David Moran backs his successor Diarmuid O’Connor to shine in Kerry engine room

O’Connor featured against Dublin in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final and in the 2019 All-Ireland final replay at half-forward but with Moran now retired from inter-county football, O’Connor has taken a more central role to forge a new partnership with clubmate Jack Barry.

And while they came under some pressure from the Brendan Rogers-inspired Derry midfield, Moran feels O’Connor’s development is nicely pitched.

“He’s not punching above his weight or anything like that,” said Moran. “We’ve seen the attributes he has athletically. He’s also an unbelievably good lad and he has a load of football.

“For me, marking him in the last couple of years, it was only a matter of when it was going to happen. You can get very impatient with minors coming through after the success that they had, especially around midfield. It just doesn’t happen when you’re 21 or 22 like it might happen in other areas of the field,” said Moran, speaking at a BoyleSports’ pre-All-Ireland final media event.

“He showed against Cork in the Munster semi-final last year and in other games where he really dominated. He had a very mature performance against Derry and he was obviously fantastic against Tyrone. [Sunday] is going to be the big test. Most likely it’s going to be Brian Fenton or James McCarthy that he’ll be marking. If he can compete at that level and do well, I think he’ll really have arrived.”

Moran played in last year’s semi-final when Dublin were without Stephen Cluxton, Paul Mannion and Jack McCaffrey who’d all stepped away from inter-county football, while Con O’Callaghan was out injured. Now all four are available again but Moran doesn’t feel it’s as simple as the gap being automatically bridged.

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“I wouldn’t be looking at it that we only won because of Seánie’s [O’Shea] free and they brought in four or five top-class players. I don’t think it is as simple as that.

“The fact that we hadn’t got over Dublin in a championship game [for 13 years] before that, I’m not sure you tightened but you definitely didn’t kick on as much as you would have liked in the fourth quarter. You would be hoping if the same situation arose on Sunday that guys would have a little bit more freedom than last year.

“I do think Dublin are better because of the [four] guys but I don’t think it’s a case that the four of them are worth more than one point so Dublin are going to win.”

Moran feels there is caution in Kerry, citing factors like David Clifford’s influence, Ciarán Kilkenny’s involvement and the Dublin bench impact. On Clifford, Moran feels he is even better than last year. “It’s just amazing that every year he seems to have gotten a little bit better. His consistency, he just seems to be doing everything so well. He handles himself so well and he’s a real credit,” said Moran.

“They couldn’t have imagined, this Kerry management coming in, how easy he would be to deal with for a guy with that kind of attention and everything that goes with being probably the best footballer in the country.

“Paudie [Clifford] as well has been phenomenally good over the last couple of years since he came in. Again, it’s the consistency. He played very well with his club, with the division and with Kerry. It’s brilliant to see them doing so well, especially after the tough year they’ve had.”

Moran’s father, Denis ‘Ogie,’ is one of the five Kerry players who have eight All-Ireland medals - a feat three Dublin players, Stephen Cluxton, James McCarthy and Mick Fitzsimons, are seeking to beat as they pursue nine on Sunday.