Jim Gavin says Dublin players won’t be happy with elements of second half showing
“It’s just good to come away from Nowlan Park with a win,” he said when asked about Paul Cahillane’s penalty goal and Stephen Attride’s score four minutes later, later highlighting the team’s 2-15 tally from play.
“We just wanted to get a performance. It’s difficult for any championship game to get it for the full expanse of the game but we knew we’d hopefully get the result and that’s what happened. We’re pleased with that.”
Queried if he was disappointed about the nature of the goals, Gavin still wasn’t for budging. “We’ll always be creative and expressive with our play. Laois are a good side. They have very potent forwards and good attacking half-backs. I think both goals were clinically taken and all credit to them.”
Eventually, Gavin did budge albeit ever so slightly: “The players themselves will not be happy with that second-half performance. It certainly gives us a lot to reflect upon. We understand that just would not be good enough in our next game. That gives us a bit of focus for the coming weeks.”
Part of Dublin’s appeal is their ability to compartmentalise matches but the context of those Laois goals made for interesting statistics.
Cahillane’s score, won by Damien O’Connor after he was fouled by Jonny Cooper, was the first they coughed up in the championship since Meath’s sole goal in the 2014 Leinster final. Stephen Attride’s goal, a spectacular finish after Donie Kingston had sucked in a few defenders before finding the on-running Attride, won’t make for great viewing when Dublin sit down to review the action.
Not since the infamous game against Meath in 2010 when they were hit for five had Dublin last had more than two goals registered against them.
A sign that Dublin’s provincial dominance isn’t what it was?
Stop! It should trouble Gavin that a 14-man team were able to pierce holes in his defence but then they were 13 points up and coasting without reaching the standards recently seen in Croke Park. The early substitutions of Philly McMahon, withdrawn in the third quarter for the second game in succession, and Bernard Brogan would indicate Gavin’s diplomatic words betray his true feelings.
The goals followed by Ross Munnelly’s point cut the difference to six points but Mick Lillis was realistic to know it was still too much of a margin to bridge.
“Getting it down to six points was good. We played a lot of good football to get it to six points. But six points is a long way from winning the game. It’s certainly a long way from winning the game when you’re numerically disadvantaged as we were.
“While there were encouraging signs, and we did play some very good football in the second half, it was always something to bring a bit of honour out of the game rather than ever having a chance of winning it.”
Dublin had a lengthy spell without a score in each half, 10 minutes in the first and 13 in the second, but led by Diarmuid Connolly they recovered from Laois’ mini- comeback in emphatic style scoring six points on the bounce.
Man of the match Connolly also had a penalty saved by Graham Brody in the 69th minute after a lightning-quick exchange between replacements Eoghan O’Gara and the exciting Con O’Callaghan.
Dublin led 2-12 to 0-7 at half-time, the goals coming inside the first five minutes, the opening one after just 15 seconds when Dean Rock claimed a ball over the top to fire to the net. The second was almost as direct as they come – a Stephen Cluxton kick-out, a James McCarthy catch and run followed by a Connolly collection and strike.
Laois were reeling at that stage and an avalanche result looked ominous. “It all happened so fast,” admitted Lillis.
“I don’t think we’d got into the rhythm of how we wanted to play the game. They are a very experienced side, a very good side and I’m sure they went for the jugular very early on, went to put us away which obviously they did.
“We weren’t set up, we hadn’t really got to grips with how we wanted to play the game. I suppose you could call it a lack of concentration or a lack of not being at this level often enough.”
Laois made a slight recovery but John O’Loughlin’s sending off in the 27th minute truly spelt curtains for them. Michael Darragh Macauley required medical attention after the incident. “John just stretched his arm and caught Michael Darragh,” said Gavin. “I thought Michael Darragh showed good self-control and discipline not to react. He could have. A bit like the last game (v Kerry), Jonny Cooper and James McCarthy, both of them were at the wrong end of tackles but they showed good discipline and I think it’s a strength of the team.”
D. Rock (1-10, 0-6 frees); D. Connolly (1-3); C. Kilkenny (0-4); D. Byrne, K. McManamon, C. Costello, C. O’Callaghan (0-1 each).
P. Cahillane (1-2, 1-0 pen, 0-2 frees); S. Attride (1-0); D. Kingston (0-2, 1 free); G. Walsh, J. O’Loughlin, K. Meaney, R. Munnelly, D. Strong, D. O’Connor (0-1 each).
S. Cluxton (c); D. Byrne, J. Cooper, P. McMahon; J. McCarthy, C O’Sullivan, J. Small; B. Fenton, M.D. Macauley; C. Kilkenny, K. McManamon, D. Connolly; P. Mannion, D. Rock, B. Brogan.
D. Bastick for M.D. Macauley (blood, 28-45); M. Fitzsimons for P. McMahon (45); C. Costello for B. Brogan (51); C. O’Callaghan for P. Mannion (56); D. Daly for C. O’Sullivan (59); E. Lowndes for J. Cooper (62); E. O’Gara for D. Rock (63).
G. Brody; M. Timmons, P. Cotter, S. Attride; D. O’Connor, D. Strong, G. Dillon; J. O’Loughlin, B. Quigley; C.Begley, P. Cahillane, E. O’Carroll; D. Kingston (c), C. Meredith, G. Walsh.
A. Farrell for G. Dillon (blood, 21-23); K. Meaney for E. O’Carroll (30); N. Donoher for G. Walsh (h-t); R. Munnelly for G. Dillon (47); A. Farrell for P. Cahillane (63); G. Hanrahan for P. Cotter, R. O’Connor for C. Meredith (both 65).
J. O’Loughlin (straight, 27).
C. Branagan (Down)
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