The 6ft 5in Tralee man's performances in the quarter-final and semi-final victories over Armagh and Cork were key to Kerry's progress to their third successive All-Ireland final - he scored 1-1 in the process.

But seeking to turn the spotlight off Donaghy in the lead-up to the Sunday week's decider, Ó Sé said: "I think Kieran is playing very well. He's young, he's enthusiastic and he seems to be hitting form at just the right time.

"He's having a good season but he's very young and every game is a new game for him, but he's just had two days out (against Armagh and Cork)."

Kerry looked well below par during the Munster championship, and eventually lost their title to Cork after a replay. So battling back to be line to collect the county's 34th All-Ireland title has made the summer all the more memorable for Jack O'Connor's side. They have tallied up 7-42 in their last three games.

Speaking at the launch of the 2006 O'Neills Kilmacud Crokes All-Ireland Sevens tournament, Ó Sé said of the turn around: "(It's been down to) a bit of good luck and a bit of necessity I'd say. We weren't playing well, we worked a bit harder and it just kind of turned around to an extent.

"We wouldn't be playing as well as we feel we could, but we're in an All-Ireland final now as this stage."

Asked if losing the Munster final to Cork was essentially a good thing for Kerry, the benefit of which was clearly seen when they carved open Armagh for a much-needed victory, Ó Sé said: "Every team you go to play, you try to beat them. Cork were the better team on the day and they deserved to win.

"Probably the first day they were better than us as well, but we got a replay. I suppose those two games stood to us to an extent because they were two very physical games, very tough games which I think people don't realise," added the An Ghaeltacht clubman.

"I don't think people give Cork enough credit for it. Cork were an exceptionally fit and physical team and those two games certainly stood to us."