DUBLIN are creating a legacy on a par with Kerry’s that will make them “very hard to stop” believes Jim McGuinness.
The Dubs will collect Sam Maguire for the 26th time if they beat Mayo in Saturday’s All-Ireland football final replay, though they still have a way to go to match Kerry’s record of 37. The 16-year barren spell from 1995 until 2011 proved a difficult period for Dublin, but they have since won three of the last five All-Irelands and are widely expected to be at the forefront for years to come.
While praising the county for how it has transformed its fortunes, McGuinness, in the second of a two-part interview in Wednesday’s Irish News, believes Central Council must act to level the playing field.
“To be successful at inter-county level, you need funding. If you don’t have funding, you’re not going to be successful," McGuinness said.
“Dublin, fair play to them, they’ve got their house in order… Kerry are a different animal. They’ve had success all down through the generations. The biggest asset they have is their history. Every child growing up in Kerry wants to play for Kerry because it’s a great thing to play for them and, if you do, there’s a very high possibility that you’re going to win All-Irelands. Because they’ve won so many All-Irelands and they have so many people with All-Ireland medals coaching - even within club structures - that raises the standards.
“You keep on producing players because you’ve got people who have been there and done that. It’s a chicken and egg thing, a never-ending story when it gets going. Dublin have their own history, but they’re in the process of almost creating something with that sort of momentum now.
"If they keep managing it correctly, they’re going to be very hard to stop.”
