Dublin GAA Discussion Thread MOD WARNING POST #2944

Well it looks like there's gonna be 82,300 opinions inside Croker on the 30th ...

Slattsy wrote: »

You lads make me feel young!

.......

Well us and the gallon of porter inside ya ... I always thought I became invisible with drink on me, no one would see me do anything ... .. learned me lesson quick enough !

very quiet in here.
I've my fancy ticket arranged for Sunday again.
I've gone from expecting an upset to expecting a Kerry win because I've realized how little i really know about Tyrone, I've been to their games, saw the U21s etc. But I've zero idea how they will do against Kerry, I don't know how good or bad their forwards really are. They are very well organised I cant see any of that riot Kerry ran against Kildare happening for example D O'Sullivan will not come on and open them up IMO, Gooch and JOD yes.

I could see Kerry coming out of with less to select from for the final. They'll either hold lads off or risk injury, this will be their first really intense game this year, I'd be very supersized if JODs shoulder doesn't get a good test.

Reminds me of Darren Homan against Armagh back in the day, they hopped into his shoulder off the ball, don't think he played senior football after that, he was imo Whelans only real midfield partner. He had great games against Kerry in the championship a decent fielder, anyway I'm rambling.
Thing is that the shoulder it the one injury you don't want in GAA as off the ball hits to the shoulder go unpunished. A lad could get hit 5 times in as many minutes from as many players

I've had a quick jot down of our players.

As far as i see it we have 9 forwards available that are up to it. Costello, Rock and McManamon need things to go their way. Andrews can seem out of his class with some of the others sometimes but IMO he had his best championship game in 2013 against Mayo, he was everywhere. We are missing both Mannions runs and O'Gara, they both offer more chances of goals then say Andrews or Rock.

Midfield three options we know them now, Fenton is a risk, Bastic is another SOS imo underrated player that puts in a shift and plays well against good players can field the ball better than MDMA.

What of Shane Carthy, Mayo play open football, he could feature yet , shows well for kickouts, takes frees he could come off the bench under the radar.

Brady too, there are a couple of roles for him. I think that it might be wise to steal from Mayos bag of tricks and have him out the filed for kickouts and covering AOS thereafter. Although against us I think AOS will take on the role Donaghy does sometimes, he'll move out for kickouts and drift back in.

Half back line, four options
O'Sullivan, Small, McCaffery McCarthy going a bit against the grain a but McCarthy is IMO our best HB. McCaffery is going well this year but McCarthy will hit them hard, he's the one you wouldn't want marking you.

Back line. with ROC and Cooper there is a mix of strength in the air and the ability to get out ahead of the player. McMahon to is our best option in his best position IMO, I don't look so much at there being less pressure on his position as being a bad thing, I prefer having him in there now established rather than just winning his spot back.

Overall there is no doubt that apart from Small and Fenton we have less options available this year then we had in 2013, mainly up front. However the team is more settled now and there is reasonable cover in the subs and game changers in the subs too. The starting 15 is more settled

This would be my starting team vs Mayo

Cluxton
P McMahon
ROC
Cooper
McCaffery
O'Sulllivan
McCarthy
MDMA
Brady
Connelly
Fenton/Carthy
Flynn
Andrews/Costello (depending on how hes going)
B Brogan
Kilkenny

My subs would be

Bastic
Andrews/Costello
McMamaman
A Brogan
Rock
Carthy
Fitzsimons
Deveroux
Culligan (good game v Mayo already strength would be an assent)

whoever I left out, its been a long week sorry

The most surprising thing is that i cant find a place for Rock in the stating line up so Cluxton would need to be on form, however i cant see it happening.

Sooooo here comes the bit i get slagged for.

I'd drop a forward to mark AOS, this i think will be the Barry Cahill/Cullen role that Fenton will play. A corner forward will be dropped and kilkenny would be shown on paper as being in the corner but he'll pop into the slot freed up by Fenton playing further out. Therefore you couldn't reasonably have Rock up with Brogan it would need to be Costello/Andrews/McManamon running into the corners. I would definitely not start McManamon he is 100% at his best as a sub and we need him on the bench for impact and the physiologically benefit

How AOS is handled will be telling, the size of the players Mayo have available to them messes our selection up all together IMO, we struggled on that big cork team of 09/10 too.

Would Connelly, Kilkenny, B Brogan, Flynn be enough to carry Rock, I think if three of the four had a good day it would be enough, but its a risk. I think the Mayo backs would could mark Rock with their flutes, he plays very well in a packed defense IMO he can get on the end of tight plays , but in open space at pace could he pull his weight in a two man inside line?
This is why I have a mad wild card for Carthy starting in the half forward line too. He can take frees and is more mobile than Rock, in this game fielding will be important, a slow forward will free up a fast counter attaching Mayo back. Carthy could drift in and out a bit.

AOS and the space he creates could win this for Mayo, yet my thoughts on mayo since the start of the year are the same, they have yet to show they can handle a top number 14 (playing there for the game) themselves? they'll have to prove it at least twice to win the AI.

Dublin Mayo, I predict a draw. If Kerry start JOD I predict he'll leave the filed injured or to prevent it.

Dublin have every right to claim they were the better team in 13 final. The victor writes the history and that's how it should be. If we analyse that game more forensically however (and from a Mayo angle ) it was Brogans first goal that saved Dublin as they were in big trouble up to that point.. From a Mayo point it was a terribly soft goal to concede. Up to that point Mayo were physically dominant, they bullied and hammered Dublin in what was a very physical 35 mins. Mayo fitness and conditioning has moved on even more since then and they have Dublins number in that sector which can be the difference these days.Anyone who has met any of the Mayo team in person can tell you how big they are, they are silly strong even COC is a brute now. As ever with Mayo the winning of this game will be how much their 6 forwards can contribute from play when their parachute (the half back line )is busy with their own business.The backs will not have the freedom or energy to maraud forward like they did against a watery Donegal. They will need most of their forward line and subs to make a scoring contribution including at least 1 goal to win the game. My reading of it is that over the last 2 games between the 2 teams Mayo have been the better side by a good bit but lack of killer instinct almost caught them in 12 and did catch them in 13 that extra bit is there now if forwards can deliver.
While I'm at it Kerry to win convincingly, result will never be in doubt but the final score may not reflect the difference. In tight games 3 or 4 points can be convincing.

ultrapercy wrote:

Sorry I didn't mean to post this in the Dublin thread. Not the first Culchie to get lost in Dublin I suppose.

It's ok uktrapercy. You can post about us winning in 2013 all you want.

ultrapercy wrote: »

Dublin have every right to claim they were the better team in 13 final. The victor writes the history and that's how it should be. If we analyse that game more forensically however (and from a Mayo angle ) it was Brogans first goal that saved Dublin as they were in big trouble up to that point.. From a Mayo point it was a terribly soft goal to concede. Up to that point Mayo were physically dominant, they bullied and hammered Dublin in what was a very physical 35 mins. Mayo fitness and conditioning has moved on even more since then and they have Dublins number in that sector which can be the difference these days.Anyone who has met any of the Mayo team in person can tell you how big they are, they are silly strong even COC is a brute now. As ever with Mayo the winning of this game will be how much their 6 forwards can contribute from play when their parachute (the half back line )is busy with their own business.The backs will not have the freedom or energy to maraud forward like they did against a watery Donegal. They will need most of their forward line and subs to make a scoring contribution including at least 1 goal to win the game. My reading of it is that over the last 2 games between the 2 teams Mayo have been the better side by a good bit but lack of killer instinct almost caught them in 12 and did catch them in 13 that extra bit is there now if forwards can deliver.
While I'm at it Kerry to win convincingly, result will never be in doubt but the final score may not reflect the difference. In tight games 3 or 4 points can be convincing.

Don't think it has anything to do with winning or losing, invariably people see what they want to see.

For what its worth i agree Mayo were slightly stronger in the first half against Dublin in 2013 and the scoreline flattered us. What you're missing though is that at the start of the second Dublin effectively took the game away from Mayo when they upped the ante. Andy Morans goal, just as poor from a Dublin perspective, put a gloss on it for Mayo. They got nothing from play and were crucified in the middle third. Dublin paced themselves far better on a warm day was my overriding memory of proceedings.

BTW the evidence would suggest Dublin are a fitter team because on both occasions Mayo have weakened first. (second half 2013, last 20 2012) Dublin upped the intensity and Mayo wilted.

Stoner wrote: »

On that I dont remember the 2013 the same way you do. I remember that after the first 10 minutes MDMA had AOS beaten he did little after that.

Cooper took a hammering alright as did ROC but I think the goal post helped there, O' Gara was bunched too. We used our subs too early.

I'm not at all concerend about mayo being fitter, they've been in great condition since 2012. They didn't lose in 2013 because the Dubs were fitter indeed the Dubs fell over the line and the mayo management didnt spot it and move Higgins out of defence. They also lost because they have an iffy number three and still do.

Height and fielding will be an issue, but then it always is with Dublin.
Our lads will bring them on a run too.

Feck it lets start bastic and Fenton and push MDMA up with Brogan.!!

ROC will have his hands full. Lots of talk about how McGee was the only one who might handle AOS.
But here is were I take a leap of faith. ROC is only 25. When you think of it he did ok on star four years ago as a 21 year old. He does ok on Murphy too .
When you go to games in Kerry and Mayo their fans like him or at least respect him. We are very lucky to have him and have nobody to replace him.
Imo mayo would give their right arm for him.
When he's not there we struggle. He'll be our most important player in the game, its AOSs mobility that concerns me it's where he lands and how fast he turns to face goal running. Star doesn't do that as much he usually lands where he jumped and he suits ROC more.

All in all though mayo appear to be the most improved team, I included Kerry in that too. Big games from big players will be needed again.

Thats the key bit. I've no problem Mayo picking a bunch of big lads in the middle. I remember being behind the goal in the canal end and from a height watching Dublin rush one way only for a lone sole to break into space the other and be cleanly found by Cluxton. It worked every time. We actually had it easy that day winning clean possession.

We're focusing far too much on the threats Mayo bring anyway. Dublin a formidable challenge for all and sundry. Irrespective of the marginal selection calls they will rack up a score against every team in the country and how they're matched on the scoreboard by an inferior Mayo unit is a far more pressing question imo.

He is. But he hasn't played a game at this level all year, nor has he played much with MDMA. In a game of this importance, I wouldn't be starting a brand new midfield partnership, unless I really had to. If it all goes pear shaped, there is no safety net. Try something like that during the league, or in the first couple of rounds of the Leinster champo, not in an AI semi final. I also think that he lacks the pace that games at this stage of the year are played at. If it was only was slightly apparent during the league games, it would be very apparent now.

ProudDUB wrote: »

Tayto v King

Definitely King. I like Tayto, but King have a nicer flavour. Every matchday, there's a pack of them in my back pack (along with the hang sangwiches! ).

DoctaDee wrote: »

I'd doubt it but off the top of my head the 2 Na Fianna lads - Barrett & Boland were the only representatives last time out v Waterford ?

O Donnell who plays for Whitehall Colmcille is on the panel. Alan McCrabbe of CC couldnt pulled out of the squad for 2015.

DoctaDee wrote: »

Giving a shocker for tamarra .. I can't see the standard of football rising above the weather conditions ... I'd give Tyrone a fighting chance .. just had a flashback to 2008 :rolleyes:

Also in 2008 was the horrific downpour throughout the second half of the Kerry v Galway quarter-final. It is the only time I've ever seen flood warnings being flashed up on the big screens. It didn't prevent there being some fantastic football played in that half by both teams. On the same evening, sissies from Sunderland called off their friendly in Tolka Park due to the weather. So it may not be a very nice day, but once the ball is thrown in, things are going to rise above the weather. I am going to need my wet gear - my Dublin rain mac no less.

Flukey wrote: »

Also in 2008 was the horrific downpour throughout the second half of the Kerry v Galway quarter-final. It is the only time I've ever seen flood warnings being flashed up on the big screens. It didn't prevent there being some fantastic football played in that half by both teams. On the same evening, sissies from Sunderland called off their friendly in Tolka Park due to the weather. So it may not be a very nice day, but once the ball is thrown in, things are going to rise above the weather. I am going to need my wet gear - my Dublin rain mac no less.

Wasn't there a league game under the lights I think again Tyrone were involved when they opened the upper Cusack because the lower flooded. Can't get in tomorrow myself but hope you enjoy the day and anyone else that's heading.

If Tyrone can bag a goal or 2 it'll be a close run game, otherwise I'd see Kerry winning hands and heels

Slattsy wrote: »

Can Kerry do it on a wet Sunday against Tyrone in Croker?

I'd say Harte is loving that weather right now. Should be an interesting game. Won't make for great quality football but should be entertaining all the same.

Tyrone the better team but blew it.

The AI winners come from the winners next weekend imho, regardless who it is.

Slattsy wrote: »

Tyrone the better team but blew it.

The AI winners come from the winners next weekend imho, regardless who it is.

100% agree. Really thought Tyrone wud pull it out of the bag today and backed them accordingly so you'll assured ill be wrong when I say that I see Dublin putting on a clinic next weekend and winning comfortably.
If Tyrone had Cluxton today they win that game. Morgan a disaster more times than not.