Durkin and Ryan fit to face Cuala

Retired Dub star Durkin sat out the semi-final win over Na Fianna, on a day Ryan top-scored with 1-8 before limping off after dispatching a 57th minute penalty.

"Shane just had a small tendon issue, but he has recovered well," assured manager Joe Fortune, "and now Shane is raring to go. He was like a young hare on Sunday morning, dying for a role."

He also allayed fears over Dublin freetaker Ryan.

"It was actually a cramp," he clarified, and not linked to an old injury dating back a few months. "He cramped up, just after he hit the penalty, and he went down. Again, he's 100 per cent for Sunday and will definitely play."

Fortune stressed the importance of good communication between himself and Anthony Rainbow in managing Ballyboden's double-jobbing cohort, who are chasing Dublin SHC and SFC titles over the next two weekends.

Conal Keaney and Simon Lambert have been the busiest dual players, but Stephen O'Connor, Durkin, Paddy Dunleavy, Malachy Codd and Conor Dooley are also involved in both squads.

"My big thing with my players is communication," he said, adding that the player "has to be foremost" in all of this. "The scenario that we're in, the lads are really enjoying football. They're enjoying the hurling as well. Maybe a break away from me and Anthony, week on week, might be no harm either!

"It's just a positive. It's great to talk about it when both teams are in the final and it seems to work."