Hurling great on Dublin's shock rise as he backs them to put it up to Cork
Eddie Keher predicts Dublin can rock All-Ireland SHC title favourites Cork if they can sustain their level of performance against Limerick.
Kilkenny legend Keher was blown away by the Dubs' display in toppling the Treaty men in last Saturday's dramatic All-Ireland quarter-final.
With the semi-final between Cork and Dublin set to be a sell-out at Croke Park on Saturday week, six-time All-Ireland winner Keher reckons it could go down to the wire.
"I suppose the one I remember is Antrim beating Offaly in '89," said the 83-year-old, referring to the shock value of Dublin's two-point victory. "Now, I always felt Dublin were great hurlers but they just didn't seem to be able to get over the line, but I'd say their new manager has instilled a sort of a belief in them and now they're not playing with fear.
"They're playing with a want to win and it's happening for them. Cork are obviously favourites and favourites for the All-Ireland too, I suppose. But I think Dublin will shove it up to them now if they can generate the same level of performance."
However Keher is hopeful that Kilkenny can finish the championship strongly and frank their Leinster dominance by claiming their first Liam MacCarthy Cup triumph in a decade.
"I'm old enough to remember, I think I was only five, the 1947 All-Ireland," said Keher. "It took until 1957 to win the next one, which was another 10 years. Hopefully they'll do it this year."
The other semi-final puts the Cats against old rivals Tipperary. "It's a long time coming," he said. "There's a great rivalry there but a great admiration for both teams as well.
"I think it'll be a solid battle. Actually we were looking at Tipperary early on during the league and we felt that they might be there this year. They then had a few disappointing games but they've come into form now again.
"They're a fine team, Kilkenny. I think they'll make a good run of it. It's very hard to call any game between Kilkenny and Tipp, it'll depend on who turns up most on the day.
"We had fierce battles in my day but we're all great friends now. Great friends with Babs and Len Gaynor and some of them that have passed away, Mick Burns and John Doyle, I was very friendly with John. So whereas there's intense rivalry, there's also great friendship."
Keher is a fan of the modern game and the high standards that have been evident in recent years, but not the emphasis on short passing.
"The game is beautiful, and the skill level and the fitness levels are tremendous," he said. "There are parts of the game I don't like, such as the short passing game. I'm not saying there's not a place for it, but it shouldn't be overdone.
"I think passing in the defence is dangerous. Like Galway last Saturday, they threw away points from short passing in the defence. From there on, it's OK.
"Because both teams, Kilkenny and Tipp, have very good forwards, though it'd be seen as old-fashioned now, as someone who has played in the forwards, I'd be telling them that the faster you get the ball up there before the defence is set, the better.
"The only ones I always saw doing that effectively were Limerick to Aaron Gillane - when you get quick ball down in front of him, he can be unstoppable.
"I'd like to see a bit more of that in today's game. Other than that, I'm very happy with the standard - there's a lot to look forward to."
*Eddie Keher was speaking at the launch of the 24th annual Circet All-Ireland GAA Golf Challenge in aid of GAA-related charities at Michael Lyng Motors (Ford) in Kilkenny
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