Gilroy seizes on big break

HALF-TIME is welcomed by a team playing poorly but is a real momentum breaker for the team on top.

Pat Gilroy was surely delighted to get his Dublin side in at the break yesterday for what was the most important half-time team talk in his three-year reign.

His side had played brainless football for the first half and all they had to show for their efforts were two coverted frees from Bernard Brogan. In that 35 minutes they had kicked or handpassed away possession 10 times (with Ger Brennan a major culprit) and been turned over six times in the tackle by Donegal. The defence had conceded four scoreable frees while at the other end they wasted 14 good chances either by kicking wide or dropping attempts short into the goalkeeper.