‘Fresh start’ leaves Gilroy in no man’s land

WHAT should have been done with Dublin immediately after the 2006 semi-final defeat to Mayo is finally, belatedly, taking place now: but, as they discovered yesterday, transition delayed is transition undermined.

The problem now is that they have a manager in Year Two trying to do what should have been done four seasons ago, and, as their 2006 conquerors Mayo are also finding out, the cleanest cut would have been the soonest healed.

The final two years of Pillar’s reign were spent gorging on virtually meaningless Leinster titles, and Pat Gilroy, too, should have gone for broke last year. He didn’t have to endure the personal indignity of the Kerry walloping to make up his own mind.