At times during their run towards Sunday's All-Ireland SFC, Kerry and Dublin have been ordinary; at other times they've been superb.
Two games that stand out came at the quarter-final stage. The Dubs with a storming second half eventually ran Mayo ragged. Kerry also upped the gears after the short whistle when putting Tyrone to the sword.
In terms of goals conceded, Dessie Farrell's side have let in two on their championship run, that brace came against Laois in the Leinster quarter-final. A week later Stephen Cluxton resumed his place between the posts and the last line of defence has not been breached since.
The Kingdom kept a clean sheet until Gareth McKinless scrambled one over line for Derry early doors in the semi-final. The Oak Leafers could have raised a few more green flags as their strong running caused Jack O'Connor's men more than a few more worries.
Dublin were also left exposed on a a few occasions in their last-four encounter against Monaghan.
Speaking to the media in is role as an Allianz ambassador ahead of Sunday's showdown, former Kerry attacker Tommy Walsh stressed the importance of the Kingdom finding the net in a game where both defences will pride themselves in keeping another clean sheet.
"I think Kerry are going to need to score at least one goal to win the game," he said.
"Generally in these games whoever has gotten the goal has gone on to win the game.
"If you look back to 2019 with that [Eoin] Murchan goal at the start of the second-half [All-Ireland final replay]. We were doing relatively okay, had fought our way back into it and then straight from the throw-in we were sucker-punched. They were big moments and I'd be confident enough that if David Clifford, Paul Geaney and these guys get in those positions they'll be able to take the chance.
"I think it's going to be very even match. I'd be confident enough that if Kerry can win midfield, which isn't going to be easy, but if they can win midfield and get quick ball into the likes of Clifford and Geaney and get Paudie Clifford into the game, you're going to have a massive chance."
Highlights of Kerry's win over Derry
Walsh, a holder of two All-Ireland medals, feels Dublin's full-back line can be got at it if Kerry work the ball up the field with speed, something that eventually paid dividends against Derry a fortnight ago.
"If you get good ball in I think any full-back line can be got at. I know they haven't been conceding goals, but there has been chances there.
"Monaghan, in particular, had a couple of chances but just didn't take them. If they had, it could have changed the complexion of that game.
"Because if there's quick ball into the Cliffords and Geaney, as we saw against Derry, particularly with David, there's very little you can do to stop them. It doesn't matter who's on him, if they get the right ball with the shooting ability they have they're going to punish you.
"I'd be hoping that Kerry will get a fast start, consolidate a little bit, and then have something to hold onto going into the last quarter."
In the post-match discussion following the narrow win a fortnight ago, it was said by many that it was a game that Kerry could have lost a couple of years back. However, there seems to be that extra steeliness in the squad's mindset now.
Expanding more on that victory over the Ulster champions, Walsh added: "Going into the last quarter, you were under pressure. At the start of the second half they seemed to have a got a handle on David Clifford, this after the damage he had done on them in the first half.
"Towards the end of the game, guys really stepped up and started winning ball. David took control again up in the forward line.
"I suppose it stems from the hurt we've suffered in recent years and then finally getting over Dublin last year. They can now go toe-to-toe with really good teams and if they get a sucker-punch they're able to come back from it. That has been the hallmark of the great Dublin teams going back ten to 15 years.
"There will be periods on Sunday when Dublin will have their purple patch, but you just have to respond and take your chances."
In terms of the respective benches, Dublin would seem to have more artillery to call on, an assertion the Kerins O'Rahilly's player would agree with.
"They certainly have more experience on the bench when you look at the guys they've added to the squad,
"Jack McCaffrey, Ciaran Kilkenny, and Dean Rock coming off the bench, I heard someone say during the week they have more than 200 championship appearances between them.
"And Kerry obviously don't have the same level of experience coming off the bench, they have younger player with maybe the exception of Stephen O'Brien.
"I think it'll be a factor if we're getting down to the last 10 or 15 minutes and the game is pretty even. Dublin will be rolling these guys out and Kerry will need to be able to counteract that. I think that will really play into their mind when they're annoucing their team.
"I'd love to see Stephen O'Brien starting, but I could understand too why they might decide to hold him because they'll be thinking if Dublin are bringing on these guys then we need some type of impact ourselves.
"The likes of Stephen would probably give him more off the bench than maybe some of the current starters he might be replacing."
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