Kerry star David Clifford is ignoring all talk of Dublin’s ‘drive for five’ this year as he focuses his energy on pushing the Kingdom "a few steps further" under new boss Peter Keane.
The Dubs themselves have long covered their ears to any talk of a historic fifth Sam Maguire in a row but it's an undeniable fact that they are favourites to pull off what the great Kerry team of 1982 famously fell shot of achieving.
Back then, Offaly produced a huge shock to dethrone Mick O'Dwyer's men. This summer, Kerry find themselves in the role of underdogs, and 20-year-old Clifford believes they're on an upward curve.
Speaking as the county launched a third year of its partnership with Alliance Medical, he said: "I suppose Dublin's five-in-a-row isn't exactly top of our agenda at the moment.
"We're playing Dublin in the third league game [this Saturday night at Austin Stack Park] so I think that's the only time Dublin will come into our focus early on in the year.
"There's going to be a lot of change. It's unbelievable to have the amount of young players we have mixed with the experienced players so I think it should be a very exciting year ahead for Kerry.
"The regime Eamonn [Fitzmaurice] had was unbelievable. Every little last detail was thought of. Carrying through to Peter Keane and the new lads that have come in, it's going to be unbelievable as well.
"From what we've seen so far, the work we're putting in is of a very high standard and we're just hoping that we can go a few steps further this year."
Looking back on his debut season, Clifford admitted the transition to senior had its challenges but he embraced the intensity - not to mention the crazy expectations that were placed on his shoulders.
"It was a big change for me physicality wise, going from minor to senior level. Fellows were bigger and the hits you were getting were a lot tougher. The pace was a big step up.
"Even the atmosphere and things around match day was totally different so nerves and things like that set in a lot more last year than it did in previous years.
"I was very thankful to Eamonn and the lads for sticking with me through the league and the start of the championship and my team-mates around me helped me greatly."
One lesson Clifford did learn last year was in relation to workload, particularly around a hamstring injury picked up earlier in the year.
"I probably should have listened to my body a bit more," he added. "The injury I picked up against Mayo in the league game [last year] was probably as a result of the three games that I'd played in over that week or so.
"It was my first year with Kerry and I wanted to play and playing the Sigerson with Tralee was massive. So down the line it is something I really have to have to look at and be careful with because it's the last thing players want to do is be injured."
