Kildare have momentum on their side heading into Sunday's Leinster SFC semi-final, according to Dublin manager Jim Gavin.

The Lilywhites scored a morale boosting replay victory over Laois last Saturday week and Gavin is expecting them to raise their game this weekend.

"I've been impressed, they'll have that advantage of us, two tough championship games regardless of who it's against or where it was played," he told The Irish Independent.

"To have that momentum is invaluable coming into a championship game and three of the quarters over the two games was very tight.

"I think in both games when they were under a lot of pressure, they showed a lot of experience and got a lot of bodies behind the ball.

"They dug the result out particularly for the first game. They're very fit, a very well conditioned team, and it's going to be a big challenge for us."

Recent meetings between the two counties would back up the bookies' belief that Jason Ryan and his players could be in for a long afternoon at GAA headquarters.

As per usual, however, Gavin is concentrating on the here and now.

"I haven't even referenced it. If you asked me what the scores were in the games, I wouldn't know, genuinely.

"Those games are kind of in the past for both teams. Kildare have that momentum, they'll feel like they're in a very good position.

"They've got a lot of pedigree, they're one of our closest neighbours so we'd know their club football very well. There's a lot of strength in depth in that Kildare team despite the players that have left for overseas games.

"I think they showed it in those (Laois) games just to hang in. That's a skill in itself. It'll be a different challenge."

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