Daly not worried about wide count

DUBLIN manager Anthony Daly says commentators are making too much of his side’s wide counts.

The Blues have shot a hefty 36 wides in their last two games (19 v Galway, 17 v Kilkenny) and only picked up one point from four, but the Clare native is not overly worried by their erratic shooting.

“The gas thing is, we shot three wides (against Waterford) in Walsh Park 10 weeks ago and we had no shooting done,” shrugged Daly. “We did loads of shooting in between.

“We were probably trying a bit too hard. Fellas were missing one and putting a bit of mental pressure on themselves saying they had to get the next one.

“We probably should do more work on that side and free up the minds a little bit.

“I would be more worried if we were drawing with Kilkenny and we had the six wides and they had 17 wides. You hear TV commentators getting totally carried away with wides. They’re saying ‘Oh My God!!’ They go bananas! But sure, you’re getting a chance. We did a lot of shooting but we would be doing a lot of shooting anyway.”

Facing into a last-round game against Cork on Sunday, Dublin are likely to be without Liam Rushe, who picked up a shoulder injury during the team’s training trip to Portugal last week.

Dublin will qualify for the final if they win in Páirc Uí Chaoimh and Waterford beat Galway, but there’s a sense they have left too many games behind them — away to Waterford and then in the home defeat to Galway and draw with Kilkenny.

Currently in third place, Daly wouldn’t be as concerned about this Sunday’s game if there were semi-finals.

He is all for their introduction next year. A motion purporting last four games for Division 1 comes in front of Congress on Saturday.

“I would say two up and two down would be fairer, with the top four or going into semi-finals,” he said.

There might be a bit of ‘plamásing’ going on but Daly feels Cork’s surprise defeat by Wexford can sting Denis Walsh’s men into action against Dublin. He also reckons they are more serious All-Ireland contenders than people are making them out to be.

“In some ways you would rather that they had won it. Their next match for sure now is the Tipp match, so they will want to finish on a high. But it is what it is, Cork in Cork. A lot of commentators have written off Cork way too prematurely. They grow on trees down there. I think they’re serious dark horses for the year.”

Daly believes he is close to settling on his championship team but admits he has been proved wrong in the past.

“I have an idea. I would say Richie Stakelum has another idea. Hedgo (Ciarán Hetherton) probably has another idea. It’s gas, I do that exercise every year, write down my championship 15 at a certain date and another date. It’s gas the way some fellas develop and mature and even, positionally, how it changes. We have an idea but it’s great to have options.

“The young lads are growing up. They have to realise what it’s about.”