Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1106 - 21/07/2019 01:03:40    2213815

festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3097 - 21/07/2019 01:57:06    2213822

cacsmckilly (Tyrone) - Posts: 1294 - 21/07/2019 09:08:31    2213845

Stop Jack McCaffrey and this Dublin team is beatable . Then stop Kilkenny and your half way home, after that stop Fenton and your nearly there . Stop Dean rock and it's one hand on Sam. Stop O'Callahan and mannion and Dublin are beat. Now slap yourself in the face and realise it's a race for second place .

cacsmckilly (Tyrone) - Posts: 1294 - 21/07/2019 09:18:33    2213847

daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 21/07/2019 10:06:01    2213853

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 21/07/2019 10:42:44    2213871

Excellent 1st half display

Plenty still to work on but as a Dub supporter it's great to see the team starting to take its final shape for the 5 push

Rock should always start.

Dublin have numerous big game players in top form.

Pleasure to support

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 22/07/2019 10:47:13    2214559

Well now, the Dubs seemed to get the best of the weekend weather as Drumcondra welcomed the best of the west to Dublin 3. As the City itself once cradled a while weekend of S8's action.

A nice and tidy and crowd enjoyed some light refreshments and enjoyed some hazy weather, along the banks of the royal canal.

The Dubs made a number of changes to the as advertised team, the welcome returns of two of our finest in Jamsey and Johnny Cooper lifted the spirits as Cian O Sullivan and Davey Byrne put the feet up. Deano also getting the nod over Cormac in that particular battle of titans. A Bernard Brogan appearance on the bench for the first time in the championship this year also warmed the cockiles and muscles of all those in Blue, we are raised songs and stories of heros of renown after all.

As is customary in our role as consistent hosts, we gave the Rossies the first ten minutes, sizeing up exactly wher the weaknesses's there, how they were setting up and where we could make hay. The Rossies took first blood, before we taked one over and Westeners went ahead again. As i mentioned before the game the Rossies would be tough as teak and this proved to be the case, as a few meaty challenges were thrown about. In all honesty some of the fouling was less then strategic and Deano gobbled up 4-5 points as the second half wore on as we started to build.

Then came the boom, and the Dubs produced a devastating 25 minuts of football as you are ever likely to see. The orchestra tuned up and Gaelic Jedi Knights, of Con O Callaghan, Ciran Kilkenny, Pual Mannion, Brian Fenton, Dean Rock, Brian Howard and Niall Scully, saw Dublin win turnover high up the pitch and scored with every possession. Deano eventually slipping in for a goal to end the contest really before the half time whistle.

A 1-15 to 0-7 half-time lead was no more than a fair reflection of the dominance. Many Rossies feared the worse with Conor Daly, rush of blood to the head saw him earn a second yeallow in the a few mins and the line. The rossies fearing an absolute drubbing and many journo reaching for the record books as we looked to the second half.

As the second half began MDM rolled back the years and produced a superb solo goal - his third of the championship so far. Mercifully this switched Dublin minds to Omagh at that stage and Jim set about protecting the crown jewels. So ff went Mannion and Kilkenny before the 40th min. Shortly followed by King Con, Jack, and and MDM.

Not to fear however there was great joy, in the replacements, in a true hero Macker getting a good run, Eric Lowdness - returning from injury, Paddy Andrews and Rory and Paddy Small in particular looking quality when they came in.

With the changes we lost some of outr momentum and you could see some of the lads were rusty and we added just one point between the 39th and 62nd minute as Roscommon to their credit hit us for 5 over the same period, Connor Cox enjoying himself kicking into the hill. Before a late flurry from Dublin see dominance asserted as we ran out healthy winners clocking up another score north of 30.

In analysis, its hard to find to flaw in that performance, Dublin produced a 25 minute spell of just pure devastation, there was so much going on and any one time, its almost impossible to defend against. Dublin are foar more direct this year and with teams playing far more open this year, we look to be now a hybrid of the 2013 and 2017 in style and approach. Looks like we beat the blancket.

Dublin front 8 are a joy to behold, Con O Callaghan, is looking a shout for player of the year, he has absolutely everything, his improvement in this year has been immense, nothing the man cant do. Ciran Kilkenny looked back to something like his best on Sat, hes been of form for me, Niall Scully perpetual motion, Deano dead eye after a huge tussle for a shirt. Paul Mannion is at the appex of his talent. My Man of the match though on Saturday was Brian Howard, wow, what a player power, stregth, dribbling, breaking the game line, players bouncing off him, finishing, vision and that side step. The lad is immense.

Elsewhere MDM and Fenton were immense huge credit to MDM, many wouldn't have been surprised if he jacked up, but he came back won a shirt and goal scoring and contribution to play has been immense. Super Brian, need you say more.

The defense i think is where we need to some tinkering. Jamsey and Jonny were welcome returners, and will make a huge difference, but i would have ROC in at 3, he came on again and just looks so assured, glides over ground, and is such a good defender, hes so creative as well. Id be starting him in Omagh.

Delighted to leave Croker with the two points and no injuries heading up the road to Omagh. On form im not to worried about who we get in a semi final so id be giving lads a rest myself, but in Jim we trust.

We travel, the well trodden familiar road to Healy, to play the team i am the most weary off in the championship, hopefully be a cracker like last year.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 22/07/2019 11:07:17    2214575

I don't think I've ever seen Croke Park as flat. A truly frightening prospect is a few more years of this. As good as the Dublin players and management are, this is not a level playing field. Demoralising for the Rossies and whoever is next.

OGarmaile (Tyrone) - Posts: 248 - 22/07/2019 11:09:38    2214580

Calling it as I see it after yesterday's games, Donegal and Kerry are the only credible threats to Dublin but we will beat both. Dublin's talent all over the field is immense.

steve097 (Dublin) - Posts: 109 - 22/07/2019 11:23:25    2214591