Eight Gaelic football championship observations: Dublin have free-taking and kickout issues

Gaelic football needs to promote one-on-one defending. Otherwise, teams will opt to drop deep and rely on numbers. The enforcement of the steps rule will facilitate that promotion. 

WEAKNESS: Meath scored 11 points from Dublin's kickout during Sunday's Leinster SFC semi-final. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

Armagh arrived first. Two Garda motorbikes cleared Monaghan Street for the black-and-orange-themed bus to drop them out in front of St Tiernach's Park. Tyrone descended around twenty minutes later. They were missing one.

It was a curious thing to see Mattie Donnelly stroll into Clones alone after a while, with a host of young Tyrone fans on the steps watching in awe. The 34-year-old was named to start the Ulster semi-final clash with Armagh but this was a pretty clear indicator that would not be the case. Sure enough, before throw-in, Malachy O’Rourke made three late changes. Donnelly did not play.