Cuala's Fitzsimons could be key to Errigal Ciaran contest

Errigal Ciaran's All-Ireland Club Football Final meeting with Cuala at Croke Park (15:40 GMT) has been portrayed as a shootout between the Canavan brothers and Con O'Callaghan but there are elements within that which require a little elaboration.

These include the presence of Cuala's supreme man marker Mick Fitzsimons who in all likelihood will be delegated the task of attempting to subdue Darragh Canavan.

Fitzsimons shares the all-time record of All-Ireland inter-county triumphs along with fellow Dublin greats James McCarthy and Stephen Cluxton having accumulated nine Celtic Crosses.

His curbing of Kerry's star forward David Clifford in the 2023 All-Ireland Final was defensive masterclass and his battle with which ever Canavan could be the key determinant in Sunday's clash at Croke Park.

What's surely certain is that Cuala will take many more precautions in attempting to shackle the Canavans than Dr Crokes did last weekend when the Kerrymen opted not to employ a sweeper.

And Con is not the O'Callaghan who could do damage to the Ballygawley men with his younger brother Niall having had a superb campaign which included hitting 1-5 in the Leinster Final win over Naas.

Joe Oguz came good in extra-time a week ago to hammer in what proved the decisive goal but he had midfield partner Ben McDonnell did not have it all their own way in the centrefield exchanges during normal time.

Cuala's midfield pairing is Peadar O Cofaigh-Byrne and Peter Duffy and the engine room battle could also have a major bearing on the contest.

Peter Harte has been one of the great heroes of Tyrone football over the last 15 years and along with another great veteran Aidan McCrory, finds himself involved involved in an All-Ireland Club Final which he must have wondered would ever arrive.

But it has as Errigal Ciaran prepare for the first ever appearance of a Tyrone club in an All-Ireland Senior Club Final.

Cuala are also involved in their first football decider having won back-to-back hurling titles in 2017 and 2018 when O'Callaghan was part of the side.

Another Dublin outfit, Na Fianna, will be involved in Sunday's preceding hurling decider when they face Sarsfields.

The game is likely to make painful viewing for Ulster champions Slaughtneil after their agonising one-point defeat by the Cork men last month, which was their fifth semi-final defeat as a place in the final remained frustratingly out of reach.