From Seamus Darby to Kevin McManamon to Cormac Costello, substitutes have consistently stolen the show on All-Ireland final days.
When Aidan O’Mahony won the last of his All-Irelands with Kerry, in 2014, the three points that subs Barry John Keane and Bryan Sheehan contributed were crucial.
It’s no surprise then that Kingdom great O’Mahony reckons this one could be decided by a super sub too.
Paddy Power GAA ambassador O’Mahony said: “All of Dublin’s big wins; the 2011 final, the 2013 semi-final against us, the 2017 final against Mayo with Diarmuid Connolly, they were decided by their bench. To win against Dublin you need everything to go right for you and subs are a big part of that. You can’t come on in an All-Ireland final and clock in, you have to come on and make a major impact.”
Dublin subs registered 0-4 in the 2013 final win over Mayo, 0-1 in 2015 against Kerry, 0-4 in the replay win over Mayo in 2016, 0-2 against Mayo in 2017 and 0-2 when they beat Tyrone last year.
Curiously, their bench didn’t contribute any scores in last month’s semi-final win over Mayo - just the second time that’s happened in 46 Championship games under Gavin.
O’Mahony said: “We saw the impact Tommy Walsh and Jack Sherwood had the last day for Kerry off the bench. James O’Donoghue could be an option too.
"Plus, looking at what Dublin have coming off the bench, the likes of Costello, McManamon and Connolly, Kerry will have to have someone held back to deal with the Dublin subs, someone who can make their own splash when they come on.”
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