Dublin minors should shade it this time around

If it is true that a replay is a totally different game to the preceding draw then Dublin can remain confident of winning their first All-Ireland minor football title since 1984 when they face a second rendezvous with Tyrone at Breffni Park this afternoon.

Dublin may have relied on a late goal from forward David O'Callaghan on Sunday to earn their second chance but, on balance, the sides appeared equally capable and deserving of victory.

Not surprisingly, though, Tyrone look back on last Sunday with the greater disappointment. After 10 minutes of the second half they were sitting on a five-point lead, brought about by a combination of their midfield domination and more physically capable attack. Midfield standout Peter Donnelly was running the show, and up front, Gerard Toner was maintaining their scoring rate.

Gradually, though, Dublin got their act together, with substitutes Martin Whelan and Ciarβn Corrigan helping to sustain the run at Tyrone's lead.

Manager Paddy Canning admitted Tyrone were a more physically intense side than any Dublin had met on route to the final, but said the character of his own team was enough to counteract that. Opposing manager Liam Donnelly has lamented his side's failure to consolidate their second half advantage, though he remains confident they can still finish Dublin off.

Yet there are a few reasons why Dublin will also feel capable of pulling off the win. One of the big turning points in the drawn match came when captain Barry Lyons had his penalty saved by Tyrone goalkeeper John Devine, 24 minutes into the game. Had that gone in, Dublin would have taken the lead for the first time, and also, given their highly capable forwards, the initiative to press further ahead.

When those forwards eventually got going in the closing stages, Tyrone were under all sorts of pressure and if the team can avoid the frustrating periods of last Sunday then they clearly have the armoury to claim the win.

Somewhat surprisingly, though, Canning has again kept Whelan and Corrigan on the bench, and instead makes two personnel changes by giving starting places to defender Danny McGann and forward Donal Farrell.

Tyrone have settled on an unchanged starting line-up but there are injury concerns over midfielder Seβn Cavanagh and centre forward Barry Mulligan, who picked up injuries last weekend and will undergo late fitness tests. There had been some injury worries over Donnelly and defender Paul Quinn, but both players have recovered.

If Dublin can produce a more consistent game, settling into their attack earlier and dealing more effectively with Tyrone's midfield, then they should end the 17-year wait.

DUBLIN (MF v Tyrone): P Copeland; D McCann, M Fitzpatrick, D Galvin; P Griffin, B Cullen, B Lyons; P Brennan, D O'Mahony; N McAuliffe, G Cullen, G Brennan; D O'Callaghan, D Farrell, J Noonan.

TYRONE: J Devine; R O'Neill, D Carlin, M McStravock; J McMahon, K McRory, P Quinn; P Donnelly, S Cavanagh; C Donnelly, B Mulligan, T McGuigan; L Meenan, M Penrose, G Toner.