Dublin have too much to learn in too short a time
Big time.
Intercounty players are by nature very competitive animals. They want to win every game, every day and especially on the big days in Croke Park.
Still not convinced? The half-time bust-up as the teams headed in under the Hogan Stand undeniably illustrated how much both sides wanted to end the first part of the season with silverware.
Both managers at different times were visibly animated and exasperated on the sidelines. They both clearly wanted to win — badly.
Conor Counihan is trying to maintain last year’s dominance and Pat Gilroy is building confidence and momentum. While Gilroy will stress the positives to his players next week, the familiar ending for this Dublin team will trouble him and despite only losing one game in 2011, they now enter the championship with some unwanted baggage, and more questions than answers.
Dublin led this game by eight points five minutes into the second half. Why could they not close the deal? They encountered a systems failure. Much has been made of the Gilroy-Whelan defensive system. It still requires considerable tweaking if Dublin are to see the latter stages of the championship.
I feel there are two major flaws with their system. From a defensive point of view they are conceding way too much, particularly when they are setting up with such a defensive system. Yesterday they conceded a hurling score, 21 points, with 18 coming from play.
Considering that indiscipline undid them in last year’s semi-final loss they were probably paranoid about giving Daniel Goulding or Donnacha O’Connor a chance to win the game from placed balls.
Mindful of this they allowed the Cork forwards too much space and Pierce O Neill, Patrick Kelly and Ciarán Sheehan were more than happy to oblige, kicking 10 points between them.
Too many of the withdrawing Dublin players were marking space rather than engaging opponents in hand-to-hand combat. The notable exception was Barry Cahill, who was very effective as a sweeper, but he did not get enough help. Gilroy will have to get his withdrawing players to make contact with opponents in possession rather than filling space.
Offensively, as the half-forward line withdraws to augment their defence, too large a gap is left between midfield and the full-forward line. Consequently, the ball being aimed at Bernard Brogan has to be of a very high standard as for the most part it’s travelling at least 50 yards.
Brogan’s excellence ensures that he wins his fair share of possession and converts a decent percentage. However, this type of ball is Brogan-dependent as we witnessed yesterday, when his forced withdrawal saw the Cork backs take over.
Dublin could be much more effective if they had a playmaking presence on their half-forward line with a responsibility to link the defensive hoards and the full-forwards. If Alan Brogan were given that role and supplied his brother with popped 20- and 30-yard passes then Bernard would be practically unmarkable.
Also, he wouldn’t have to make as many lung-bursting dashes and would have the energy to contribute in the crucial last five minutes of a game, when his services are most required.
Cork will be delighted with the victory, and with where they’re heading towards the championship. It is their fourth national title in two years and the big positive that they will take forward is the resilience and patience they displayed when they were eight points down.
They kept trying to do the simple things right. They did not try to force the issue and the confidence garnered from last year meant they made a lot of very good decisions with ball in hand in the closing stages — unlike Dublin, who made some awful decisions as they tired.
I imagine Counihan and co will be very disappointed with some of their defending, though. The Cork backs were surprisingly bad in one-on-one situations and Kevin McManamon enjoyed the freedom of Croke Park, kicking five from play — and he should have got at least two more.
The Dublin full-forward line looked like a goal was on every time they got possession but they did not get enough ball. Undoubtedly Cork will improve here in the lead in to the championship.
Aslan sang ‘Crazy World’ at half time yesterday. If Dublin had hung on then a victory would have placed them in a pressure-cooker, hype-fuelled crazy world for the duration of the championship.
While it might not be much consolation this morning, Gilroy will look to learn again and move on sans hype. Will they learn enough to ensure they survive to September? I don’t think so.
