2018 All Ireland Senior Football Championship

Sport
9359

Dublin tactically have evolved to another level over the past two years. After Donegal beat them in 2014, they struggled against defensive systems to a relative degree, they needed a lucky late goal to get a draw against Tyrone in the 2015 league game, they hit only 8 points against Derry in the same league campaign. I recall them struggling to break down Westmeath in a Leinster final a few years back and they had similar bother with Carlow at the start of last year’s Championship and another league meeting with Tyrone which also ended in a draw at the start of last year’s league.

But gradually they’ve evolved and cracked mass defences, if you play open against them you run the risk of being blown away, that’s the case since Gavin arrived, now they’ve got to a stage whereby if you play conservatively against them you won’t see the ball and they’ll just pop it about until they get the score while the opposition will struggle massively for scores.

There’s no tactical strokes to pull against Dublin now, you simply have to be better than them. You have to be able to hold their forwards, leave your forwards up the pitch and be able to boss or at least match them in the middle sector - and that area was the place I think Tyrone were found wanting the most yesterday.

Tyrone did what all the neutrals and experts called for them to do yesterday, they went for it but they weren’t good enough, a bit more composure and patience in attack and they certainly could have asked more questions of Dublin but it likely wouldn’t have been enough. To beat Dublin you’re looking at a near perfect performance and for Dublin to have an off day, the opening 15 minutes yesterday are the type of thing you need to happen over the course of 70.

I just don’t see anyone with the complete package to beat Dublin at the minute. What stood to Mayo was they have the size and power around the middle of the pitch to match Dublin, they had the backs to handle their forwards in space and this allowed them to leave men up the pitch to break.

From a Tyrone perspective I thought our backs held up well yesterday and it’s positive that McNamee and McCann are the oldest members of the defence at 27. What we have this year is more or less what it is, there’s a few outside the panel at the minute that could add something if they came back in - Conan Grugan, Jonathan Monroe, possibly Coney might give Tyrone a little bit extra but not enough.

We’ve a number of talented young players to come through but the general rule would be you’re looking at about 3 years at senior level for these lads to make a mark. I’d have high hopes for Emmett McNabb, Brian Kennedy, Peter Og McCartan and Darragh Canavan in the future but these guys all will need about two or three years of physical development before they can play a major role.

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9360

The first 15 minutes Tyrone went at Dublin, pushed up on them aggressively and got Dublin into 2 on 1’s and turned them over a load of times. They also pushed right up on Cluxtons kicks and had him sweating. Then Dublin got the goal and Tyrone sat back and Dublin took over. TBF to Tyrone it requires unbelievable fitness to do what they were for the full game but it was almost like a switch was flipped after the goal.
Dublin are unbelievable when they don’t need to score, if they get that 4 point lead they really tear you apart, over and back for 2 or 3 minutes waiting for the right opportunity and then bang over the bar and repeat.
They aren’t in anyway as comfortable when they are chasing a game.
We’ve seen it before as well, Cluxton is their biggest strength and their biggest weakness, if you can start winning his kickouts he can be rattled. But if you let him do his thing they’ll rip you apart.
I thought Tyrone had their tactics spot on and then just stopped. It was like Harte said go at them for 15, hold them for 45 and then we’ll try win it in the last 10.
That Dublin fullback line is there to be got at under the high ball too. We’ve seen it a few times this year and last.

9361

I reckon that having Paddy McBrearty, Eoin McHugh, Jason McGee and Ciaran Thompson back next season could seriously transform Donegal’s fortunes.

McHugh and McBrearty in particular, were sorely missed in the last 11 minutes against Dublin and McGee would go toe to toe with Fenton in the aerial battle at least.

On as aside I reckon Fenton is the most complete Midfielder since Anthony Tohill.

9362

Des Cahill a journalist :laughing:

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9363

That timeline seems about right. They had retreated and then Morgan blew it.

Apart from the kickouts, the most notable aspect with Dublin is the width they maintain as they attack. It really stretches teams, opens gaps inside and tires out the middle 8…

I was in sitting in the middle of the upper davin.

9364

Ya Kilkenny, in particular, never seems to attack down the side he get’s it either. Wins it and then takes off for the far touchline stretching the defence the whole way, pop a pass in the middle if it’s on or else turn at the far side and lay it back. They play two three passes across the middle to completely free men and then start the process again.

9365

It would have been interesting to see what would have happened had Morgan not duffed that kickout. Tyrone were well on top at that stage. Had they made it to half time in front it might have made a real game of it, though I don’t think they would have survived the arrival of the cavalry. The Dubs just went through the gears for 15 minutes after that, and killed the game, then played keep ball for the second half.

9366

Gaelic Football is badly in need of a rule change or two to improve it as a spectacle. Something along the lines of a team not being allowed take the ball back inside their 45 once they have played it out. The game has evolved to a stage where real contests for possession are few and far between and I think its a poorer spectacle because of this. Dublin playing the ball over and back intheor own half practically uncontested for minutes on end is shite to watch even for Dublin supporters. A simple rule tweak or two could sort it out.

3 Likes
9367

I don’t think that will get them near the level required though.

They should certainly improve but Donegal’s problem still remains that there are a few players there who are on going to be on the slide, Murphy, McGlynn, McGee are all key players with their best days behind them. They seem to have fallen off a little bit at minor of late and they need that push to keep coming on.

That’s why I think Tyrone are and still will be ahead in terms of the other Ulster sides, the age profile is very good. There are only 4 players around the 30 mark in the squad, of those 4 players only Cavanagh is an important starter. McCrory, Mickey O’Neill and McCarron could all decide to call it a day now and while all good servants they have barely featured this year bar McCarron who looks finished anyway.

9368

We need a shot clock, and I’m only kind of joking.

9369

Something along the lines of a kickout from the 20 metre line which must pass the 45 metres line will be proposed. Imagine the crowding that would bring to the pitch.

9370

I thought of that but it’s not really logistically possible at club level. I’d say the answer is in some zonal restriction on taking the ball backwards. The GAA are awful slow to make these type of changes. Rugby seem to change the rules regularly as the game evolves.

9371

No two hand passes in a row is another possibility. Half the footballers in the country can’t even kick the ball at this stage so that would be a game changer.

9372

If you fixed the game at inter county it’d be a start. Most clubs generally wouldn’t have the standard of player required to keep the ball for as long as Dublin do.

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9373

get rid of the handpass altogether out of it. Simple

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9374

Murphy is still only 29 and there’s replacements there for McGlynn and McGee now - neither of whom were missed to the same extent as McBrearty.

They have a couple of good U21 seasons behind them and a stupidly competitive Club League and Championship.

9375

Yeah. That might work. It’s worth a shot. The best solution will probably be a simple one.

9376

Can’t see this working and it would only serve to add more controversy in referring errors than anything.

I’d go for:

  • Replace the black card with the sin bin
  • Kickouts must go beyond your own '45
  • No coming back into your own half - I could live without this one if the first two are properly enforced.
9377

when Liverpool were winning leagues willy nilly in soccer they changed the rules so the goalie couldn’t pick it up from a backpass and they haven’t won one since.

Remove the handpass and remove Dublin?

9378

From the Dubs starting 15:-
Cluxton - will be gone in 3 or so years time. Vital and it doesn’t look like they’ve a great replacement lined up yet.
Cian O’Sullivan - he might be completely finished or he might have another 4 great years.
Philly McMahon - looks finished to me. I hope they hang on to him actually. His decline has been fairly dramatic. I’m surprised they have to stick with him - a sign of weakness.
Jonny Cooper - good player but for me not amazing
John Small - great player only getting started. Occasional liability
Jack McCaffrey - class, many good years left
James McCarthy - an all time great, many good years left
Brian Fenton - one of the greatest midfielders of all time, only getting started
MDMA - very good player with plenty of good years left. Not untouchable but better that what else is around in the competing counties currently
Niall Scully - class, only getting started
Ciaran Kilkenny - an all time great, only getting started
Brian Howard - solid elite level player, only getting started
Con O’Callaghan - an all time great, only getting started, although showing possible signs of early burn out
Paul Mannion - great, only getting started
Dean Rock - very good player with many good years left.

Is that everyone?

Based on that I’d say they should be good for another 3 or 4 years, with a slight dip in quality. The Dubs players seem to burn out relatively young though, so that’s a good sign.

The fact that Dublin are shite underage but get huge break-out players in their early 20s is the biggest argument in favour of the Brazilian’s “financial doping” argument.

The biggest problem with the GAA at the moment is the likes of Down, Cavan, Derry, Meath, Offaly and Cork that have just given up on themselves. Counties with no self-respect. The strength of Dublin can’t account for the beating the Cork men were willing to take off Kerry this summer. I actually despise the cunts. How can Cavan let shitty little Monaghan dominate them for years on end like this? That shite can’t be attributed to money or the strength of Dublin or anything else other than this country is populated by a pack of whiny, moany, lazy, no-good, snow-flake, excuse-making cunts. Ireland is a joke of a sporting country generally. The useless whores in Cavan, Cork, Down, Meath, Offaly etc need to fucking try.

1 Like