Monaghan footballer Conor McManus believes that the ability of Kerry goalkeeper Shane Ryan to be an outfield outlet for the Kingdom gives them an advantage over Dublin in Sunday's All-Ireland final.
"The big team with the Dubs is they can finish you in five minutes," McManus told The Game On Sunday podcast.
"We have experienced that as a Monaghan team before in the All-Ireland quarter-finals back in 2014. It was four all after 24 minutes. We went up with a certain gameplan that day and it was more defensive than anything else. I looked up at the clock maybe five minutes later and it was 2-6 to 0-4 - game over.
"Dublin can do that to you if you allow them to get a groove, involve the Hill, get the crowd going and they can really go after you in a very short space of time and put the game beyond reach.
"We were very conscious of not allowing that to happen [in this year's semi-final], and control the tempo of the game. Slow it down a bit, don't allow Dublin into their groove. Keep the ball away from them as much as you can. No matter who you are or how good you are, no team likes to be chasing the ball all the time, and chasing shadows.
16 July 2023; Kerry goalkeeper Shane Ryan scores a point from play during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final match between Derry and Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
"Dublin don't play with Stephen Cluxton as an outfield outlet. He stays very much on his line. Whereas Rory Beggan came out and provided us with that outlet. If Dublin were putting us under pressure, we could always go back to Rory and move the play along the farside.
"It can be quite a frustrating game to play against and you could see that Dublin did struggle with it at times in our game. It's something that Kerry can definitely can do because regardless of what happens this weekend, Cluxton is not going to come off his line - that's the game he plays.
"Whereas Shane Ryan, you've seen him coming up the field. He kicked a point against Derry. Now, he doesn't come out as often but it's definitely something that Kerry can use to their advantage and make it a 15 on 14 game at times. It's a huge weapon. Obviously, Shane Ryan plays out the field for his club. He'll be very comfortable in that."
Shane Ryan with a high challenge on Shane McGuigan as he jumps into the Derry player. No foul given and the goalkeeper scores
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Providing that David Clifford performs well, McManus believes that Kerry will win the game.
"He's going to need a bit more help than what he got the last day out. If he performs and catches fire..." said McManus.
"If we flip it around and he doesn't perform, I don't see how Kerry win the game. He hasn't not performed on the big day yet. He probably had a quieter day against Tyrone in the All-Ireland quarter-final when to be fair to the rest of the Kerry forwards, they all fired.
"When he's needed, we have no evidence to suggest that he won't perform. He's been exceptional these last two or three years. Last year's All-Ireland final, he really stood up.
16 July 2023; David Clifford of Kerry during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final match between Derry and Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
"Dublin will probably have to find some answer to double-teaming him. Derry didn't do that. Derry left him one-on-one, and we was well marked, and he still kicked points for fun.
"If he gets free reign at Croke Park at the weekend, which I'm sure Dublin are not... They are sitting in Dublin this week preparing for that, and they have to have some plan in place get getting him double-teamed."
See Also: Flynn Excited That Dublin Trio Could Make GAA History Vs Kerry
