Cosgrove confident Dubs won’t get carried away by hype

DUBLIN are better positioned to deal with the hype going into this All-Ireland knock-out game against Donegal than when the counties met nine years ago, believes Ray Cosgrove.

The 2002 All Star, who scored 3-5 over those two quarter-final games, is confident Gilroy has a better handle on the situation facing Dublin than Tommy Lyons had in that manic summer.

“Tommy got the bandwagon going into 2002 and the hype was crazy,” recalled Cosgrove. “It was a media frenzy. There was a huge billboard on O’Connell Street and there was a constant buzz about the place. Tommy was revving it up whereas Pat is a lot more subdued and Dublin as a result are better grounded. People are more used to Dublin getting so near yet so far whereas in 2002 it was our first Leinster win since 1995 when we won the All-Ireland.

“That was seven-odd years but people thought we could go all the way again and so did we. We fed off the hype.

“But speaking to a couple of the players after the Tyrone game this month, it’s not the same for them now. They were happy to get over Tyrone but that was it. They were so grounded about it.”

Cosgrove has no hesitation in saying Dublin failed to manage the level of expectation that year — as much it helped their cause for large parts of the championship. The Celtic Tiger had a part to play in it too, he remembers.

“We were reacting to the crowd all the time. There were huge numbers for all our games. A goal would go in and we’d gain so much confidence but the hype was an animal. You couldn’t control it.

“Supporters were coming to all the games. They’d money in their pocket, it was a World Cup year. These days it’s go to the game, go home and get up for work.

“Back then, fellas would count themselves unfortunate if they got up for work on the Monday. Dublin games were occasions.”

Cosgrove has admiration for repairing the relationship between the Dublin footballers and the media.

“There’s a bit of respect shown and in turn the media are showing some to Dublin. Dublin had been acting up a bit with alias teams and short interviews. They were getting on the wrong side of the media and it wasn’t doing us any favours.

“But there’s none of that now. Pat controls what he can control and has definitely got a handle on things.”

Cosgrove knows as much as Dublin want to play down the hype, resistance is futile.

“You can’t really win,” he shrugged. “Whatever is said or written is liable to be taken the wrong way. That’s what happens when Dublin are involved in the latter stages.

“It’s all fuel to the fire. If Dublin win on Sunday you can imagine all that will happen. The Dublin-Kerry talk has already started, it’s on the tip of everyone’s tongue and you can be sure Jim McGuinness will mention that to his boys before they go out on Sunday. But there’s a calmness about Dublin. Pat is doing what he can, he’s controlling the controllables.”

“Some of the players have been waiting too long to reach a final for the hype to catch them now.”