Former Armagh star Oisin McConville reckons Donegal have leapt up the pecking order to emerge as one of Dublin’s main challengers - but he still believes that Jim Gavin ’s side will more than likely seal a historic five-in-a-row, saying “the only team that can beat Dublin is themselves”.
Last year, Donegal pushed Dublin to five points in the quarter-final group stage and are favourites to retain their Ulster title against Cavan on Sunday.
McConville, who was speaking at the launch of the ‘Tuning In – From Wireless to WiFi’ exhibition at the GAA museum in Croke Park, said: “I think things have changed in that the one team you were looking to was Tyrone, to follow up and improve on last year. On the evidence of what we saw against Donegal, that didn’t happen.
“I think Donegal leap-frogged them and they look like the team who potentially would trouble Dublin.
“The thing I thought was really good about Donegal the last day, yes, they were getting players back into defence, but the transition was unbelievable, it was electric.
“A lot of people haven’t mentioned Hugh McFadden’s influence, but the work that he is doing, getting back into defence, making it difficult for the opposition. And how quick McHugh and these boys can make the transition.
“So for me, it is simply Donegal jumping over Tyrone.
“At the start of the year, thought there was plenty of viable options but it is still Dublin’s to lose, really. The only team that can beat Dublin is themselves.”
The 2002 All-Ireland winner cast doubt on Kerry’s ability to topple the Dubs despite dominating the minor grade over the past five years.
He added: “Defensively, I don’t think they are good enough. Don’t think they are physical enough.
“Just thinking about Kerry in an Ulster Championship match, the Ulster matches I have seen, I don’t think they are physical enough.
“They have a problem in defence but they also have an issue in midfield as well, plus we haven’t seen anything of them yet, either. And we won’t see anything of them until the ‘Super 8s’.
“By that stage, like last year, going in there, whenever they tore Cork apart last year, everyone thought this was a team to be reckoned with. But they were untested and I think that is the same this year.
“Going to be untested and going to have try and sort them out as they move through the Super 8s – and that’s not a place to sort out problems.
"The teams that they will face will already have sorted out problems.”
