Jim McGuinness suggests that other teams will be targeting Dublin's full-back line as the summer unfolds.

Donegal's 2012 All-Ireland winning manager says the Dubs will be tested by a team that opts to select two big men as the focal point of their attack:

"For Laois's first goal, Davy Byrne, who was left corner back, was dispossessed up the field and Laois counter-attacked and he had an issue recovering ground. Then Johnny Cooper lost the critical one-on-one battle at the edge of the D," McGuinness writes in The Irish Times. "And I feel that area will be the talking point as the Dublin project moves through the summer. Other teams will be concentrating on Dublin's full-back line and the number three position, specifically, to see if it can be stress-tested. How do you best do that?

"Looking at the game the last day, I would see Dublin's likely full-back line as Cooper, Philly McMahon and Michael Fitzsimons later in the championship. These are quality defenders but they are not all that tall as a unit.

"I mentioned last year I felt Mayo missed a trick by not playing Aidan O'Shea and Barry Moran inside against Dublin. That option is open if they meet later this year. Other teams have similar options. Donegal could play Michael Murphy and Neil Gallagher and Patrick McBrearty or Colm McFadden on the loop.

"Kerry could play Kieran Donaghy and David Moran as a unit with Colm Cooper in the corner. How would Johnny Cooper deal with Barry Moran or Kieran Donaghy if Philly McMahon was busy with the other big player? So it seems to me that any team with designs on beating Dublin will have to play three up front and that two of those attacking players should carry a significant threat in the air."

Tweet

Most Read Stories