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Kerry's plan for Jack McCaffrey can halt Dublin's drive-for-five | Kieran Donaghy

As Kerry prepare for another meeting with Dublin in two weeks' time, Kieran Donaghy has proposed ...



Kerry's plan for Jack McCaffre...
Football

Kerry's plan for Jack McCaffrey can halt Dublin's drive-for-five | Kieran Donaghy

As Kerry prepare for another meeting with Dublin in two weeks' time, Kieran Donaghy has proposed the manner in which Jack McCaffrey's influence on proceedings can be halted. 

Irrespective of the drawn result, Dublin's Jack McCaffrey delivered one of the outstanding performances in an All-Ireland final on Sunday afternoon.

The marauding wing-back contributed 1-3 of his side's 1-16 and, as far as Kieran Donaghy is concerned, it is McCaffrey who will command special attention when Kerry look to dethrone Dublin once more in the replayed final on September 14.

25-years-old and in the hunt for his fifth All-Ireland winners' medal, the former Footballer of the Year McCaffrey must be put on the back-foot if Kerry are to nullify his influence going forward.

"I think there's more to come from Stephen O'Brien," suggested Donaghy on Monday's OTB AM, "and I think we need to put him over on Jack McCaffrey.

"We need to make Jack McCaffrey go backwards."

Jack McCaffrey

The Clontarf man's effectiveness going forward was exemplified in a first-half goal that had looked to put Dublin in control of proceedings.

From Stephen Cluxton's pin-point kick-out to Brian Howard, his lay-off to Ciaran Kilkenny facilitated the killer pass into McCaffrey's path.

Calmly slotting his shot beyond Shane Ryan in the Kerry goal, if Peter Keane's men are to upset Dublin's drive-for-five such scenes cannot be replicated in the replayed final.

"I think putting a defender on Jack McCaffrey is almost allowing him to come away up the pitch to see if he can score," argued Donaghy.

"He is the best attacking half-back possibly the game has ever seen, but he wouldn't be the greatest defender in the world going backwards.

"Stephen O'Brien would have the pace and strength to go with him on the defensive side, but I'd be putting him over there and giving O'Brien as much ball as they can and see if he can make McCaffrey go backwards."

Given an inordinate amount of space in Sunday's drawn final, Kerry will need to readjust their planning ahead of the replay.

"I'd guess that when you're marking him you're thinking that the safe thing here is to drop off him a bit," suggested Donaghy.

"But the fear of dropping off him is that he's coming at such pace then."

To hear the thoughts of Charlie Redmond and John O'Leary on Sunday's All-Ireland final, click here

To watch Anthony Moyles' tactical breakdown of the drawn game, click here

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All Ireland Final Dublin Jack Mccaffrey Kerry Kieran Donaghy Stephen O'Brien