Video: "We Certainly Won’t Be Underestimating Galway”
Galway are standing between Dublin and the EirGrid All-Ireland under-21 title.
The Tribesmen produced a massive shock as they overcame favourites Kerry to make it to the decider.
Dublin secured their spot after comfortably beating Donegal 1-13 to 0-9.
Dessie Farrell guided the Dubs to the title in 2014, a year after Galway had lasted tasted success in the competition.
Dublin co-captain Cillian O’Shea feels the Dubs showed they can strike a balance between attack and defence in the victory over the Ulster side:
“We knew patience would come into big time with the way Donegal play, keeping the ball and not being erratic, not doing silly things were going to be important.
“We did that, all the lads stood up and really were leaders defensive wise, they have some serious forwards who’ve all play significant game time in the league with Donegal who nearly reached the final.
“We knew they were very talented and would have to be on top of our game.”
The Dubs also proved they could do it without the influential Conn O’Callaghan who was black carded early in the game.
O’Shea admits the loss of their talisman while tough to take did not affect the game plan:
“There’s good depth and we’re confident with anyone on any given day whatever our XV is that we can go out and do a job.
“The game plan and what we needed to do kept our focus once Conn had gone off you’re like ‘oh god what do we do now’ but everyone jus thought next play and next ball, we focused from there and it worked out in the end
Galway were hugely impressive in their four point win over Kerry, they raced into a lead before edging the Kingdom by 2-14 to 2-10, that performance O’Shea believes was the best by any side in the competition in 2017:
“Everyone had the Kerry team tipped up big time; anyone I know that knows anything about football had them talked up as one of the best teams in a long time, going to walk the competition kind of thing.
“It’s formidable Galway side that beat them and the way they beat them with attacking football, they just went at them and blew them away in the first 10-15 minutes, we’ve a huge challenge ahead and we certainly won’t be underestimating them.”