Nadine Doherty: More telling impact off Dublin's bench for TG4 All-Ireland SFC final against Kerry

Most games are settled going down the stretch and while both Dublin and Kerry can call on strong reserves off the bench, the options available to the Dubs can help swing things in their favour for Sunday's TG4 All-Ireland senior final, says former Donegal star Nadine Doherty.

It's fair to say that the two best teams are in the decider, sides who earlier met in the championship, with the Kingdom withstanding a late surge from Mick Bohan's side to win by two points. It could be just as tight some eight weeks on.

Kerry, without a title in 30 years, are looking to draw level with Cork on 12 in the roll of honour. Dublin reached eight finals on the trot between 2014 and 2021, winning four-in-a-row from 2017 to 2020.

Former Donegal star Doherty believes both teams "are hurting very badly and both sets of managers have alluded to it" on the back of championship reverses in recent years but crucially have been very much the form side ahead of the 2023 finale.

Speaking on 2fm's Game On, she said: "Mick Bohan was talking about that Donegal defeat (last year's quarter-final); Dublin are also hurting from that Meath defeat (All-Ireland final) the previous year. And then you have Kerry who will feel they didn't do themselves justice in that final last year.

"I just felt they were blown out of the water by a far superior Meath team. We have two team hurting badly and it will be the hurt more so than records that will drive them on.

"It's a seventh final for Mick Bohan; he's definitely one of the best coaches there has ever been in the ladies game."

Looking at the key area of who can come on and change a game, Doherty added: "They both have very strong benches. I look at Dublin and they have a bench that can have an impact on a game, can