Re: Dublin GG News

**champers** Fri Jun 06, 2014 11:47 pm

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:It must be slightly worrying for the future of Dublin that the youngest player involved on Sunday is 24. Granted an average age of around 27.5 which is what Dublin currently have is around about ideal but there ain't long left for a lot of them and once you've peaked, the decline can be quick. Why are none of the u21s from 2012 and 2014 involved? It's alright saying there's talented footballers coming through but if the cream of the bunch aren't getting their places now, it's a big ask to throw them in a year or two's time when the likes of Stephen Cluxton and Alan Brogan have retired, when for example someone like Rory O'Carroll is suffering a dip in form or for example someone like Diarmuid Connolly picks up a long-term injury.

The young stars from last year - Mannion and McCaffrey - have been dropped. Kilkenny and O'Brien would have been hard pressed to keep their places. Costello who looks a brilliant footballer hasn't been included.

I would also make the point that one of Jim Gavin's characteristics as a manager is loyalty or even an element of playing to the support. Alright, some will throw out the line that he's ruthless but the reality is Costello should be there instead of Alan Brogan. The younger man should be getting the nod when competition for places is that strong. He also favours Paddy Andrews and Johnny Cooper over what I would say are better options on the sideline.

Finally one other point worth making, does Pat Gilroy still the creditfor "discovering" McAuley and O'Gara? It's quite probably had Gilroy not taken a gamble on them, neither would be heard of. Then again, a different manager might have taken a gamble on someone like Ted Furman who could be a household name by now.

You make a valid point that jim has gone for experience over youth,but i would guess after least year that the younger players were always going to be under pressure to start this year no shock in Dublin on that count.

Personally I believe this Dublin team will evolve during the summer with the younger players having a big say before the year is out

**Thomas Clarke** Sat Jun 07, 2014 10:34 am

champers wrote:
Personally I believe this Dublin team will evolve during the summer with the younger players having a big say before the year is out

I agree with this, and would expect to see changes as the year goes on. I like Devereux's inclusion at CHB. He was excellent in the latter stages of the league and, when you think that McCaffrey is still to come in, there is frightening pace in the half-back line. Competing with Dublin for pace in the middle sector of the field is essential if you are to have a chance of beating them.

Loyal - I know you aren't a fan of Cooper but, to be fair, I haven't seen any Dublin corner backs that look superior to him in the last couple of years. Who have you in mind when you say he should be dropped?

**Loyal2TheRoyal** Sat Jun 07, 2014 11:11 am

In hindsight, it's not so much that I think there's better, it's that when Cooper has been getting roasted, there's being serious resistance to dropping or replacing him. The other corner back spot last year was probably the most contested position on the Dublin team with O'Brien, McMahon and Daly all starting there at some point or other. I couldn't understand why Cooper was able to hold to his jersey when he was as bad or as good as everyone else in the full-back line.

I also agree that the team will evolve over the course of the summer with the most likely additions being McCaffrey, Costello and Rock. McCaffrey will most likely get in before Daly who was unable to hold onto his position last year. Costello instead of Alan Brogan or Paddy Andrews and Rock instead of O'Gara.

The u21 campaign probably hampered the likes of McCaffrey, Mannion and Costello this year. Last year, they were knocked out early on and it benefited the younger players in the long run.

**champers** Fri Jun 27, 2014 10:07 pm

From Hill16.ie

DUBLIN (SFC v Wexford)

1 Stephen Cluxton (Parnell's)
2 Philly McMahon (Ballymun Kickhams)
3 Rory O'Carroll (Kilmacud Crokes)
4 Jonny Cooper (Na Fianna)
5 James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)
6 Nicky Devereux (Ballinteer St John's)
7 Kevin Nolan (Kilmacud Crokes)
8 Michael Darragh Macauley (Ballyboden St Enda's)
9 Cian O'Sullivan (Kilmacud Crokes)
10 Paul Flynn (Fingallians)
11 Paddy Andrews (St Brigid's)
12 Diarmuid Connolly (St Vincent's)
13 Alan Brogan (St Oliver Plunkett's/Eoghan Ruadh)
14 Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams)
15 Kevin McManamon (St Jude's)

good to see rock get his chance from the start

**Loyal2TheRoyal** Fri Jun 27, 2014 10:57 pm

At last Rock gets his chance. Is this his first championship start? I think it is.

There are loads of familiar names but still no players from the u21 winning sides of 2012 and 2014. McCarthy and Rock (24) by my reckoning are the youngest players in the team.

I am surprised Nolan got the nod before McCaffrey but not surprised Daly was dropped. I get the feeling that position and the centre-back position are going to be strongly contested for the rest of the year and will probably change again.

Dublin are looking weakest in midfield with McAuley suffering a dip in form. It was also the weakest line in their u21 team. Bastick and O'Mahony are the alternatives. There's depth to the midfield options but not much strength.

Bernard Brogan missing is always going to take a bit of gloss off the forwards. Still you look at it on paper and McMenamin, Rock and Andrews look a lot more manageable than what you might have expected. It looks like Costello is ninth in the pecking order behind the six starters, O'Gara and Brogan. Mannion is all the way back down in tenth and this is in the context of them missing Ciaran Kilkenny and Gavin having a soft spot for Cullen.

**champers** Fri Jun 27, 2014 10:58 pm

Thomas Clarke wrote:
champers wrote:At long last the champions take to the field sunday

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its looking good

Your 2 main rivals have already lost key players to cruciate injuries but, all the same, Gavin doesn't think that it will be a cakewalk. Interesting to see that the first/only name he mentioned outside of Sunday's opponents was Tyrone….

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tyrone went against the grain for the dubs [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] dubs got off to a flyer and tyrone reeeled them in that why gavin mentioned them as possible contenders

**Thomas Clarke** Sat Jun 28, 2014 1:29 am

champers wrote:
Thomas Clarke wrote:
champers wrote:At long last the champions take to the field sunday

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

its looking good

Your 2 main rivals have already lost key players to cruciate injuries but, all the same, Gavin doesn't think that it will be a cakewalk. Interesting to see that the first/only name he mentioned outside of Sunday's opponents was Tyrone….

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

tyrone went against the grain for the dubs [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] dubs got off to a flyer and tyrone reeeled them in that why gavin mentioned them as possible contenders

It's interesting that Harte has almost returned to that side for tomorrow's game, fielding 12 of the 15 starters.

The only changes are Quinn for Ryan McKenna at corner back, McNabb coming in at wing half with McGinley pushing forward to replace Mark Donnelly in the forwards, and SON for Coney.

**champers** Mon Jul 07, 2014 11:19 pm

Wasn't a great day at Croker for the hurlers yesterday,but hopefully they can grasp that they are only 1 game away from a semi final and put the head down and move on quickly.

Showed the cats to much respect yesterday

Wouldn't write them off just yet have a feeling we might just do what offally done in 98

**champers** Sun Jan 04, 2015 11:36 pm

Wonder can Dublin stop Kildare completing the 3 in a row in the O'Byrne cup hard to know

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