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Pat Spillane of Kerry and Ciaran Duff of Dublin in the 1984 decider. INPHO/Billy Stickland
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Have we met before? Dublin v Kerry to write next chapter of final history

It’s one for the traditionalists, we’re told, as the Kingdom meet the Dubs in Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC decider.

SUNDAY’S ALL-IRELAND football final pits two of the nation’s great dynasties together to pick up on a historic battle, the last installment of which was produced in 1985.

In total, Kerry and Dublin have met in 10 senior finals over the years, with the Kingdom holding an impressive record.

Dublin have prevailed on just three occasions, with Kerry winning eight of their 36 All-Irelands against the capital.

The Dubs won the first final contested between the two counties in 1892 on a scoreline of 1-1 to 0-3. Remember that one?

In 1904, Kerry exacted their revenge in Cork, claiming the title with a result of 0-5 to Dublin’s 0-2.

Some 19 years later, and it was Dublin’s turn to scoop the top prize with a 1-5 to 1-3 win in Croke Park. This was the first of two finals in two years in which both sides shared the spoils. Following their defeat one year previous, Kerry didn’t waste time in levelling the overall battle 2-2, with a 0-4 to 0-3 win in front of a reported 28,000-ish attendance.

1955 saw Kerry triumph in another final win over the Dubs with a scoreline of 0-12 to 1-06, on a day when Pat Spillane’s uncle Tadghie Lyne notched up six points for the Kingdom.

It would be 20 years before the sides met again in September, with Kerry yet again proving too good for Dublin with a 2-12 to 0-11 win. The hits were a plenty in this one. Check out the cheeky flick on 2:20.

Dublin managed a win over the Kingdom in 1976, with an impressive 3-08 to 10 points win as part of their two in a row. In 1978 however, they were convincinly trashed by their rivals, with 17 points separating the two sides.

One year later, and whilst the result was a little more impressive for the Dubs, Kerry still comfortably won by 3-13 to 1-08.

Dublin would have been desperate to turn the tide on their losing streak in finals when facing the green and gold, but in 1984, arguably one of the greatest sides in GAA history were still reeling from their failed five-in-a-row attempt, although Kerry still defeated the Blues by 0-14 to 1-06.

Watch the legendary commentator Michael O’Muircheartaigh introducing Kerry captain Ambrose O’Donovan with the Sam Maguire who pays tribute to the great Mick O’Dwyer.

Dublin were defiant in defeat, and returned to the All-Ireland the following year, to face Kerry once again in what was certainly a closer battle.

A nine-point half-time lead was enough to see the Kingdom home in the second of their hat-trick of wins during the mid 80s, the final time these two sides have met in the final.

So the Dubs are due a win. Let’s see what the Gooch and his teammates have to say about records.

No Galvin as Kerry name side for All-Ireland decider

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