Peter Canavan believes Kerry can make hay in Rory O'Carroll's absence.

While Dublin have coped thus far without their first-choice number three, Canavan feels the Kingdom - and Kieran Donaghy - can expose their full back line's perceived weakness under the high ball.

"I think you'll see Kieran Donaghy pushing on into the full forward line and when the ball is turned over, you'll get the likes of Bryan Sheehan and David Moran trying to supply both him and Paul Geaney with quality, diagonal ball," the Tyrone legend wrote in the Belfast Telegraph.

"Then, you're going to have James O'Donoghue - and [Colm] Cooper when he comes on - sitting on the edge of the diamond waiting to take advantage.

"The key here is getting 'quality' ball into Donaghy, unlike the scraps he was thrown when he went into the square in the league final. Kerry's approach to supplying him then was of the 'hit and hope' variety: high, direct balls were left hanging in the air and those are much easier to defend.

"Rory O'Carroll's absence from the Dubs full back line has not been properly tested and I still have the picture in my mind of Westmeath's John Heslin fetching high ball in the Leinster final, even though there were two or three defenders around him."

In tipping Kerry to dethrone the champions, Canavan added: "Dublin deserve their favourites tag, but they have blown hot and cold this summer. Some of their football in the first half against Donegal was exhilarating, but they turned in a largely ragged, ill-disciplined effort in the second half and this inconsistency could yet prove their Achilles heel.

"In what should be the game of the year, a fantastic opportunity now presents itself for the men in green and gold. I expect them to grasp the nettle - as well as every jersey in blue that moves - with both hands."

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