The Sam Maguire Cup and Dublin and Kerry jerseys pictured ahead of the All-Ireland SFC Final at Croke Park on Sunday. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
By Cian Murphy
The stage is set, and history awaits. Will it be a first for Fossa or a first for Ballymun Kickhams?
Whichever one of them gets to go up the steps of the Mick Hogan Stand to meet Uachtarán CLG Larry McCarthy at 5pm on Sunday, either David Clifford or James McCarthy will be the first Sam Maguire winning captain from their respective clubs.
Before all of that, we can expect another thrilling instalment in the Dublin-Kerry rivalry that has been so instrumental in shaping the history of Gaelic football.
Dublin’s first ever senior All-Ireland football title was secured by the footballers of Young Irelands of 1891 in a match played in Drumcondra’s Clonturk Park – a team made up of Guinness brewery workers and winning on Dublin’s first ever appearance in a senior decider.
Kerry were All-Ireland winners that year too – but in hurling where they won their first and so far only SHC title, beating Wexford in Clonturk Park. They had longer to wait for the football title, having lost the 1892 final to the Dubs, they didn’t win a first title since 1903 – beating Kildare in a three-game marathon and then London.
The legacy of that win carries on to this day. Switching from a green and red strip to green and gold for the win over Kildare, they have been Kerry’s lucky colours of first choice ever since.
Dublin's James McCarthy, and Kerry duo Paul Geaney and David Clifford, in action during the 2019 All-Ireland SFC Final at Croke Park. Photo by Daire Brennan/Sportsfile
Dublin, meanwhile, voted in April of 1913 on sky blue as their official jersey and 110 years on the iconic strip continues to serve them well.
Both counties are streets ahead of the pack when it comes to the football roll of honour.
So will it be title number 39 and a precious back-to-back for the Kingdom or will it be title number 31 for the Dubs and a place in immortality for McCarthy, Stephen Cluxton and Mick Fitzsimons as winners of a record nine medals on the field of play.
A capacity Croke Park crowd of 82,300 is expected on Sunday along with a tv audience at home and abroad of more than a million to find out.
Dublin and Kerry tend to bring out the best in each other.
The countdown is nearly over!
