SPORTING PASSIONS - BERNARD DUNNE:The former European boxing champion tells Mark Roddanabout his devotion to the Dublin football team and the Liverpool soccer team

WHEN I was younger I had a passing interest in the Dubs. I remember 95 but when I went away to the States I started to watch them on Setanta and got more into it then.

I lived in LA for a couple of years and there's an eight-hour time difference. Four o'clock games here were nice and early in the morning for me in America. It was the exact same way I'd keep up with my soccer watching Liverpool. I used to get up early in the morning and watch them. A lot of it was on Sunday and Sunday was my day of rest so it didn't disturb my training.

Once I came back to Ireland it just took over. I started going to the games and I became friendly with a lot of the players. I knew the manager and obviously being involved with Martin Donnelly, who's a big GAA man, we became good friends. I went to everything with Martin from poc fadas to hurling finals to all the football matches.

It's a fantastic thrill. Just the buzz of being at the games, the anticipation, and obviously with Dublin not having won the big one for a while, there's a sense of them wanting to win it and everybody will be behind them.

The big one for me was Dublin-Kerry in last year's semi-final because I'd got beaten the night before and I went in to support the lads. Unfortunately they didn't win either so it was a bad weekend for Dublin that time. People around me were saying maybe I should relax and stay at home after what I'd been through but the lads had been texting me words of encouragement and wishing me all the best and afterwards saying "get yourself back on your feet". So I wasn't going to stay at home and not support them.

The atmosphere at Croke Park is second to none. There's a buzz and everybody mixes together. Even that day when Kerry beat Dublin, I had my bit of bad luck the night before and I didn't hear any negativity whatsoever. I have to say everybody was fabulous - even the Kerry people were fantastic. That gave me a bit of a buzz and then watching the match I just forgot about what I went through myself.

You'd fancy us in the Leinster final on Sunday but anybody can win on any day. I think a lot of it at this stage is mental with Dublin because they have the ability. I just think they need to get over that mental hurdle.

Alan Brogan is phenomenal up front. His pace and his movement are fantastic. Maybe he needs to pass the ball a little bit earlier sometimes but you can't fault him for that because he's so lethal in front of goal. You've Mossie Quinn, you have Jayo (Sherlock) - I think we have a good chance this year, I really do.

I know Kerry have a great history but they wouldn't be under the pressure that the Dubs are under. You just look at the crowds when Dublin are playing anywhere - it's always a full house. The expectation is always there for them to perform and to win. You look at the papers and it's a constant focus on the Dubs. You can understand the pressure they feel - for an amateur sport it's phenomenal.

I get a lot of support from GAA people and it's fantastic. Graham Geraghty doesn't miss any of the fights and Davy Fitzgerald is a good friend of mine. I think Davy at some stages just wants to get into the ring and have a go!

Liverpool haven't won anything for me either recently. I don't know what's happening - maybe I'm a little bit jinxed. Rafael Benitez has to at least go close in the league next year or else he'll have to move on. Europe is fantastic but the league, week in week out, is what we care about. Europe is great financially and in one-off games Rafa can mastermind any sort of victory.

But we're only one or two players short. Ryan Babel is going to be a fantastic talent but he needs to be let play week in, week out. I had him in my fantasy team from the start of the season but with Benitez chopping and changing I had to drop him!

If I was to choose between the Dubs winning and the Pool winning, it would definitely be the Dubs. Dublin winning would mean a lot more to me than anything else. I go over to Liverpool quite a bit but I'd still prefer the Dubs to win the All-Ireland. But the perfect year would be the Dubs winning, the Pool winning and me getting a crack at a world belt.