Jack O'Connor expects Derry to pose a serious threat to Kerry's quest for back-to-back All-Ireland minor football titles.

The teams meet for a place in the All-Ireland final at Croke Park this afternoon and the Kingdom manager is taking nothing for granted.

"There's a great tradition of underage football in Derry and they have dug out some big wins to get here," he noted in the Irish News.

"Beating Donegal in the Ulster semi-final probably was the big win for them as that Donegal side were fancied by many to go and win the All-Ireland. They have good, mobile players and we're expecting a massive battle."

O'Connor acknowledged that playing in Croke Park can be a daunting experience for 17 and 18-year-olds.

"It's probably not as big a factor for the seniors playing in Croke Park, but it is a venue that can be intimidating for minors heading up to play there for the first time.

"It's not so much the pitch, but the vastness of the area around it that they would not be used to."

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