Dublin pick Farney locks and cut loose
When it comes to framing the story of a victory they are quite happy to let their football speak for itself.
In reviewing a game, they are both Spartan and sparse. Seventeen points was the margin on Saturday but it might as well have been one going by Jim Gavin’s underwhelmed assessment.
Sitting beside him, Stephen Cluxton has long known the value of never using two words when one will do. When Gavin was asked how he keeps his players grounded, his captain interjected: “Ignoring the media!” From a player whose aversion to the fourth estate is well-known, it drew a chuckle or two.
No, by this stage it’s in the gift of the beaten team to extol the virtues of this Dublin side who at the weekend extended their unbeaten run in the Championship to 10 games under Gavin.
In the space of three first half minutes, Monaghan had been hit for two goals. In the space of 11, they went from parity to pain, from level terms to nine points down.
That was the margin at half-time, 2-8 to 0-5. Malachy O’Rourke, and the 72,440 in attendance, knew the tide wouldn’t be turned.
“When we sat down to plan maybe we looked at Dublin and felt that the best way was to confine the space they were going to operate in.
“For the first 20 minutes or so that worked very well, we would have liked to have scored more up the other end, but I suppose we were frustrating Dublin fairly well and if we hadn’t conceded the goals we would have got to half-time with a foothold to push on. But that’s what Dublin do, they got the first goal, very soon after that they got another and it left us chasing the game, which is a very difficult thing against a top-class team like Dublin.”
The margin was more than doubled in the second half and but for some casual goal attempts, which Gavin acknowledged were losses of focus, it could have been so much more.
O’Rourke admitted Dublin’s relentlessness broke them down. “Even at the back, they usually leave their defenders isolated and we thought we would be able to get a couple of one-on-one situations but they are very physically strong. Their pace and power running from defence, then they have quality forwards as well. You can keep them out for so long but if you give them any space at all they will punish you.”
Dublin didn’t actually score a point from play until Alan Brogan posted one on the half-hour mark but by that stage they were seven up.
The first goal from Diarmuid Connolly was sourced from a Monaghan kick-out, the half-forward breaking the cover before deftly finishing past Rory Beggan.
A Bernard Brogan free shortly after maintained Dublin’s momentum and in similar fashion to Connolly’s score Brogan finished their second goal after a pulsating run by James McCarthy past Pádraig Donaghy and Dick Clerkin.
The latter was one of Monaghan’s better performers, but, like his team, wilted as the game progressed. Twice in the second half he could have been punished by goals having been overturned but Dublin couldn’t finish them.
Dublin more than made do with points, 14 of them, in the second half, Alan Brogan showing again just how valuable a commodity he is to the forward line.
That Monaghan only mustered four points from play was a testament to the excellence of Dublin’s tenacity in tackling. But for a Conor McManus half-chance in the first half, Cluxton wasn’t troubled in the slightest.
“For patches of the game, we stroked together some good scores,” said Gavin, “and from a coaching perspective we would be happy with some of the plays and the performances of our defence and midfield was impressive in parts. A little bit disappointed in the end — we could have probably closed out a bit better.”
Gavin remained his ever diplomatic self when he was asked if he had expected a greater challenge. “Like Meath, they never gave up.”
Dublin don’t either. In their four games this summer, their accumulative margin of victory is 60 points. They don’t have to dress that up.
Two goals in the space of three minutes in the first half drew the curtains on this game as a contest.
Nothing here to indicate Dublin’s superiority since last year is in question.
Did that just happen?
Bernard Brogan’s craftiness in winning the ball just as it was crossing the Hogan Stand sideline before touching it against Colin Walshe to win a sideline was sublime. Although, he did put the subsequent kick wide.
James McCarthy was prominent when Dublin turned the screw on Monaghan, his athleticism and judgment of passing quite exquisite.
A case of 13 games not out for Dublin but that’s not to say they didn’t commit any black card offences here. Nothing shown to Monaghan either.
Malachy O’Rourke came up with a formula but Dublin broke it, even though they did try their hand at sweeping too, with Kevin McManamon back to the pocket a couple of times in the first half.
Marty Duffy turned a blind eye to a number of black card contenders. Otherwise, he had full control of the game.
Dublin and Donegal dance for the second time in four years at the All-Ireland semi-final stage on August 31.
Scorers for Dublin: B Brogan (1-7, 0-6 frees); D Connolly (1-2, 0-1f); A Brogan 0-3; E O’Gara, P Flynn, D Rock 0-2 each; J Cooper, K McManamon, S Cluxton (45), C Costello (0-1 each).
Scorers for Monaghan: C McManus (0-6, 4fs); K Hughes (frees), D Clerkin (0-2 each); R Beggan (0-1, 45).
Subs for Dublin: C Costello for K McManamon (44); D Rock for C O’Sullivan (inj 48); J McCaffrey for J Cooper (52); P Andrews for E O’Gara (54); D Daly for P McMahon (58); P Mannion for A Brogan (65).
Subs for Monaghan: P Finlay for P Donaghy (h-t); J McCarron for C McGuinness (42); G Doogan for S Gollogly (50); C Boyle for K Duffy, O Duffy for D Clerkin (both 60); C Galligan for F Kelly (68).
Referee: Marty Duffy (Sligo)
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; R O’Carroll, M Fitzsimons, P McMahon; J McCarthy, J Cooper, N Devereux; MD Macauley, C O’Sullivan; P Flynn, K McManamon, D Connolly; A Brogan, E O’Gara, B Brogan. MONAGHAN: R Beggan; C Walshe, D Wylie, R Wylie; V Corey, D Mone, F Kelly; D Hughes, D Clerkin; P Donaghy, K Duffy, S Gollogly; K Hughes, C McGuinness, C McManus.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
