Mind games will be main factor in the race for Sam

FEAR is the main factor preventing the chasing pack from driving on and overtaking Dublin.

Dublin are the greatest team ever at closing out big games – and that has probably inflicted more damage to their rivals mentally than physically. The psychological scars that the five-in-a-row winners have inf licted are so deep that Kerry, Mayo and Tyrone will need to be five or six points better than the champions to beat them.

I have written glowingly about the greatness of this bunch of incredible men but have also highlighted their gradual decline and the last two League games, against Meath and Galway, add to the evidence stacking up. Nothing lasts forever and Dublin are simply not as good as they once were. The loss of Jack Mccaffrey is huge.

The mean, ruthless edge that made their defence so tough to beat is depleted. The standard has dropped. The younger crop beginning to make their mark are not of the same ilk as those they are replacing.

And it looks like Dessie Farrell has made his mind up on a number of players going forward.

James Mccarthy was removed from the field after 46 minutes – an unprecedented move, especially in his first match back when you’d think he needed as many minutes as he could get into him.

It was the same scenario with Brian Howard but the move that fascinated me most of all was bringing Philly Mcmahon on after 71 minutes. If Philly was genuinely in Dessie’s plans he’d have given him more than two minutes in his first game back, and with the Championship only two weeks away.

If Dublin win the Sam Maguire it will be extraordinar y. They are good enough, but the fear they have instilled in their opponents may be their greatest asset.

With Jim Gavin gone, with the retirements of the past year and with the knock-out format to face, the Dubs are ripe for the plucking.

All those factors will help their main contenders – but which team has the conviction to put them to the sword?

Kerry look best placed. I’ve watched them over the last two weekends and what struck me is their conditioning has improved enormously.

The size of some of the players suggests they have put in serious work during lockdown but their game management and lack of belief in the last 10 minutes of big games against Dublin has been nothing short of woeful.

Can they overcome those mental scars and move to the next level? Or can Tyrone and Mayo bridge the gap?

All will soon be revealed.

GRIP IS SLIPPING The champions have question marks over Philly Mcmahon and James Mccarthy