Dublin boss Kelleher is optimistic

DUBLIN hurling is looking forward to a new championship with renewed vigour.

It all starts on Sunday against Laois in Nowlan Park, and with the new format guaranteeing a record number of games, manager Humphrey Kelleher is in optimistic mood.

Realistically, they have little or no hope of qualifying for the All-Ireland quarter-finals, but their Waterford- born boss believes the new system will improve standards.

Over the last 10 years of championship Dublin have won nine, drawn three and lost 12.

“The other system didn’t seem to work,’’ Kelleher agrees. “At least, the players will have three or four opportunities to express themselves in a manner that would justify the training they have gone through.’’

If Dublin beat Laois they will face Wexford in the semi-final on June 12. Yet Kelleher seems to be resigned to seeing plenty of the new system.

“We would have to win two initial matches not to be in it, but reality would probably say differently. We have to work towards trying to get into the Leinster final. If that does not happen, we simply have another three matches to allow us to play against teams we would not normally play against in a championship standard.

“That’s important. The league is fine to some degree because that’s the time you experiment, that’s the time you have fellows playing in positions that they may not necessarily fill later. Everybody wants to play hurling in the middle of the summer and teams like Dublin will have that opportunity with this new system.’’

Dublin made little impression in the NHL, losing all eight games. Kelleher explains that they were unfortunate to lose 10 players for a variety of reasons - including football.

“I have set out a programme of trying to introduce new players to Dublin senior hurling and if that transition happens during the league you have to forfeit some games. And that’s exactly what happened. Having said that, I think the enthusiasm is still there and there is now a professional set-up in Dublin that hasn’t been there for many years and that can only be good.

“Football will also be first sport for a lot of these guys. The reality is we have got a limited supply of players who are at the standard we need to be at.

“When I set out last year to improve that standard, I had to bring in a structure of professional back-up team. That doesn’t mean you are going to turn it over in a very short space of time, but it’s a process that has actually started. Hopefully, it will continue, but the benefits may not accrue for three or four years.’’

Longer term, Kelleher is convinced that the GAA will have to use a league-type system if there is to be any prospect of counties like Dublin becoming more competitive.

“When you look back at the last two or three years in terms of rugby look at the Heineken Cup, the way things have worked out it has certainly improved the standard of rugby in Ireland. You look at the European championship in soccer and it is run on a league basis.

“It’s all about more games. It’s all about exposure. The more people you have playing games at this time of the year, in June, July and August, the more it will augur well for the game of hurling in particular.’’