Battle-hardened Dublin have strong auxiliary support

John O'Keeffe Football AnalystUnlike previous years, Dublin have grown into a team that can perform when the intense championship pressure comes calling. Expect bucket loads of it in Croke Park tomorrow.

There has been some difficulty in getting to the Leinster final, but generally they are showing a tougher edge. The newly discovered composure was especially evident in the tight finishes against Meath and Wexford.

If it is a hot day tomorrow the result may well come down to replacements, and here Dublin hold all the aces. The pace of the game is going to be intense, so five substitutes could very easily be used by both sides. The experience of Dessie Farrell, Senan Connell, Peadar Andrews and Darren Magee make for great options. The strong running of Connell and Magee, in particular, could be the perfect tonic in the final 10 minutes.

It will be a tight contest so it could come down to a shoot-out between the free-takers. Tomás Quinn is coming in on a high after posting eight frees against Wexford, but Laois have the reliable Ross Munnelly and Chris Conway.

The big question concerning Laois is did we see the performance of the championship against Kildare, or did poor opposition flatter them? For certain, Kildare were completely overrun by players of superior athleticism.

A lot will depend on how Dublin contain this hard-running Laois half-forward line. Meath, mainly through Graham Geraghty, already exposed a weakness in the Dublin half backs, although Coman Goggins put manners on him when he swapped with Paul Casey.

Coming back to the Laois half-forward line, I'm very familiar with Billy Sheehan because he comes from my own club in Kerry, the Austin Stacks. He struggled in Kerry to get what I felt was deserved recognition by making the senior panel. He constantly exuded the belief in his ability to play at intercounty standard, but he felt time was running out so he opted for Laois.

You could always see he was determined to make it, especially from the level of preparation he put in. When I trained the Kerry team for four years he came into the panel for two winters and was easily the fittest player.

He has a naturally industrious attitude, very unselfish, that will ensure the likes of Munnelly and Beano McDonald should see plenty of ball in space. The vast Croke Park pitch will suit him.

The six Dublin defenders in general will adopt a close marking, tighter policy, and I expect it to be effective, so long as the midfield and forward lines deny any scope for Laois attacks from deep. Players like Shane Ryan, Ciarán Whelan and Bryan Cullen must cut out the threat of marauders like Tom Kelly, Padraig Clancy and Noel Garvan. Laois have developed a type of game so full of running that you have to tag runners coming from different angles off the ball.

As always, the midfield battle will have a huge bearing on the result. Up to now, the Laois partnership of Garvan and Clancy have been more impressive than their Dublin counterparts.

Too often during the Wexford and Meath games, either Whelan or Ryan drifted out of the game. Generally, Whelan is having a consistent year, his best for a while, but he will have to be careful not to pick up an early yellow card. Ryan was missing for long periods in the first half against Wexford and he can't afford to do that again. Also, he tends to slow down play when in possession by carrying the ball too much, which inevitably leads to turnover ball.

This makes the return of Darren Magee to the replacements all the more important. Don't be surprised to see him in the second half if Laois are controlling the middle.

Laois have had a problem at full back for years, but switching Darren Rooney back there was a shrewd decision by Mick O'Dwyer as I think he can match the under-performing Conal Keaney. The Dublin forward tends to drift out the field and this will suit the natural half back. Keaney has not contributed enough yet, with Tomás Quinn and Bryan Cullen papering over the cracks against Wexford. Cullen has really grown as a forward this summer.

Everyone in the country is looking forward to this intriguing encounter tomorrow, particularly when we look at the performances of both teams in getting to this stage.

I would be inclined to favour Dublin on the premise that the Laois forwards will not get the same freedom they got against Kildare. Also, can Micko's running game be sustained for 70 minutes? Unlikely.