By Cian O'Connell

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It has been a spring ravaged with injuries for Shane Enright, but the Kerry corner back, who suffered a hamstring problem a fortnight ago, hopes to be involved in Sunday's Allianz Football League Final against Dublin at Croke Park.

"I've been unlucky with injuries," Enright says. "The first game against Donegal after three minutes, I just got a bad bang into the head. I was concussed, was out for the following game against Mayo.

"Then came back played a couple of games and then injured my hamstring, did a small bit of damage to it against Dublin. So hopefully we'll see, we'll check it out during the week and know before the weekend, but we're not so sure yet."

Enright was concussed during Kerry's win over Donegal, while it was unfortunate for him to be forced off against Dublin on March 18. "Yeah exactly, and especially the Dublin game. It was a great atmosphere, great crowd down there and it was just a pity to have to come off, so early in the game. It was only 15 minutes.

"So like I say, it's been a stop-start season so far. Hopefully things will get right for the rest of the year. You don't want to do any more damage."

At 28 Enright is one of the most experienced players in a youthful Kerry panel. "I'm tipping along," Enright admits. "This is my seventh year now with the Kerry seniors so look a lot of young fellas are going to come in, the Under 21's are in the All-Ireland semi-final, they'll be coming in, they'll bring some youth and some enthusiasm into it and it'll be brilliant. I'm one of the older fellas now, one of the more experienced lads."

Three All Ireland minor victories in a row ensures quality footballers continue to join the Kerry senior set-up.

"They're winners," is Enright's verdict. "Some of them might have three or four All-Ireland medals between colleges and the minors and they won the Munster (Under 21) Championship very well against Cork last week. It's brilliant. Winning breeds success and they're used to winning."

Enright was part of the last Kerry Under 21 team to secure provincial honours in 2008. "That was our first time winning a Munster Championship since, which you'd think is crazy really because you think of some of the players that have come through. But that's the way it goes. Cork kind of dominated Under 21 level. Hopefully we'll get a lot of these Under 21's come through to the senior ranks now."

Clashes with Dublin always capture the imagination with the individual battles something Enright thoroughly enjoys. "Growing up, it was man to man when we were playing," Enright remarks.

"It's great to be able to mark a man and hopefully do a job. You're getting tested out to the best you can. Like the way the game has gone, you're getting so many men behind the ball, you're never getting tested one on one.

"Against Dublin you will and you know that. They're so good. They've got six great forwards. You know you've a big test for the whole day."