Replying To Wally:  "Ejit

Did Dublin just run out of money this year?"

Replying To tarfboy:  "In fairness it wont be too much of a challenge to win Leinster!!"

Replying To TheUsername:  "Well now, cracking day for a blood bath up Clones direction as the weather didn't get the script, or perhaps a Monaghan scribe got in there for the early post. Took the back road from Cavan going over the border into Fermnagah and back, cost of petrol over there scared the bejaysus out of me - £2.00 pound a litre- yet wasn't going to be the scariest thing that came my way yesterday.

Decent crowd for a mothering Sunday, with both teams having chips on the game and a stint in Div 2 going to looser, so the scene was set for The Dubs to take the field.

Two changes to the advertised team Shiel coming in for Evan and Murch for Murphy.

The Dubs started with a roar racing ahead with the early momentum, going 4 up and at the time thought we were settling in for me a give me. Monaghan were having none of it and are a dangerous animal in Clones, willfully came back at Dublin tacking over a few before a goal ignited the home crowd, Monghan indicative of Dublin the entire year getting in way to easily, this was followed up with Monaghan tacking over a few in Oceans of space and running at the Dublin defense at will - often with much joy. Monhgan went into a 5 point lead as the half went on, but Dublin got a burst before the break and brought it back to two, before the break, the break came at the wrong time for Dublin during a deent period of momentum, the gap could have been smaller but fir Deano leaving a fairly straight forward one short, Bugler hitting the post and Cormac going for a green flag when a point was on heading into the break.

On the terraces at half time, to a man and hid dog were saying, we need to hold these for the first quarter, dont let them get the first few points, silence the crowd and and make them nervy - we need the first score second half. Dublin of course did exactly the opposite allowing Monaghan the first three of the second half, with the crowd roaring them on and Dublin looking like a rabiit in the headlights. The painfully tacked over a few to gt back to 2 or three point game, then boom acres of space in he back line to run into and a to my mind dubious penalty was given that Monaghan gobbled up, crowd went bananas.

The Dubs realised they were in the Manure business and began to play like the game meant something, taking over point after point, when it looked like we might have a chance at eking out a finish, again Dublin loose pocession McCarron gets the better of Fitzy, Fitzy doesn't play to the whistle and Mcarron lobs Shiel for another green flag. Cue bannaramma in the crowd. Game turned scrappy with a good few high tackles, tactical fouling and Wiley getting the line for a close line, Jamsie following later for a second yellow. Dublin not all that fluidly kept taking over and a hail mary penalty was given in the last 10 that Deano dispatched to bring both sides level. It looked on witht he momentum with Dublin, but we butchered a good chance to win it, Beggan kept his head ploughed up feild and we gave away a needless free for McCarron to win the game. And thus Div 2 beckoned the Dubs in 2023.

Where to start, it was a tactically regressive performance on the last two, our defensive shape in massively naieve, Dessie playing man for man, which is useless as while everyone has a man, the defender are pulled all over the shop to make space for a runner through the center channel or any channel for that matter and no one putting pressure on the man with the ball. Oceans of space for attackers taht leading to countless goal chances and easy point - so naieve. Apart from that we need a sweeper again, no one putting pressure on an attacker, acres of space and you can get out in front of Dublin to win a high ball. The defense lacks any tactical ideas, nous or stratgey.

Monhghan packed the midfield zone, pulling theri half forward back and half backs forward in there, safe in the knowledge that Dublin wouldn't kick it long and would play through the lines. What happened Dublin did just that and got it congested in midfield, when they did push Monaghan back, Monaghan could keep their shape. with the men back and Dublin either brought into contact and got turned over, it broke down and we got caught on the counter or if they looked like getting over run Monaghan were happy enough to take a free, rather then risk a goal.

This meant that the full forward line was isolated for lots of the game and when they did get on the ball they had a rush of blood to the head, tried to be to clever or Deano or Ciran would slow it down and not press home an advantage. All Glacier.

So in summary yesterday was a mess in terms of of tactics and quite simply in game awareness of what was happening. Tactically it was the worst ive seen in the league and no decisions were taken in the game when strategies weren't working. I get Dessie doesnt have the players Jim had, i get we are in transition, i get we have to throw lads in and persvere, i get we wont be winning the All Ireland every year, but im sorry there was much that could be done decsion wise yesterday by the manager in that game and other games that was stem the blood flow.

To my mnd there is enough talent in that team to be competitive for an All Ireland, i dont think the manager is getting the best out of the players and i think tactically his decisions, approach and philsphepy is undermining us. Hes not for changing either, hes going to die on sword of this approach and he just may in the summer. Yesterday was a gmae we would have game managed in our slepp under Jim.

What can we expect, back to the Dubs of 90's 00's - showing promise and potential in performances and then reallt poor performances in other games no coherence, stability, consistency or game management.

As for Div 2, bring it on, im not disappointing at all, i think Fitzy, Jamsie, Cooper have a decision to make in the summer and we will need new bodies in the squad, Div 2 or a couple of seasons in it, will help these lads developmentally. Looking forward to some of the trips, if they come of PUC, Derry, Limerick, Clare and seems like it will be a mini Leinster to. No worries on that score.

So to sum it up lads we're in for a short disappointing summer ahead, based on yesterday a Leinster is a good year for us and anything else bonus territory. The Dessie era will end in 2020 then and we attack Div 2 with a few jaunts and craic in between.

Next up Offaly or Wexford in Championship at the end of next month. Cant wait.

As Always Up The Dubs."

Replying To timmyhogan:  "Q for the Dublin/Kildare fans here or anyone who knows;
If they draw each other in the Leinster semi will the match be defo be in Croker or will it be home advantage to first team drawn out of the hat.
Makes something of a difference given the disparity between Kildares home and away form."

Replying To Joxer:  "Ultimately the league table doesn't lie. We deserved to go down. Some baffling decisions from management. Fitzy was being destroyed, not at the races at all, and no reaction from the bench. Ironically it was our defence that hurt us yesterday when in previous games our forwards were causing us problems. I would have expected more experimentation from Farrell in the league. It didn't happen. A win in Clones would have seen us finish out on a decent run. We've still got the firepower to do damage in the championship though. Get John Small back into the half backs with James and Howard and if we get Con and Paddy Small back I think we'll be a tough prospect for any team. We're a long way off Kerry and Mayo at the moment though. D2 next year with the other metropolitans, Cork and Limerick. Some nice trips ahead. Target needs to be a Leinster win and then a drive at the AI series."

Replying To letsgetgoing:  "Sorry to break the bad news to you Joxer, but depending on the draw, the division two matches against Cork and Limerick could well be fixed for Parnell Park in order to generate a bit of atmosphere. It might also be very difficult to negotiate a few mad lads-weekends in Navan, Newbridge and Drogheda during divorce proceedings. However a couple of romantic trips to Ennis and Derry might just save the day. (Hopefully!!!)"

Replying To cavanman47:  "Croker"

Replying To Joxer:  "You never know with Cork. I've ended up there before with them on strike and no game anyway. Would be happy to welcome them to the Neller. Ennis and Derry are great spots, especially Celtic Park and would be happy to spend a night there if they could arrange for a Sat throw in. Either way the blue army will be on the march."

Replying To Keephimthere:  "No, they just didn't get play enough games in Croke Park. This is the main advantage they have had more so than the money."

Replying To ForeverBlue2:  "I see Con went training with the Dublin hurling team on Sunday instead of heading down to Clones…. There is surely a message for Dessie in that….!!!"

Replying To TheUsername:  "Wexico, it is! ;)"