The darkest of days ......

I have been following Dublin avidly for 35 years now. Yes I have enjoyed the good days – 1974, ’76, ’77, ’83 and ’95 and the Leinsters and the National Leagues. Some titanic struggles, awesome performances, hard men, heroes and legends. But the dark days have always been there – the 70s, mid 80s, early nineties and the noughties – oh the naughty noughties! And the dark days are far more prevalent nowadays, and darker than before and then today. Today was the darkest – my darkest ever.



What emotions went through me for 70 minutes today and since? Disgust, dismay, anger, frustration, disbelief, sadness, shame even, shock, depression, hopelessness, humiliation – all of these. What adjectives went through my head to describe my beloved Dubs as I watched their effortless dismantling? Clueless, heartless, guileless, spineless, shameful, fightless, browbeaten and bewildered – not nice words, not nice descriptions – but I’d be lying if I didn’t say each and every one of them crossed my mind during this gut wrenching match.



A Dublin team booed from the pitch at half time! I have never ever heard that before. I did not indulge but when people pay a lot of money to follow their team and are served with 35 minutes of woe - and that’s being kind – well I can see where people are coming from – even if I don’t think it helps and would not do it myself. At the end of the day these lads are amateurs and put a colossal effort into the game – sacrifice so much in terms of jobs, study, social life etc. Then another voice tells me – yes, but they are treated like gods – they have the best of everything, no expense is spared and there are rewards – and this too is true.



But firstly we are simply not good enough. We have defenders who can’t defend and have had all season – but they got away with it until today. At this level you allow teams latitude and space like we did Kerry and you will be punished – annihilated. And so it came to pass. Midfield is not consistent and forwards consequently got an appaling service today - but were too static and predictable in any case.



Dublin footballers will always have to live with the fact that the vast majority of teams who comes to play them in Croke Park are going to play above themselves, give it their all, are going to thrive on 60,000 Dubs baying for blood. We can’t seem to deal with this and the monkey is getting bigger and is out of control.



Without being overly dramatic I think this defeat has the capacity to set Dublin football back years – because this is clearly a huge difficulty which no amount of training will overcome. No amount of hours in the gym, no amount of bench presses, of laps will correct the basic truth – that we are hugely fragile mentally. We bottle things – hard thing to admit as a fan – but an inescapable fact too.



This was a far worse defeat than last year. This year we were beaten before the teams lined out – we were beaten before a ball was kicked. That’s what makes it so hard to stomach to deal with. From a Dub perspective there was NOTHING to take from that game. Not one shred, not one iota, not one morsel of comfort.



And then I look what Tyrone have achieved with far less players. Look at Kerry. Cork. Armagh. Meath. Galway. Dublin football is in a bad place. There must be a complete overhaul in underage structures, a radical re-think on why a county with so many clubs delivers so little nationally. Youngsters must be told – sorry son if you want to play for Dublin you have got to concentrate solely on GAA. Harsh – but required.



Learn from the likes of Tyrone – it can be done, and it must be done. The one ray of hope is what has been achieved in Dublin hurling. Something similar must be done for Dublin football. The gloves must come off.



A guy of about 40 was walking in front of me with his young lad on the way out of the game today and he said to him ‘Well son, you might live to see Dublin win Sam but I probably won’t.’ A good line of typical Dub banter – but a sentiment which is not necessarily out of the question the way things are going.



Ah, give us me coat, I’m away out for a few – tis a very dark place that Dublin supporters are landed in year in, year out. Better to meet the darkness with a few pints of it I suppose ….

Yes well hard luck to you, Jayo and the Dublin players.

Though, if me and Samin10 weren't ignored all week, something could have been done to prevent this.

I feel for the Dubs JC, I do, its never nice to get torn apart by a team like the Dubs were today...


but a little bit of me thinks haha...sheerly for the threads that you have been writing the past number of weeks about Derry and other counties that had been knocked out of the competition. Ah well, you will be on the other end of the abuse for the foreseeable future!

The jealousy aimed at the Dubs is cringe worthy.

As Humphries said last week Jack O'Connor would have found it difficult going into the Kerry dressing room with the words "Right lads, Antrim/Longford" today" to motivate the players.

Kerry were either going to roll over and die, or destroy someone. We now have the answer, and suddenly Tyrone look to be the team struggling, well behind Cork and Kerry. Football can be fickle, and misleading.

HOWEVER, the Dubs FANS were not crowing during the week, most of them feared Kerry for obvious reasons. The MEDIA in Dublin is another matter. Dublin are box office, that sells papers.

What is undeniable is the love of the GAA and team allegiance found in the real Dubs. Sold out today.

On Sunday with 4 counties playing, 49,000. Allowing for neutrals that is about 10,000 per county, and Kildare for one have a large support when they are on a roll.

I bet there will be more than 10,000 Cork or Tyrone people looking tickets if they make the final.

The Dubs fans are wonderful, warm hearted, knowledgeable and humurous. Two years in a row now, but they will be back next year.

You can laugh and make all the snide comments you like, but you can never, ever, take that from the Dubs.

The GAA depends on the Dubs, and all the hate aimed at them proves that, and is the source of the jealousy.

Thanks BO - and you too P - nice words.

It is not just words, why not start a thread on HS restricted to posters from Counties who have beaten the Dubs in the championship in the last two years.

That would restrict the numbers.

They will do what they like. If any ethnic group was slandered the way Dubs imagine the consequences...

Dark day indeed for Dublin football. Heart goes out to ya Jayo and the genuine Dub supporters. Few pints tonight and ye'll be sound. (It wont really start hurting until tomorrow anyway ). Mayo's All-Ireland to lose now, no question.

mossbags wrote: (It wont really start hurting until tomorrow anyway ).

............

I wrote:

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Kerry will win.

The Dublin backs are middling bunch. If Kerry get the run on them, they will crumble. Brennan's presence will also be missed but its from 2-4 that the real weakness lies and I suspect the Kerry forwards to expose this.

Apparantly Wheelo back into midfield, sounds like they are getting desperate.

As for the forwards, well look what happened when Meath tightened things up and put a bit of pressure on them.

Dublin have beaten nothing bar a Meath team played all out of position and as per usual their fans are getting carried away. Its clear they will never learn. If Kerry are anyway decent, they will see off the Dublin threat.

Jayo wrote:

Jayo Cluxton wrote:Yeah top analysis as usual Loyal. I just can't see past Sam going home to Tara this year .......

Perhaps that is one of the reasons certain members of the Dublin public are coming in for some criticism. My opinions were dismissed by numerous Dublin posters elsewhere too.

Game comes and they are boo-ing the team off the pitch.

Good man loyal, your putting up a better display against the Dubs here then your fellow county men did there a couple of months back and using an patented Meath tactic to boot, ie, if a man is down its high time to kick him.

Loyal - I was not dismissing you rating Kerry but I was dismissing your assessment of Meath - which I still do. Meath are the worst side left by a mile. And where did I gloat that Dublin would win as you suggested elsewhere cos I did nothing of the sort.

You knock Dublin fans for saying their team is going to win - this from a guy who is famous for his Meath to win Sam, who can stop Meath etc threads. Why do you speak out of both sides of your mouth ?

Big f***ing deal you got a prediction right (rare enough for you - see Tipster League table) -today - so what?

So basically its alright for you to post that a mediocre Meath team will win Sam but not for Dublin fans to think they will win a game. You're a stirrer and a hypocrite.

Commiserations Jayo but if, in your darkest hour a number of rays of light are there if the Dublin management can see them.
1. Whelan's day is done and he was lucky to stay on the pitch.
2. Bastic not the answer at f/b and temperamentally very brittle.
3. McConnell is no good in any position.
4. No exhortation from the line to the middle 8 to pull their fingers out and get tackling.
5. The withdrawal of Sherlock was a bad call to my mind. He has the cunning to orchestrate things given ball but 'twas hardly his fault if it wasn't coming in.
6. Facing the big teams you must be prepared to put in the work, it won't happen for you.

Now enjoy your few pints and check your texts, I'll bet nobody's' died belonging to you.
The sun will rise again tomorrow as normal and as Clash I think said 'tis Mayo's to lose.

Clash would echo the sentiments Boxty I am sure. I think what this bank holiday proved conclusively is that Connacht is indeed the strongest province

The sort of crap people come out with annoys me (not aimed at anyone) but it really puts me off Gaelic football because it is not what it or we're about. Its about two counties going out to play against each other winner takes all but sometimes people go over the top. If your county suffered the same defeat as Dublin or Donegal did today/yesterday then you would be gutted and the last thing you want is someone laying the boot in when youre feeling pretty crappy already. This is not what the GAA is about, its good to have rivalries, every county has their day but I have a lot of respect for the dubs, just like I have a lot of respect for Tyrone and Down. No matter how bad or frustrated we are with our counties performance a true fan will be there game after game through the good and the bad.

Next year I will be there for as many games as I can get to and im sure one day Armagh will be back as will Dublin and Donegal.

Dublin fans didn't just say they were going to win. They said they were going to destroy this Kerry team, put them out of their misery. Went on talking about non-existent rivalries. And when the ability of their team was questioned, they resorted to posting typical Meath man stuff and the like. They didn't give Kerry any respect - or so it seemed to me looking in.

The fact remains that Meath are still in the championship, still fighting strong. We may be mediocre but if we beat Mayo next week, then at least we'll be more mediocre than Dublin! Of course, then we'll have to put up with luck of the draw talk.

No matter what happens though, I am happy enough with the progress Meath have made in 2009! At the start of the year, I'd have taken a quarter final appearance. And we are in a quarter final. We don't really expect to beat Mayo. But we'll try nevertheless.

mossbags wrote:Clash would echo the sentiments Boxty I am sure. I think what this bank holiday proved conclusively is that Connacht is indeed the strongest province

Apologies there Moss, of course it was you noble self who made the perceptive observation on Mayo. G'wan the Mort......!!!

GAA-Fan wrote:The sort of crap people come out with annoys me (not aimed at anyone) but it really puts me off Gaelic football because it is not what it or we're about. Its about two counties going out to play against each other winner takes all but sometimes people go over the top. If your county suffered the same defeat as Dublin or Donegal did today/yesterday then you would be gutted and the last thing you want is someone laying the boot in when youre feeling pretty crappy already. This is not what the GAA is about, its good to have rivalries, every county has their day but I have a lot of respect for the dubs, just like I have a lot of respect for Tyrone and Down. No matter how bad or frustrated we are with our counties performance a true fan will be there game after game through the good and the bad.

Next year I will be there for as many games as I can get to and im sure one day Armagh will be back as will Dublin and Donegal.

The things that are being posted here are nothing compared to what has been wrote about Meath in the past 20 years. Meath will never be liked, everyone wants to see us lose. Probably what made us successful back then. Perhaps their has been a drop in the hatred directed to us in the last ten years though and our performances have dropped in proportion?

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:

GAA-Fan wrote:The sort of crap people come out with annoys me (not aimed at anyone) but it really puts me off Gaelic football because it is not what it or we're about. Its about two counties going out to play against each other winner takes all but sometimes people go over the top. If your county suffered the same defeat as Dublin or Donegal did today/yesterday then you would be gutted and the last thing you want is someone laying the boot in when youre feeling pretty crappy already. This is not what the GAA is about, its good to have rivalries, every county has their day but I have a lot of respect for the dubs, just like I have a lot of respect for Tyrone and Down. No matter how bad or frustrated we are with our counties performance a true fan will be there game after game through the good and the bad.

Next year I will be there for as many games as I can get to and im sure one day Armagh will be back as will Dublin and Donegal.

The things that are being posted here are nothing compared to what has been wrote about Meath in the past 20 years. Meath will never be liked, everyone wants to see us lose. Probably what made us successful back then. Perhaps their has been a drop in the hatred directed to us in the last ten years though and our performances have dropped in proportion?

I wouldnt mind seeing Meath win AI but realistically they dont stand a chance. Infact anyone outside Kerry and Tyrone id like to see win it.

I would rate the teams at the moment...

1.Cork
2.Kerry
3.Tyrone
4. Mayo/Meath

Cork and Kerry are 1st and 2nd because of the pure path of destruction they have both left this weekend. Tyrone played a Kildare team that havent peaked. Mayo did enough to beat Galway who were beaten by Donegal who were annihilated by Cork.

Meath are either going to become a top 4 team of 2009 or a top 10 team.

I will admit that my own county has gone down the shi***r but dont think they will be out in the cold for too long.

mossbags wrote:Good man loyal, your putting up a better display against the Dubs here then your fellow county men did there a couple of months back and using an patented Meath tactic to boot, ie, if a man is down its high time to kick him.

And what is that supposed to mean, mossbags? This is a forum, I'm not kicking nobody. Jayo is not a member of the Dublin panel. If he can't deal with my posts (and I don't doubt that he can), then he should find a new forum.

I don't mind what you post Loyal tbh - I don't take a blind bit of notice. And if anyone wants to gloat thats their prerogative. But don't be saying I was posting that we'd hammer Kerry - I don't recall any Dublin poster saying that on here but hey don't let me go f***ing up your stereotypical notions. And people are right to have a go at Dublin today cos we were truly awful.

No, nobody pays a blind bit of notice to my posts.

If you check the second page of the Dublin Kerry thread, you will see a post from a Dublin poster more or less saying the Dubs had to turn up.

Again, another poster who has learned nothing in the last five years.

I've been away for the weekend but just caught up with the news, ouch! I feel for you Jayo. On the flip side there's some teams hitting some serious form now, should make the run in very exciting.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:
Again, another poster who has learned nothing in the last five years.

And what have you learned????? You have gone on ad nauseum for the last number of years telling us Meath were going to win Sam!!! Cop on to yourself - you are knocking others for the very thing you do the whole time.

Yeah but if we fail then I won't go quiet during the game. I won't leave early, I won't stop supporting the team, I won't stop clapping when we score, I won't boo the team, I won't boo members of the opposition panel. I shall do as my name implies. I won't come on to websites looking for pity expecting other posters to give me sympathy after the game.

The Dublin "fans" failed their team as much as the team failed them today. Unfortunetely, I am the only one willing to risk his/her forum reputation and say as much. Still at least, it generates some sort of heated debate..........