Kevin O’Brien reports from Croke Park
DUBLIN’S UNDEFEATED STREAK stretched to 33 games last night with a performance that will go down as one of their greatest under Jim Gavin.
Gavin typically played down the manner of the victory, describing Dublin’s performance as “workmanlike” as the under-strength All-Ireland champions brushed aside what many consider to be their nearest challengers.
Mayo scored just twice in the opening period and no forward affected the scoreboard from play. Still, the Clondalkin man turned down the chance to heap praise on his rearguard.
“That’s the defence doing their job, that’s what we expect from them.”
One issue Gavin did look to highlight was Jack McCaffrey’s absence.
The former Footballer of the Year was rested after enduring a hectic weekend two weeks ago. McCaffrey played two games inside 24 hours for UCD as part of the Sigerson Cup weekend, where the Dublin college fell to St Mary’s in the decider.
“There’s so many experts in the science field in the universities but yet we see them putting players out to play back to back games on a Friday and a Saturday.
Gavin added: “You wouldn’t do it any other sport, you wouldn’t do it to a greyhound. To be asking inter-county footballers to play games like that, it’s not acceptable really.
“I hope the third level colleges change it because Paul Mannion suffered from it and Jack nearly did as well. So we just said we’d manage his load and take him off the field.
“It’s not UCD’s problem, what can they do? They’re fulfilling the fixture.
“But it’s not acceptable. I wouldn’t do it with the U9s below at club, play games back to back. So why would we do it at that level where most of those players are senior club players at home with their clubs or they’re either playing with inter-counties?
“It’s just not good enough. And it’s the cumulative effect of the load. It’s not just the next day, it’s that impact that it has over time. I hope somebody looks at it.”
The Dublin boss confirmed that Cian O’Sullivan has resumed training with the squad, while Diarmuid Connolly will be rejoining them “very soon.”
James McCarthy hobbled off against Tyrone, and Gavin says he’s unlikely to feature next weekend.
“James got that kick on the leg a few weeks back, just this time of the season we’re not going to push anybody. I’m not sure if he’ll make the next game.”
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With the time off and the cushie jobs they practically are paid professionals
#teachershaveithandy
When a hurling county treats gaelic football with the contempt that it deserves by ignoring it, domination follows…
pity tipp wouldn’t follow suit! hurling is gonna suffer in tipp with way football is going in the county :)
I couldn’t agree with you more Shane. Ger Loughnane pointed out a skills deficit in the Tipp minor hurlers on the Sunday Game. Worrying to see young Tipp hurlers taking the dual player route.
They are still it that good at senior! Maybe they get over u21 and think better stick to the hurls!
I coach u 10s in my club and we never ever do football yet we played one the best teams around here in a football challenge as they asked and bet them . same wouldn’t happen in hurling
Kilkenny won the double this year I’ll have you know.
They won the English Junior championship. That is the level they are at. Contempt I would not call it. If it was they would not play it at all. Just like the Connacht Hurling Championship.
Connacht even struggle in football while mayo, roscommon leitrim plus sligo line out hurling teams in the christy ring,nicky rackard, and lory meagher tournaments so there’s no comparsion there man plus they’re not playing against foreign junior teams. Kilkenny has a bigger population than the latter three I mentioned so like for like comparsion are pretty weak.
Warwickshire and Lancashire both play the Lory Meagher cup both of these teams play in the British Junior Championship so yes Sligo, Letrim and the like play “foreign teams”
There is no equivalent to the Lory Meagher, Nicky Rackard or Christy ring in football, therefore KK have to play a lower league football somewhere.
Plus who gives a crap (obviously counties who play both and win nothing) if Kilkenny focus just on 1 has sport. Kilkenny also only have 1 rugby team in the county. It just means we can be better at that 1 sport.
They is a mad committed group. Da kilkenny crew be a well oiled machine.
@jason *iarla Tannion broke TJ’s knee.
British junior championship
I stand corrected it was Tannion.
That’s right it was the British Junior. They played Scotland in the Semi Final!!
Having grown up in Kilkenny, I can testify that hurling is everything there. Almost every child plays it from a young age (even if not all of them like it) and the ones who are really good usually go to St. Kieran’s where they are moulded into the kind of hurlers that win All-Irelands. It’s like a hurling academy with excellent facilities. Almost the entire panel from last Sunday went to school there (including Brian Cody) with only a few notable exceptions. They’ve won 20 all Ireland colleges titles and over 50 Leinster Championships.
If you want a parallel in rugby, it’s like the Christchurch Boys School that has produced the likes of Dan Carter, Graham Henry, Andrew Merthens, Brodie Retallick and Steve Hansen and has been one of the drivers of the success of the All Blacks.
I agree with all you said above except you would be very surprised that 7-8 of that starting team were not in St Kieran’s.
Between Scoil Aergail in Ballyhale and a few went to new Ross and some of the younger panelists went to CBS.
But I firmly believe the basis of any good minor team is off a lot of work done in St Kierans.
brilliant post! hurling is the sport in kk! I’d say as soon as kids can walk they’re handed a hurley
Yep Jason, I went to Scoil Aireagail. :-) Was a year ahead of Michael Fennelly all through school. Not a pure hurling school as we were fairly successful in other sports like soccer and cross-country running but still produced many top hurlers over the years. None of the Fennellys went to Kieran’s but they come from a family dynasty of successful players and managers so they didn’t need to! They also benefit from playing for the most successful hurling club in the country in the Ballyhale Shamrocks. They’ve been playing with the likes of Shefflin and the Reids since they were young lads. I’d be willing to bet that many hurlers who didn’t make it on the Kilkenny senior panel who would get into almost any other county’s starting 15. Some probably had the talent but not the discipline to play under Cody. The well of talent is very big for such a small county.
Like a religion
Special Good Wishes… Am I missing something here??