National Forum

Dublin GAA thread

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


Great effort by our lads today. But left ourselves with far too much to do in that 2nd half.
Even though the Clare goalie made a crucial save late on to prevent an equalising goal for the Dubs.

Lots of positives for us to bring into the Leinster Championship now.

Being honest, I feared the worst at half time but thankfully we showed a lot of character in that 2nd half after being 10pts down. 2-15 to 2-05.
The 2nd half scoring was much better for us 2-26 to 3-20 at FT.
I thought we might squeeze a goal with that last gasp free at the end, but it wasnt to be.

Congrats Clare on an excellent League campaign.

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4865 - 05/04/2026 20:08:16    2664915

Link

Disappointed overall, our support was literally a handful. But I did not expect many more, it was Easter Sunday and as I always say every venue decision is leaned towards the Munster counties. Once it suited them...............
On the game, I thought when we started to hurl we were the better side. But time and again, we seem to take 20-25 minutes to get to the pace of the match. We can get away with this v Wexford or Offaly or the 1B teams, but as we learned yesterday and v Cork in quarter final once we don't start its nigh on impossible to rescue it.
I'm not a fan of moral victories or "we did well in the second half" platitudes. We didn't win the cup because we started so poorly and some of our use of the ball in the first half gifted Clare scores through the wrong option, giving the ball to a man under pressure, and then ending up fouling. I do think though when we get the ball in quick we can trouble most teams.
Conor Donohoe is a real class act for me, I think he is as good a midfielder as anybody in the country. Our forwards 3 of them seem to hurl some days, I don't think we can survive against the top teams without more of a return from all of our forwards.
But I think looking forward we have nothing to fear in Leinster and should really be saying anything less than winning it is a failure.
Good league campaign overall, getting out of 1B was vital and playing all the top counties next year will bring these players on.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1595 - 06/04/2026 12:33:17    2664962

Link

There was more than a handful.there exiled!

Poor first half which again exposed lack of pace in backs. In fairness it was a strong breeze and all teams other than Limerick found it a challenge.

Great heart in them to come back from 10 and 8 down and are a mstch for any when hurling well with momentum.

Flaws will catch them out again but I suspect it will be on big day rather than in Leinster.

Id be disappointmented if they don't take one of 3 qualification spots.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4162 - 06/04/2026 14:27:41    2664974

Link

Replying To ExiledInWex:  "Disappointed overall, our support was literally a handful. But I did not expect many more, it was Easter Sunday and as I always say every venue decision is leaned towards the Munster counties. Once it suited them...............
On the game, I thought when we started to hurl we were the better side. But time and again, we seem to take 20-25 minutes to get to the pace of the match. We can get away with this v Wexford or Offaly or the 1B teams, but as we learned yesterday and v Cork in quarter final once we don't start its nigh on impossible to rescue it.
I'm not a fan of moral victories or "we did well in the second half" platitudes. We didn't win the cup because we started so poorly and some of our use of the ball in the first half gifted Clare scores through the wrong option, giving the ball to a man under pressure, and then ending up fouling. I do think though when we get the ball in quick we can trouble most teams.
Conor Donohoe is a real class act for me, I think he is as good a midfielder as anybody in the country. Our forwards 3 of them seem to hurl some days, I don't think we can survive against the top teams without more of a return from all of our forwards.
But I think looking forward we have nothing to fear in Leinster and should really be saying anything less than winning it is a failure.
Good league campaign overall, getting out of 1B was vital and playing all the top counties next year will bring these players on."
I didnt see the first half but I was in for the vast majority of the 2nd half. My seats were up high in the uncovered stand at the top of the small D at the city end so I had a great view of Dublins attacking play in the second half. I wont go into deep analysis but suffice to say that their decision making, hurling/first touch and execution let them down far too often. In spite of that they put themselves in a position to go on and win the match and went back into their shells. Self confidence and/or belief looked to be a significant issue for them. They pretty much killed their own momentum in the end arsing around inside their own 44 when getting out quickly and going long(at times) had gotten them back in the game.
They showed what they can do last summer against Limerick but one swallow doesnt make a summer and I've seen this from Dublin far too often to be convinced that they can push on to anything other than 3rd in Leinster unfortunately. I hope they prove me wrong but I think they need to start by believing in themselves.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 177 - 06/04/2026 14:57:23    2664979

Link

Replying To BarneyGrant:  "There was more than a handful.there exiled!

Poor first half which again exposed lack of pace in backs. In fairness it was a strong breeze and all teams other than Limerick found it a challenge.

Great heart in them to come back from 10 and 8 down and are a mstch for any when hurling well with momentum.

Flaws will catch them out again but I suspect it will be on big day rather than in Leinster.

Id be disappointmented if they don't take one of 3 qualification spots."
I thought when the ball went in 2-v-2 we were there to be opened up. Clare exposed this but then we tightened it up in the second half.
I would be disappointed if we finish 3rd, we should be qualifying for Leinster Final.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1595 - 08/04/2026 09:33:25    2665196

Link

Replying To ExiledInWex:  "I thought when the ball went in 2-v-2 we were there to be opened up. Clare exposed this but then we tightened it up in the second half.
I would be disappointed if we finish 3rd, we should be qualifying for Leinster Final."
Ripe to be taken apart if they don't start on high octane as they did against Limerick. They never give up but they won't retrieve a big deficit against any of the main contenders.

Might be better to go the Rushie route and congest the space because we don't have the pace. Doggedness and physicality is a positive but open then to be crippled by frees,

No doubt but that they do much better when attacking open space up front and with the open of targeting the inside men. It might appear predictable but it clearly pays dividends even against the top teams as evidenced by last Sunday, as well as Limerick last year and Cats in Nowlan,

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4162 - 08/04/2026 10:27:07    2665207

Link

Any idea what the Dublin minor hurlers are like this year??

Bryson (Wexford) - Posts: 32 - 08/04/2026 17:19:33    2665307

Link

The Dublin U20 footballers beaten again, this time by Westmeath. They haven't won a provincial title at this grade for 5 years and based on the results to date this year, it could be well 6 soon enough.
The teams which won All-Irelands in 2010, '12, '14 and '17 we the backbone of 6 in a row senior teams. I recall many pundits at the time saying that Dublin didn't focus too much on success at minor level, but the real emphasis was on U20/U21. It was hard to argue with it at the time, given the success, but it does seem that things were let slip significantly at underage.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2748 - 09/04/2026 00:22:29    2665346

Link

Replying To WanPintWin:  "The Dublin U20 footballers beaten again, this time by Westmeath. They haven't won a provincial title at this grade for 5 years and based on the results to date this year, it could be well 6 soon enough.
The teams which won All-Irelands in 2010, '12, '14 and '17 we the backbone of 6 in a row senior teams. I recall many pundits at the time saying that Dublin didn't focus too much on success at minor level, but the real emphasis was on U20/U21. It was hard to argue with it at the time, given the success, but it does seem that things were let slip significantly at underage."
Apparently we have a conveyor belt of endless talent coming through, or so the scare mongers would have you believe.... ;o)
They have all gone very quiet now.

As have the Split Dublin in 2 or 3 spin doctors....

And the Let's get the Dubs out of Croke Park brigade....

None of the above was going on when the Dubs were winning sweet f all......


Anyone in the know, knew this was coming down the tracks...
It isnt a shock to us Dubs at all... It was actually predicted by many of us.

However, I do believe with the very new recent structures put in place by the Dublin CB, that things at underage will definitely change for the better in the near future.

#Patience

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4865 - 09/04/2026 10:41:18    2665384

Link

Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Ripe to be taken apart if they don't start on high octane as they did against Limerick. They never give up but they won't retrieve a big deficit against any of the main contenders.

Might be better to go the Rushie route and congest the space because we don't have the pace. Doggedness and physicality is a positive but open then to be crippled by frees,

No doubt but that they do much better when attacking open space up front and with the open of targeting the inside men. It might appear predictable but it clearly pays dividends even against the top teams as evidenced by last Sunday, as well as Limerick last year and Cats in Nowlan,"
I think we have a good chance in Leinster this year Barney.
Wont it be easy, as I think Galway are probably ahead of us tbh.

Yes, we are no way near the level of Limerick imo, but winning Leinster has to be the aim, and see where we go from there...

I am hopeful for a good season. Fingers crossed...... But we need a bit of luck along the way I guess.

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4865 - 09/04/2026 10:45:43    2665386

Link

Replying To Fionn:  "Apparently we have a conveyor belt of endless talent coming through, or so the scare mongers would have you believe.... ;o)
They have all gone very quiet now.

As have the Split Dublin in 2 or 3 spin doctors....

And the Let's get the Dubs out of Croke Park brigade....

None of the above was going on when the Dubs were winning sweet f all......


Anyone in the know, knew this was coming down the tracks...
It isnt a shock to us Dubs at all... It was actually predicted by many of us.

However, I do believe with the very new recent structures put in place by the Dublin CB, that things at underage will definitely change for the better in the near future.

#Patience"
There's still a few Croke Park home advantage merchants on this site. One in particular from the southwest who's like a dog with a bone about it.
Leaving aside all the nonsense from outside noises, you would have to wonder what has happened at underage. Even at minor level this year, there's one absolutely outstanding player carrying the team, who's still U16 as it happens, but outside of that nobody who seems to be a standout.
While Kerry haven't won a lot underage in recent years, they've been very consistent in getting to All-Ireland semis and finals, and running the likes of Tyrone very close. Some obvious talents in a lot of those teams. Tyrone and Derry up in Ulster and Donegal also with some strong teams. Louth seem to have improved massively at underage over the past few years, and Kildare and Meath have had some good teams. Out our way, we've been very patchy but more competitive this year. Roscommon punching above their weight as usual and Mayo have good talents coming through.
A lot of the star underage players in Dublin were well known before they even played senior intercounty. Hard to think of anyone in that bracket over the last 5 years.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2748 - 09/04/2026 12:19:42    2665403

Link

Dublin u19 development team play their league final v Kilkenny in Nowlan Park tonight @ 6.30pm, best of luck to the team and, management.

DUBJOHN (Dublin) - Posts: 950 - 09/04/2026 12:42:17    2665411

Link

Replying To Bryson:  "Any idea what the Dublin minor hurlers are like this year??"
Expectations are good. Some good schools teams and competitive county championship. Very difficult to predict of course at that age.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4162 - 09/04/2026 12:48:34    2665415

Link

Replying To WanPintWin:  "There's still a few Croke Park home advantage merchants on this site. One in particular from the southwest who's like a dog with a bone about it.
Leaving aside all the nonsense from outside noises, you would have to wonder what has happened at underage. Even at minor level this year, there's one absolutely outstanding player carrying the team, who's still U16 as it happens, but outside of that nobody who seems to be a standout.
While Kerry haven't won a lot underage in recent years, they've been very consistent in getting to All-Ireland semis and finals, and running the likes of Tyrone very close. Some obvious talents in a lot of those teams. Tyrone and Derry up in Ulster and Donegal also with some strong teams. Louth seem to have improved massively at underage over the past few years, and Kildare and Meath have had some good teams. Out our way, we've been very patchy but more competitive this year. Roscommon punching above their weight as usual and Mayo have good talents coming through.
A lot of the star underage players in Dublin were well known before they even played senior intercounty. Hard to think of anyone in that bracket over the last 5 years."
Fully agree. There is always at least one from that region..... ;o)
I have disengaged completely from that nonsense nowadays.
Anyway.....

Yes, he is some talent alright, and still underage for next year.
And well able to score 2 pointers also.....

I have said on here many times that the DCB took their eye off the ball at underage. It was shocking tbh.

New structures and new people involved now and I honestly think it will improve, and improve greatly.

I do think a lot of it goes in cycles though, and looking at the Minor results this year, some counites who were very strong last year at Minor for example, are not as competitive this time around. Par for the course.
But for Dublin to be uncompetitive over more than one age group for a number of years, is not acceptable .
Those in charge eventually woke up and realised that things needed to change. Thankfully, structurally it has and results will improve over the next few years. It needs to....!!!

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4865 - 09/04/2026 16:54:06    2665448

Link