Royals a huge threat: Dessie

The Dubs will naturally be installed as raging hot favourites given their opponents on Sunday fortnight are Meath, a team that Dublin comfortably accounted for in the Leinster Final back in July.

However, Farrell insists that his side will not allow themselves to be side-tracked, especially given the mature manner in which they have, to date, dealt with the favourites tag in what invariably is the most unpredictable of championships.

"I suspect there won't be any complacency. It is difficult obviously, having beaten a team previously and having to meet them again.

"History will tell us that but we just need to deal with that.

"We've been carrying the favourites' tag all summer I'm sure the All-Ireland Final will be no different. I think our players realise that the Leinster Final was probably where we caught Meath on an off day.

"We played them in a Leinster League Final and we won by two points so I think that's a truer reflection of the Meath team and we will prepare accordingly," added the Na Fianna clubman.

Certainly, a ponderous period during the second-half, when Dublin ceded momentum to Kerry gives the Dubs plenty of room for improvement and Farrell highlighted an excellent interception by captain David Byrne as the game's pivotal moment when assessing the contest, especially the aforementioned fallow period.

"We set out to win this game and to win an All-Ireland semi-final and be in the final and that is what we've done. We have achieved that and we're delighted with it and look forward to the final at this stage.

"I was worried because you never know with young men of this age what is going on in their heads and I think the Mayo game against Meath last week was uppermost in our consciousness at that stage.

"Thankfully, we rallied again and pushed on and closed the game out which was important," said Farrell.

"It was a great interception and it is inspirational moments like that where matches are won and lost so we were very thankful for Davy in that situation. He is the captain and you would expect that from him," said the 1995 All Star.

Of course, Dublin didn't help themselves by kicking 14 wides over the hour and Farrell will hope that Dublin can rectify that particular concern ahead of the Royal challenge.

It was an issue which ultimately cost his side an All-Ireland 12 months ago but Farrell sees little bearing on what occurred against Tipperary last year influencing his panel's prospects against Meath, given the large turnover in players since then.

"I think we were a bit wasteful in the first-half and even when we pushed on in the second-half late in the game we still kicked a few bad wides so it is definitely something to work on.

"It's not like you're dealing with a senior squad when you have a fair few lads involved for a while.

"Every year is very different although there are a few lads which were involved last year, maybe three, but by and large it is a whole new squad and last year is very much redundant in their eyes so there's no point anyone carrying any baggage into the next game."