Off-colour Dubs look vulnerable

In fairness to Pat Gilroy, he did warn us.

Last Thursday morning, the Dublin manager sat down with the media at Dublin’s St Clare’s base on the city’s northside and waved away talk of complacency with a lesson in modern history. Of Kerry’s defeat to Down in 2010 and Cork’s by Mayo last year.

Both had come at the last eight stage. Both were out of the blue. It was the kind of talk you expect from a manager in his position but he was right. Had Laois’ attack been half as good as their defence, Gilroy would be muttering ‘I told you so’ under his breath right now rather than contemplating an All-Ireland semi-final against Mayo.