Dublin v Westmeath

blackbelt

Again,no real buildup to this game but Gilroy has made three changes to the team that started the last day.Rory O Carroll comes into right back in place of Alan Hubbard while Jason Sherlock replaces the injured Mark Davoren.Diarmuid Connolly gets the nod ahead of Paddy Andrews.Magee and McConnell retain their places in midfield.

For Westmeath,Dolan,Healy and O Shaughnessy are on the bench.Dolan is struggling with a knee injury.Duffy and Flanagan are named in midfield.

I hear Glennon is moaning and mouthing off about Dublin in the papers about how we "dish it out verbally" and about "how we don't rate Westmeath".Now this is rather inappropriate as Gilroy,Griffin and Keaney have publically stated that they'll be cautious against Westmeath.I just hope that the lads use it as extra motivation in order to dish out a hammering to Westmeath.I think Glennon should concentrate on his own game as a lot of fans don't rate him or Westmeath.Dublin are too experienced to let mind games like this in the papers get to them and Glennon has moaned about us this time last year.

I think the game will be tough in patches.Westmeath are just too injury riddled to be in exceptional form.They were atrocious against Wicklow and could have lost.Flanagan is only over an injury and looked far from his best and it is hard to see him being in the game for the full 70 minutes.I wouldn't be surprised to see O Donoghue replace Flanagan and for the Westmeath forward line to be reshuffled with the introduction of Dessie Dolan.

That leaves David Duffy as the Westmeath ball winner in midfield,as a relative I'd keep a close eye on Duffy but most times he struggles against Dublin and I think Magee could do a job on him.

Our forwards are superior to theirs but their defense is formidable and I'd rate that as their strongpoint.I can see Brennan and maybe Cahill going forward to get scores if we are struggling although Brennans role may see him scoring even if we are at ease.Michael Ennis may roam up front and try to be an extra attacker for Westmeath.

I predict a 6 point win for Dublin.Our forwards should be more economical up front and Westmeaths injuries will limit them.I don't expect them to collapse but it should be a modest outing.

yahoo_moe

blackbelt wrote: »

I hear Glennon is moaning and mouthing off about Dublin in the papers about how we "dish it out verbally" and about "how we don't rate Westmeath".Now this is rather inappropriate as ... a lot of fans don't rate him or Westmeath.

Nice

I agree that Westmeath were brutal against Wicklow, but remembering how much we struggled against them last year, when Bannon popped up with that goal, makes me feel that they'll go for a 'lowest common denominator' approach and try to close up the game. I reckon we'll come out on top again, but I'll take any kind of a win really, given the opposition.

Changes made are probably pretty fair, I'm certainly happy to see Connolly in ahead of Paddy Andrews, hopefully we can begin to see the best of him in a Dublin shirt.

blackbelt

That was Michael Ennis that actually scored that goal.How we limited them to another 8 points in that game is mind boggling when I knew that our defense was the weak link at the time.

I will look on with interest to see what tactics Westmeath will employ.Will they go for the swarm gameplan again or will they actually try to engage Dublin in a game of free flowing,open football.

I think their best plan is to go for the swarm.Midfielders like Whelan and Ryan are used to it but I am not too sure about Magee and McConnell.Westmeath with all their injuries can't realistically expect to play an open game full of long kick passes.They'll run out steam running around Croke Park.Winning kickouts in midfield or swarming the Dublin midfield and trying to release the ball into their forwards is the best course of action for them I believe.

Flukey

We were poor against Westmeath last year - a case of a good win but a poor display. The same could be said of our match against Meath. So hopefully they will do better on Sunday. I expect they will, although Westmeath will put it up to them. Anyway, I'm heading off to Wicklow until Sunday, so I'll see you in Madigans after the match. Any newbies that want to join us, and we really would welcome you, PM Blackbelt.

Killme00

It'll be over before half time.

Het-Field

Westmeath are likely to put in a good shift. However, I firmly anticipate that Dublin will not be as wasteful this week, as they were three weeks ago against Meath.

Blackbelt has eloquently outlined Westmeath's problems, and again we have Mr Glennon with his mindgames. If they become lethargic, and Dublin build up a head of steam, it could be a 4-6 point win. Either way, I expect the pundits to **** on us after.

P.S any news on the subs ?

Johnny Drama.

Dublin by 2 or 3, alan brogan wont get a sniff off john keane.

yahoo_moe

blackbelt wrote: »

I think their best plan is to go for the swarm.

I'll be shocked if they go for an open, free-flowing game of football. And that's not a slight on Westmeath - there are only a few teams in the country who could confidently give Dublin open space.

And even then, teams in recent years have favoured the "space when we attack, no space when they do" routine (a la Tyrone last year), which chokes Dublin's game very effectively but is harder to put into action than it sounds. Sure look what (almost) happened in '07 when a very good Kerry team let their concentration slip and started leaving spaces.

I'm expecting a grim one.

Marse

This game for me is hard to predict. The result I expect is a Dublin win. But the manner in which we attain that result I just can’t predict. We might not turn up as with Meath and scrape it by a pint or two. Or the lads could lift their game and steam roll Westmeath. I’m banking and hoping for the later.

Pride Fighter

Had Westmeath have kicked on from the progress they made in the last few years I would have expected them to win Leinster. But they have gone backwards this year and are injury hit. Dublin to win comfortably but Kildare will take Leinster:(

blackbelt

Pride Fighter wrote: »

Had Westmeath have kicked on from the progress they made in the last few years I would have expected them to win Leinster. But they have gone backwards this year and are injury hit. Dublin to win comfortably but Kildare will take Leinster:(

Not at all Pridefighter.I'd expect them to get to the Leinster Final but they still have to get past a Laois side that have got the best of them in championship outings in the past.I remember in 2005 they whipped them pretty bad by 12 points.In a smaller venue like Tullamore,it would be a home from home for Laois but I'd expect Kildare to just about overcome them.When Kildare will enter the confines of Croke Park against Dublin,I can't see them beating us.

Marse

Pride Fighter wrote: »

Had Westmeath have kicked on from the progress they made in the last few years I would have expected them to win Leinster. But they have gone backwards this year and are injury hit. Dublin to win comfortably but Kildare will take Leinster:(

Agree with the part about westmeath, but disagree about Kildare. I reckon Dublin have plenty in the tank for Kildare.

corny

Westmeath will make themselves very hard to beat so it won't be an impressive performance from Dublin or an easy on the eye performance but i can't see anything other than a Dublin win. Westmeath will simply struggle to put up a double digit score!

Mad Dog

Westmeaths only option I reckon is the swarm defense like last year which was horrible to watch but I expect Dublin to have just enough class in vital areas to overcome them by 3 to 5 points IMO.

And to anyone talking about Dublin versus Kildare in the Leinster final, lets get past this game first which won't be easy before we start thinking about Leinster finals.

Bobalicious93

Anyone know what game is on before this in Croke Park?

Kinetic^

Last match was awful, I really hope we put out a decent performance this week.

Marse

Bobalicious93 wrote: »

Anyone know what game is on before this in Croke Park?

Leinster J.F.C. Final
Sunday,, 28th June 2009
Croke Park (2.10pm) - Louth v Longford

GAAman

Marse wrote: »

Leinster J.F.C. Final
Sunday,, 28th June 2009
Croke Park (2.10pm) - Louth v Longford

Crap i thought the Dublin match was on at ten past two??

I was hopin to go to the match then the ac/dc concert wont be able to if the match is at 4

Havin said that i promised myself i would meet you lads for a drink this time blackbelt you still have my num gimme a shout bout the arrangements for the pre match drink will ya?

jackbhoy

blackbelt wrote: »

I hear Glennon is moaning and mouthing off about Dublin in the papers about how we "dish it out verbally" and about "how we don't rate Westmeath".Now this is rather inappropriate as Gilroy,Griffin and Keaney have publically stated that they'll be cautious against Westmeath.

Gilroy talking up Westmeath is classic "mind games", every team does this, what the say in media and what they believe and say in training etc are two very different things. It happens before every game so surprised you take such expection to this stuff from Gleenon. He was singled out for sledging and verbals against dubs in past so there is some basis for it anyway.

No idea how this game will go, not overly optinmistic tbh. Westmeath will proabably struggle to win ball in midfield and our forwards tend to need a lot of it to get even modest returns on scoreboard. Our key players like O'D, Flanagan and Dolan are starting to show their age and carrying few injuries so other lads will really need to play out of their skins to win this.

First Westmeath c'ship game i'll miss in few years, maybe thats a good omen!

mufc4lfe

Hopefully Westmeath can put up a bit of a fight,im craving a good game of football right now....

eagle eye

I can't see anything but a big Dublin win. Westmeath are getting old, well the important players on that team are. Their defence is not good particularly the full back line and they'll get murdered in midfield. For me its all about how much it means to Dublin, if they keep going for 70 minutes it could be a huge win, if they put them away early and take their foot off the gas then they will win it by 8-10 points.

LizardKing

Is this on TV ?

Trampas

TV3

TheSpecialOne

both teams are truely shocking!regardless of the winer of todays match its a lillywhite leinster this year!

APM

Does anybody know the direct link to the TV3 stream so that I can watch this game in Spain?

I've got the link for the two RTE streams but haven't found the TV3 one yet!

Thanks

Imposter

PM sent

AuRevoir

Dublin to win by 5 points.

Euro_Kraut

Ah where is the crowd?? Expected this to be a sell out like most Dublin games.

Kinetic^

No crowd here,appalling.

kmart6

Euro_Kraut wrote: »

Ah where is the crowd?? Expected this to be a sell out like most Dublin games.

Prop all in the pub and for once the game isn't being delayed!!!

Looking a bit ominous already!

Euro_Kraut

Wow Dublin 4 pts up after 4 mins. Brilliant start by them.

green123

APM wrote: »

Does anybody know the direct link to the TV3 stream so that I can watch this game in Spain?

I've got the link for the two RTE streams but haven't found the TV3 one yet!

Thanks

and for people in ireland a stream is supposed to be available online but it is not working.
tv3 really are a shower of useless *****

anyone got a link ?

Euro_Kraut

green123 wrote: »

and for people in ireland a stream is supposed to be available online but it is not working.
tv3 really are a shower of useless *****

anyone got a link ?

Try watching it in Internet Explorer. Wont work for me in Firefox but is grand in IE.

green123

Euro_Kraut wrote: »

Try watching it in Internet Explorer. Wont work for me in Firefox but is grand in IE.

thanks,
yep that was the problem.
9-1 :eek:

Euro_Kraut

Your welcome.

1-13 to 0-3 now!

davestar

what a goal!!

Kinetic^

Great goal. Very sloppy at the back from dublin though.

kmart6

Westmeath shouldn't have even bothered coming out for the second half!!!

Euro_Kraut

I fancy Dublin to win it from here. I know 1-20 to 0-7 is a dangerous lead, but I think they'll hold on.

AMixedBag

kmart6 wrote: »

Westmeath shouldn't have even bothered coming out for the second half!!!

Pathetic Match..
Expected more then this to be honest.

TheSpecialOne

roscommon might actually beat someone in the qualifiers!

davestar

Euro_Kraut wrote: »

I fancy Dublin to win it from here. I know 1-20 to 0-7 is a dangerous lead, but I think they'll hold on.

rofl

orestes

Well that makes up for that bloody awful peno I guess, Dublin could go to the pub for the rest of the match and still win this one

davestar

orestes wrote: »

Well that makes up for that bloody awful peno I guess, Dublin could go to the pub for the rest of the match and still win this one

there'll be a few pints waiting under bernard brogan's name .

TheSpecialOne

westmeat came in to this game talking up their defence!:eek:ah for the love of christ another goal!

Orizio

I doubt there is a form of torture yet concieved that could make Westmeath suffer enough for this bull****.

TheSpecialOne

this is ridiculous!

Kristopherus

Referee pulling W'meath for every little thing. Blatant 3rd man tackle in last Maroon attack not called. Dublin showboating at the mo. Does nothing for them in the end. Should come out of Leinster, but what after that ?

orestes

Just blow it up ref, put an end to this farce

davestar

it wouldn't surprise me if the stadium empties before the final whistle . i think everyone has seen enough .

TheSpecialOne

hope the munster final doesnt end up this way...go easy on them limerick!:D