall it is brilliant for the development of Gaelic games.

"It is becoming more competitive. There are new teams arriving every year an extra 15 or 20 percent stronger than they were the year before which is good. It makes it more exciting for everyone and it gets better interest. For teams like London or Cavan who won the last three Under 21 Ulster titles it's great for the youth up there. When teams are going well it encourages younger fellas to play which is always going to be good for the game." Tweet

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