tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1400 - 06/02/2022 10:32:42    2398520

sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 999 - 06/02/2022 10:51:42    2398524

Supporters have to be realistic. Not going to win All Ireland again for a few years at least because they players are not coming in to replace what is leaving. Same has happened to all great teams in all sports.

Will be interesting few years as they are going to have a target on their back in every game as they are still a big scalp. Will be the makings of some of the younger lads, the end for others. I have to say I admire Fenton even more for the new role he's taken on. He could be the Brian Mullins of the transition years.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3563 - 06/02/2022 11:29:27    2398528

Kerry15 (Kerry) - Posts: 984 - 06/02/2022 11:57:48    2398535

Well now Wet & dirty night in Tralee , big numbers of Kerry support, sensing a bit of blood in the water - not unjustifiably so after our performance last week and really the last year and a half. End of the world stuff in terms of conditions, stinging persistent rain, you could forget about avoiding behind the goal with the wind howling. Thus the Dubs rocked up to town.

Game started out fairly even, Dublin much improved to my eye that bit more fluent and coherent - I'm beginning to think they are doing huge blocks of conditioning as they seemed to be moving that bit better than last week, but you could see the young lads struggle a bit - maybe not used to it.

Bar David Moran Kerry weren't a kick up the back side away of what you'd expect their championship 15 to be. The Dubs still missing a fair few gave youth and inexperience a bit of a fling. Nip and tuck, with Dublin coughing loads of space in front of the backline again, felt we gave away chances we generally wouldn't with Copper and Fitz in the backline. That said felt we could impose ourselves on Kerry make could them retreat and it wasn't much of hassle getting between and behind their lines, they are still not great at the back.

Ref in my opinion and he has history, set his stall out early, that it would be a long hard night decision wise, with early frees harshly given to Kerry to set a foundation, while we found them hard to come by, the game went continued that way. Missed peno and all.

Turning point of the game was our disallowed goal, we were making hay, felt momentum was with us, we were beginning to hurt them, if the goal stood felt we would have kicked on and the Kerry mentality would have been asked a question. Instead the umpire brought the refs attention to a fairly routine block by McMahon, despite the ref not seeing it, he disallowed the goal and gave Scully a black card who was a mile away from the incident. Mad stuff, it's indicative of the vision of the incident that they gave the wrong man the line.

Down to 14, we struggled with numbers and had to compensate in lines, during this disruption Kerry capitalised and kicked on. Another poor decision in my opinion hurt us, what looked a line ball for Dublin was given to Kerry that resulted in a well taken goal.

With Dublin down to 14 on the wrong end of decisions and missing players Kerry racked up a score as we headed to the break.

The lead was always going to be hard to surmount given the context, while Kerry were content enough just to keep us at arms length and so the game finished out with us just ticking over what we could - think at the end the difference was 7 points, which is the balance of our disallowed goal, sideline ball and what looked a bad decision from behind the a goal of a point that went over and called wide in the second half. Different ref on a different night I think we get a result. But nothing won in Spring.

Be very surprised to see either team win an All Ireland this year, Kerry I think are still struggling from 9 back, you can hurt them without question. Very reliant on Clifford, while a wonderful player I think they need, more diversity from an attacking point of view.

As for us. Tactically, it's clear to me we need a sweeper, Rian last week and Clifford last night cleaned up getting out in front of our defensive line in space, a sweeper and we are cutting out 75% of what we're conceding at the mo.

Our forward line at the moment is very poor, the weakest part of the team last week and this week once we get in behind we are frustrating in terms of finishing. Trying to be to clever and it's is also leading to danger at the breakdown, we left chances begging their last night for goals and points. You have to hope with the return of Con, Costello, Small, Basquel etc - we can be more incisive.

Else-wise, thought Howard was magnificent, Davy Byrne much improved, Even great, Fenton is in the poorest run of form of hisDublin career. Bugler very good to - fine against the Kerrys of this world, but I'd have Howard in the Half forward line against your Mayos and Tyrones.

Ultimately though it's was a Dublin team which was very inexperienced in key areas playing against a Kerry team at full strength.

Yet I'd suggest the only way we can build and get back to a decent level of panel strength be challenging in the years ahead is to continue to give the young and inexperienced players like O Dell, Archer, Gannon, McGarry, Smith & McCormack etc a blooding in these scenarios of toughness . Some lads will hit the ground running, others will take time and some wont cut it, but it all need to be tried . It wont be pretty at times, but I think back to the startled earwig game - how many medals did that team finish with. Tonight a lot of young lads got experience.

I was actually happier with our attitude and performance last night then I was against Armagh. Despite the country licking their licks at our demise. :D We will look to our own, it's our way.

Right now it's about coming up with serious options for the Championship panel these lads have to be tried, but we know we have Fitzey, Cooper, Jamsie, King Con and a few other to come back to augment. Still have more than enough players to compete for the big trophies, if we're cleverer tactically, you do feel both teams last night will need a bit of luck to win Sam this year.

Overall, I'm far happier about last night than I was last week all in.

But we have a little matter of staying up to sort out so next up we welcome Mayo to the home of the 6 in a row - we owe them one! Can't wait.

As always,

Up The Dubs!

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4517 - 06/02/2022 12:11:34    2398539

Hard to argue with any of that Username. I think we showed enough to prove we are capable of doing something but again (and I don't like to keep harping back to it!) Dessie on the line looked out of his depth. First half we were wide open at the back and down to 14 men but still didn't drop someone to sit in front of the full back line. You're asking for trouble letting that happen. You would hope the re-introduction of Con (heard he has an ankle knock so not sure when he will be back), McCarthy, Cooper and Fitzsimons will give us an immediate lift and then throw in Costello and perhaps Paddy Small into the forwards and you're already looking at a far stronger team on paper. Crucially all of them are used to playing with each other so there won't be a lack of cohesion as we've seen in the last two games.

I think with the rest of the country absolutely wallowing in our apparent demise that you'd hope a long hard look at ourselves is happening as we speak. I do think we could do with more of a disciplined manager at the moment and one that is prepared to sacrifice a bit in terms of his own tactical beliefs in order to set up in a way that gets the most from the players at his disposal. Under Gavin standards were driven by the players and now quite simply there are a few lads in there that are not at that elite level I think. The main lads know they're undroppable and even standards slipping by a few percent has a big ripple effect. Would I prefer someone else in charge? Yes but not because Dessie is awful, I just don't think the timing is good for him and his style. In another era he could have been perfect but we need someone a bit more flexible in their thinking and as I say willing to change things up to suit the players he has in order to win.

TrueBlue35 (Dublin) - Posts: 250 - 07/02/2022 09:09:34    2398786

Ironically, Dublin might be getting stuck in that dour predictable slow build up style that their attacking prowess demolished ten years ago, while the teams playing the most exciting and open and attacking football are the dreaded nordies!

Armagh like Tyrone last year are very dangerous on the counter and move the ball very quickly into the forwards while of course having a solid enough defence. Be interesting to see how they do against Kerry who for all the talk - better pick aside at the moment in terms of talent - are a bit predictable like Dublin. As Tyrone exploited last year.

Game is always changing and Dublin are in danger of looking a bit behind the curve these days.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3563 - 07/02/2022 10:53:08    2398833

I watched the game again and just a few observations. I thought Dublin were very heavy legged like they are training hard but I also thought that the week before about Kerry against Kildare. I think David Byrne is a fine footballer but this is the 3rd game in a row he has been well beaten (Kerry Armagh and Laois) Now alot of that is he is not getting much protection I. e sweeper. Fenton has nt been himself last 2 games and even Kilkenny looked tíre the other night. Now succeeds is a drug and once you get it you never want to lose it but I do think perspective is needed and Dessie should be given a break. He trying to introduce new players so go easy on him. Come championship Dublin will be in top condition and they will almost certainly be in an all ireland semi final and anything can happen then. Don't lose the faith.

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3931 - 07/02/2022 11:25:37    2398842

Gavvygavgav (Dublin) - Posts: 383 - 07/02/2022 13:18:05    2398895

superbluedub (Dublin) - Posts: 2842 - 07/02/2022 13:33:01    2398905

the dubs are finished. Great for kerry. Eased upnin second half.

kerry4sam21 (Kerry) - Posts: 103 - 07/02/2022 13:58:03    2398927

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 07/02/2022 14:36:08    2398952

superbluedub (Dublin) - Posts: 2842 - 07/02/2022 14:41:47    2398958

TrueBlue35 (Dublin) - Posts: 250 - 07/02/2022 14:42:08    2398959

kerry are now playing to their strengths. Front foot football with the kick pass. None of this basketball nosense.

kerry4sam21 (Kerry) - Posts: 103 - 07/02/2022 16:02:09    2399007

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3920 - 07/02/2022 16:26:48    2399028

GreenAndGold74 (Kerry) - Posts: 194 - 07/02/2022 19:55:25    2399140

kerry4sam21 (Kerry) - Posts: 103 - 08/02/2022 08:24:39    2399200

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 08/02/2022 11:39:59    2399271

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4517 - 08/02/2022 11:50:23    2399274