dublin back to the top table or feeding of the scraps?

after a hugely impressive league campaign where they scored at will and created chance after chance are this Dublin team realistic contenders for the all ireland now? what i mean by this is we have been well used to see dublin play with reckless abandon going forward for many years playing some amazing football at times but generally ( bar when gilroy was in charge) failing once they came up against a top hard physical team who can score but more importantly defend!

is this they type of team dublin are again or are have they the will, steel, determination and hunger of gilroys team of 2011 plus the attacking guile and excellence of other teams?

this weekend we will catch a glimpse of what to expect over the summer from the boys from the capital but predictions please lads?

Unless Kildare have dramatically improved, Dublin may not really know what they have until it is do or die. Croke Park will suit their pace, but I would put them behind the defending champions at this stage.

it is a bit like mayo in connacht really no proper test for alot of the big teams unless ure from ulster! kerry and cork will get one game of note when they play each other while poor mayo will have played no one untill the 1/4 finals. but dublin will look to demolish pretty much everyone in leinster! westmeath where in the NL div 2 final so should be ok will produce somethign for 45/55 mins and dublin will pull away then i would imagne!

rich dublin wrote:it is a bit like mayo in connacht really no proper test for alot of the big teams unless ure from ulster!

Perhaps, although the big difference is that Mayo pretty much know their best 15 already, and how these players will react under pressure and against tight defences in August. Dublin have a lot of newcomers and, while they look very good so far, any flaws may not be shown up until it is too late.

Thomas Clarke wrote:

rich dublin wrote:it is a bit like mayo in connacht really no proper test for alot of the big teams unless ure from ulster!

Perhaps, although the big difference is that Mayo pretty much know their best 15 already, and how these players will react under pressure and against tight defences in August. Dublin have a lot of newcomers and, while they look very good so far, any flaws may not be shown up until it is too late.

thats a really good point one im sure management in dublin ad supporters will be really worried about! which i suppose leads to the obvious question! are the provincial championships outdated and do they have to go for the betterement of the gaa?

rich dublin wrote:
which i suppose leads to the obvious question! are the provincial championships outdated and do they have to go for the betterement of the gaa?

Maybe needs a thread of its own, but I've long recommended keeping them, but as a standalone contest played in May-June, sandwiched between league (Feb-Apr) and 32 county knockout championship (July-Sept).

prob does need a thread of its own id agree. but looking at dublin they will more or less go though till august without a decent match bar maybe kildare! doengal will have played some seriously tough games which means they will have a big advantage over the dubs if and wen they play them

The Westmeath approach to defence not exactly from the jim Mcguinness school of thought.
That said dubs are fit, fast and the young cubs are enjoying it.