The 2023 All Ireland Senior Football Championship (Sam Maguire Cup)

Excitement ebbs and flows.

I think if there's been a drought and a young team is coming and are favourites for the final, it leads to huge excitement.

1997 had huge excitement. People were painting everything green and gold.

Last year after we beat Dublin, there was huge excitement also.

Clifford is a true superstar also which helps.

All the finals we reached in the noughties didn't have big excitement either. People got too accustomed to success.

Did Seán Bán Breathnach used to do the minor match as well?

Clubs will only be finalising their allocation today. I've seen a few Kerry clubs on social media saying they won't have enough to meet demand so the scramble will start this evening into the weekend.

I sometimes wonder why I bother paying for a season ticket and then we get to a final and it's all worth it to have it just sitting in the account a few days after the semi final.

I think 3 Dublin players can win their 9th medal, beating the famous 5 in Kerry with 8 medals.

Also last year I think there was a lot of pressure on this Kerry team to get over the line as they'd been trying since 2018. I think they'll be more relaxed this year as they know they'll be there or thereabouts for at least 6 more years.

Win or lose, Dublin will have a few retirements. Maybe Cluxton, Fitzsimons, Rock, Mannion, McCaffrey, McCarthy.

They'll still be very competitive though.

I think if Dublin are leading going in to the final stretch (even by just a point) eg after the 60th minute, I don't fancy Kerry to overhaul them due to Dublin's bench and their composure under pressure.

But if Kerry are leading, I think they could hang on.

Your right the weight was lifted on Kerry. They were too raw 2019, in last years SF I never saw a Kerry crowd as edgy. Fed through to the Kerry players as well - a nervy game. The Dublin thing is there one last AI for a lot of the older lads, I had forgotten the 9th medal aspect. That would be huge

I spent long enough listening and reading about those Kerry lads with the 8th medals for many a year when that was the ultimate benchmark. I never dreamed any Dub would get anywhere near it to be honest.

This had me in stitches because I had a Kerryman - English teacher. He used to love saying that to watch the reactions. We would be quietly cursing him.

2019 was frustrating as we were up a point in injury time with an extra man, so we just had to keep the ball.

Also it was Peter Keane's first year and we were young and inexperienced. Now we're 4 years older with very experienced management in Jack and Paddy Tally. Also Diarmuid Murphy and Mike Quirke.

But really Dublin were better and deserved it. They showed that in the replay.

Last year we deserved to win. We were up 6 points at start of 2nd half, and that was after missing a penalty.

The 9th medal is huge as it will never be beaten. As good as Clifford is, he might only end up with 3 or 4 medals.

What worries me this year is the amount of goal chances we conceded to Derry, Mayo and even Cork gave us a rattle. Dublin are more ruthless in front of goal.

Yeah ask around the pubs on route to the stadium. Don't be shy.

Otherwise ask people from other counties who are involved in GAA. Teachers too are good connections.

Gill's pub on the North Circular is a good spot. Ask the Gardai stationed there if they know of any as well.

City Centre; Grand Central and The Oval are good spots as well.

Here is the RTE GAA Podcast with the Gooch, Mossy Quinn discussing the final. Rory Jennings the neutral. And Evanne the ref.

Bit of a disagreement over whether it will be a cagey match or not.

Surprised it took them 18 minutes to mention Con O'Callaghan to be honest.

A gobshite