Dublin GAA Discussion Thread: Mod Note - No 'Dublin Dominance' chat allowed!

Charles Babbage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123506447#Comment_123506447

When were Dublin last more or less outnumbered in Croke Park?

Tombo2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123506733#Comment_123506733

Yeah I think thats fair, but I'd also say Armagh were a bit more street smart in their tackling - not as blatant in their fouling.

JRant

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123507009#Comment_123507009

I think they just went down handier when tackled amd refs these days lap it up

Trey13

Frustrating one today. Armagh probably not at full tilt but had we converted some of those wides we possibly could have edged it. We most likely need to win 5 games in a row now to win an All Ireland which I can't really see. Had we topped the group and got a nice QF draw I would have still had us in with a shout.

Trying to look at the positives and at least some of the younger players got some gametime. McGinnis was poor but he will be better for the experience. O'Dell had some moments, again he will hopefully be better for this sustained period in the team.

We desperately need some fresh blood in the inside forward line. Con was sorely missed and Costello probably isn't the guy to carry the load in there. Though I did think Paddy Small was good today.

How Soon Is Now

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123506840#Comment_123506840

Don't know to be honest. I'm sure on very big days like finals or semis it's tight but for a group game yesterday it was very obvious who had packed the ground.

Dogsdodogsstuff

I think of the missed wides yesterday and wonder if it would have any made a difference. It felt like Dublins decision making and composure was a massive issue and it has been all season. That’s not going to just fix itself over the next few weeks but we can work on the stupidity at handing Armagh handy frees on front of the post.

That said , Dublin at times don’t look as far off as I feared at Wicklow and meath games. I don’t see us winning Sam but we can put in a decent showing at least and build on it next season. Need more strategy’s for kickouts other then kick long left. While we do need to work on 2 pointers, we have created a lot of chances to get one pointers to compensate so maybe we need to just keep it simple if that’s our strength.

Not sure what to expect in Derry game, looking forward to breffini park visit again. I’d expect a sell out as it’s probably a do or die game for both.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123508006#Comment_123508006

The key bit for me in Dessie Farrell’s post match interview. He said “We thought we prepared well, but then looked like we didn’t practice at all.”

I don’t know what to make of that.

Dogsdodogsstuff

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123508164#Comment_123508164

Honesty from coaches can be double edge to be fair so it was a little concerning. How do squads react to that sort of Public , almost dressing down ?

I suppose if he gets a good reaction against Derry , we win and look to be shoring up mistakes it may prove worth it. If I think of our, relative improvements, on kickouts since Wicklow/meath, there are signs of improvements.

You could see how we would look better with more composed forwards as it felt like decision making; more then tactics up front , has been a major issue. Even in Galway game , moments when a simple point could be taken were squandered.

And yesterday, it almost looked like they would have been better served being fully comitted to their “take your one pointers” tactics. At times they looked like they weren’t comfortable trying to setup the 2 pointers or were sort of hesitating going full on for the point. The two pointers really is an Achilles heal for us.

rolling boh

We have a lot of decent footballers on the team but not at elite level obviously, hence the lack of consistency and we saw yesterday poor decision making and poor attempts at scores .The lads couldn't kick scores when the pressure to do was there especially the second half when we had enough of the ball to have really closed that gap .The subs list yesterday looked very underwhelming and it came to pass when they came on .

gormdubhgorm

Just looking at the match programme from last day. This caught my eye- in the championship games the Dublin footballers played prior to the Armagh game. 29 players were used and just 6 started all three games.

Trampas

Why does Costello take frees off the ground as he doesn’t seem to score many of them

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123510753#Comment_123510753

And more annoying than that he scored a 2 pointer from play after it. Very inconsistent.

Dogsdodogsstuff

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123510732#Comment_123510732

I was hoping as season went on we’d see a more settled starting 15 and team would grow into a flow.

Derry will probably be the game that shows us where Dublin really are at now. I’ve not seen enough quality to win Sam but have seen some shoots of improvement.

Certainly a mixed bag with kick outs. But decision making and silly frees have been costly. Amount of times I see a relatively easy point chance not taken has been concerning.

I wonder how much of Armagh game was Armagh playing within themselves or if Dublin might of done better if theyd been more clinical.

Any word on cons fitness ?

Tombo2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123507811#Comment_123507811

and also a home game.

On a side note - I've been to two LGFA games in recent times - one in parnell, one in Navan. In parnell Dublin fans were outnumbered by Mayo people about 3 to 1, and in Navan I'd say Dublin fans were about 2% of the crowd.

It was an eye opener - loads of people are involved in GAA in Dublin, like hundreds of thousands between kids playing and their families and so on. But there is very little buy in to the wider group of county teams, and the people who follow the mens senior footbal team have little or no interest in the other county teams.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123510773#Comment_123510773

No mention of Con’s fitness yet. Jayus it is like the throw back to the days in the early 00’s when if Alan Brogan was out at all, you would be more than a bit worried.

Good point you make on Armagh. The vibe I got from the match once Armagh got more than 2 scores ahead they pulled up containing it. In my mind it was a 5 point hammering. And even if Dublin did land more scores. Armagh would just have gone up the gears again.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123510789#Comment_123510789

I suppose crowds go where the success is. Meath seem to have really a connection with their ladies team.

Maybe families with young kids could use the LGFA games as a less hectic introduction to matches more. Than a men’s senior football game. Which can be a bit overwhelming for younger kids. Bigger crowds etc.

I would use the same argument for Dublin hurling games. There seems to be lots of younger families that go. And Parnell park is a nice feel to it. Less of the big match hustle and bustle. The little fans can tear out on the pitch with hurls/footballs and get autographs handy. I think that is a great tradition they have in Parnell.

The groans if the Parnell announcer says “No children on the pitch at HT today, because of pitch condition” would ruin the highlight of the day for many of them.

rolling boh

It's disappointing to see the fall off in support for the team,it seems to have happened very quickly. The other county teams have generally had little support ,a bit of a spike for the hurlers here and there.I was at some of the underage finals and we generally outnumbered four or five to one .Core support for Gaa in Dublin is really quite small comparison to most other counties .

Trampas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123510882#Comment_123510882

When I started bringing my kids to games in Croker we would take our seats and then move at half time to somewhere less crowded if busy as sometimes struggle to see over heads in front of them.

They love going to games outside Croker as meet the players after the game. Get that jumper, jersey or hurl signed. Along with the photo. Great the players who spend time after the game doing it. Especially after a defeat.

Tombo2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123510971#Comment_123510971

League of Ireland has hoovered up a whole lot of the underage and young adult support. Kids in a given area identify more with Bohs or Shels or Pats or Rovers than with the county team. Same might apply to Leinster Rugby.

rolling boh

Definitely see more groups of younger people going to soccer now ,The saying the greying of the hill is true when you look at pictures when Dublin are playing as opposed to other counties. Also true Leinster rugby has become the go to for people going to what they see as an event .

billyhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123510971#Comment_123510971

Dublin has plenty of sunshine bandwagon supporters. If things were going well they would jump back onboard the positivity train. All counties have them to be fair.

Dogsdodogsstuff

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123511441#Comment_123511441

It’s also difficult for teams to maintain support when they are really successful. Remember the saying that you wouldn’t see many Kerry fans outside the county until the AI semis.

How Soon Is Now

I haven't been to an away match for a good while due to my family situation but I can't remember the last Dublin match in Croke Park there was a great atmosphere. It's been off for a good while now to be honest. Even if you take the crowd out of the equation our style of play has become very slow and predictable. When everything isn't going our way teams are finding it much easier to manage us especially when Con is out of the team. It was very frustrating on Sunday watch us get the ball move it forward at pace then just stop slow everything down and do something stupid.

crossman47

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123511517#Comment_123511517

You wouldn't even see them then - they wait for the final!

Tombo2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123511169#Comment_123511169

Adult tickets for Croker were 20 euro at the weekend. Less than half full, and more Armagh people there than Dublin. Bohs tickets are currently 22 euro. Bohs selling out every week.

Dogsdodogsstuff

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123511531#Comment_123511531

A part of me misses the explosive Shane Ryan and Ciaran Whelan 15 minute crazy combo where we’d rack up up to 10 points. Oddly reminded me of Armaghs final 10 mins of first half.

How Soon Is Now

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123511543#Comment_123511543

Even though we would nearly always find a way to lose the game it was bloody exciting haha.

billyhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123511543#Comment_123511543

Great work rate between the 2 of them. Shane Ryan although not as talented would work his socks off. Darren Homan was an able deputy too.

Dogsdodogsstuff

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123511586#Comment_123511586

Yeh and Ryan could run through an entire team but couldn’t shoot. I used to watch them train in Parnell park and never understood why they didn’t simply always make sure a player is near Ryan to get a handy score near the end of his many runs.

rolling boh

Think the atmosphere on the hill is gone down a lot because of the age group,I think other counties supporters can grow out of standing on the hill so it's mainly younger fans that go there,not so much with Dubs where plenty have rarely if ever going to anywhere else in the ground so not the large groups of more vocal supporters there anymore .If there was a cover on the hill it would obviously be louder.