Dublin 2-26
Roscommon 0-14
Ian Cooney reports from Croke Park
DUBLIN’S RELENTLESS MARCH towards a possible five-in-a-row continued with an 18-point drubbing of Connacht champions Roscommon at Croke Park this evening.
Anthony Cunningham’s side were competitive for the opening 10 minutes but once Dean Rock, a replacement for Cormac Costello in the Dubs’ starting line-up, palmed to the net after 15 minutes, it was all one-way traffic.
With Paul Mannion giving Seán Mullooly a torrid time on the edge of the small square and Brian Fenton imperious in the middle of the field, Dublin were at their fluent best.
Con O’Callaghan hit the post and blazed another effort over the crossbar with the goal at his mercy to underline Dublin’s monopoly on possession.
As Rock, Ciarán Kilkenny and Mannion continued to kick points for fun, the only shining light for Roscommon was Conor Cox who kept the scoreboard ticking over for the Rossies with a couple of sublime scores.
However, Roscommon’s evening went from bad to worse when a yellow and black card in quick succession for Conor Daly meant that they were down to 14 men after 34 minutes.
Leading by 1-15 to 0-7 at the break, the only issue in doubt was Dublin’s margin of victory and they continued in the same vein in the second half, putting a deflated Roscommon side to the sword.
Within 20 seconds of the second half, Jack McCaffrey added to Dublin’s tally before Michael Darragh Macauley made a typical lung-bursting run and finished emphatically to the net.
Jim Gavin began to empty his bench at that stage, hauling off Paul Mannion and Ciarán Kilkenny, saving his prized assets for the bigger tests to come.
To Roscommon’s credit, they kept going until the end with Niall Daly, Conor Hussey (2), Mullooly and Cox (2) finding the target.
But Dublin were always playing well within themselves, and substitute Paddy Small caught the eye with three excellent points from play.
Dean Rock ended up with a personal tally of 1-11 as Dublin effortlessly joined Tyrone in reaching the All-Ireland semi-final with a game to spare.
Scorers for Dublin: Dean Rock 1-11 (10f), Michael Darragh Macauley 1-0, Paul Mannion 0-3, Paddy Small 0-3, Ciarán Kilkenny 0-2, Brian Fenton 0-2, Con O’Callaghan 0-2, Jack McCaffrey 0-1, Kevin McManamon 0-1, Niall Scully 0-1.
Scorers for Roscommon: Conor Cox 0-7 (4f), Conor Hussey 0-3, Cathal Compton 0-1, Diarmuid Murtagh 0-1, Niall Daly 0-1, Seán Mullooly 0-1
DUBLIN
1. Stephen Cluxton (Parnells, captain)
19. Jonny Cooper (Na Fianna)
4. Philip McMahon (Ballymun Kickhams)
2. Michael Fitzsimons (Cuala)
5. Jack McCaffrey (Clontarf)
7. John Small (Ballymun Kickhams)
22. James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)
8. Brian Fenton (Raheny)
9. Michael Darragh Macauley (Ballyboden St. Enda’s)
10. Niall Scully (Templeogue Synge Street)
13. Ciarán Kilkenny (Castleknock)
12. Brian Howard (Raheny)
15. Con Callaghan (Cuala)
14. Paul Mannion (Kilmacud Crokes)
25. Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams)
Subs: 23. Kevin McManamon (St. Jude’s) for Kilkenny (38), 26. Paddy Small (Ballymun Kickhams) for Mannion (38), 21. Eric Lowndes (St. Peregrine’s) for McCaffrey (46), 24. Rory O’Carroll (Kilmacud Crokes) for Fitzsimons (46), 17. Paddy Andrews (St. Brigid’s) for O’Callaghan (51), 3. David Byrne (Naomh Olaf) for Macauley (62, black card).
ROSCOMMON
1. Darren O’Malley (Michael Glaveys)
2. David Murray (Padraig Pearses)
3. Seán Mullooly (Strokestown)
4. Conor Daly (Padraig Pearses)
7. Ronan Daly (Padraig Pearses)
6. Conor Hussey (Michael Glaveys)
5. Niall Daly (Padraig Pearses)
15. Enda Smith (Boyle, captain)
9. Shane Killoran (Elphin)
10. Brian Stack (St. Brigid’s)
11. Cathal Cregg (Western Gaels)
12. Niall Kilroy (Fuerty)
13. Diarmuid Murtagh (St. Faithleach’s)
14. Conor Cox (Listowel Emmetts)
22. Colin Compton (Strokestown)
Subs: 19. Fintan Cregg (Elphin) for Killoran (half-time), 20. Aengus Lyons (Fuerty) for Compton (44), 26. John McManus (Roscommon Gaels) for C Cregg (46), 21. Andrew Glennon (Michael Glaveys) for Murtagh (51), 17. Gary Patterson (Michael Glaveys) for Murray (60), 24. Cian McKeon (Boyle) for Kilroy (66).
Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry).
No they’d be terrible. As a Forest fan, I think the team have been, for the most part playing good attacking football and scoring goals. They’ve been inconsistent – a little soft at the back is all. Due to the influx of cash, the standard in the EFL is far more technically proficient and tactically sophisticated league (at the top end at least) than it was when O’Neill and Keane last managed this division. I’ve seen nothing in their recent work to suggest they have the tactical savvy to do a job for Forest. They certainly don’t have tne man-management skills to get the best out of the modern professional footballer.
@Fergal O’ Reilly: yes because they got to the last 16 of the euros and 90 mins from a World Cup without having a clue about tactics. Sick of people churning out this shpeel about o Neil and Keane.
@Lorcan Cunningham: there was a horrible amount of luck and just plain heart and fight by the players to get there though. When the adrenaline of the Euros died, then the will of the players did too. There’s nothing motivating about playing the same aimless football for the following two years when smaller countries with less talent become more proficient and confident.
@Lorcan Cunningham: Nah! You’ve cherrypicked one example of things working out – and there’s probably one or two other properly “impressive” displays e.g. Germany and Serbia. (But even then what exactly was their tactical master stroke? ) And anyway, the last 12-18 months have been abject – deplorable even – with ZERO semblance of a tactical game plan . And on top of that, you need to be even better man-managers in a club environment because of player/agent-power. The two lads are beyond abysmal in that department.
@Fergal O’ Reilly: last 12 months things crumbled due to injuries/retirements. The lads were at the helm for some memorable nights for Irish football over their tenure, nights that had been lacking for a decade. Get off the o Neill’s a dinosaur bandwagon lads it’s embarrassing.
@Fergal O’ Reilly: I don’t think anybody could disagree with you . O’Neill would be absolute disaster for Forest. In fact I think he would be a disaster for any team. If you want to watch dross week in week out, get Big Sam. At least you would have some chance of promotion
In the context of management, to mention Brian Clough and Martin O’Neill in the same sentence is sacrilegious. Brian Clough was one of the greatest football managers who ever lived. Martin O’Neill was at best a journeyman manager.
@Fergal O’ Reilly: The Big Sam thing was a joke by the way. You should also pray the don’t get Big Sam.
@Lorcan Cunningham: I’m not on the “dinosaur bandwagon” apropos of nothing (like I’d never bring it up for the sake of getting a dig in – that’d be puerile, and indeed embarrassing) …I only make the case for his lack of tactical nous in making the case against his being considered for the role
@CrabaRev: Ha! I get you! To be honest, we’ve almost been relegated for the past few seasons, been banned from the transfer market for FPA transgressions, had parts of the stadium closed off etc. I just think that being 4 points off a promotion spot in mid January isn’t a bad place to be, and this manager should have been given more time and resources.
@Lorcan Cunningham: Not as embarrassing as O’Neill himself. From his amazing lack of on-field tactics, to his total lack of regimented training sessions (no practicing of set piece defending?!) to his contemptuous attitude to the Irish media and Tony O’Donoghue in particular.
The man belongs in the dustbin of history, and should be let nowhere near any professional setup.
Let’s see what they can do when they can actually buy in players unlike international football. The ‘we haven’t got the footballers’ excuse would work here
He wasn’t fired!
“RUNNN FORREST RUNNN”
I’d like to see Keane work as a No. 2 for a manager who plays attacking football such as Brendan Rodgers or Roberto Martinez.
1. Karanka was not fired – he resigned, as per the club website.
2. In what parallel universe would either O’Neill or Keane be a good fit for Forest? A generation of Forest fans were brought up on free flowing passing football as practiced by Brian Clough. The younger ones want this to remain as the club ethos – we do not want to watch ‘$hit on a stick’ football with no real tactics as played by O’Neill sides. Clough once famously said “if god had wanted football to be played in the clouds, he’d have put grass up there”. O’Neill has never heeded his mentor’s coaching philosophy as a manager, somewhat ironic given that O’Neill was a cultured playmaker himself.
No, two coaches we definitely do not want to see employed at the City Ground are Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane.
@Colm O’Sullivan: I hope it’s neither of those two. I’ve a feeling it could be Jokanovic
Always liked O’Neill as a manager, gave Leicester a great belief when they were down and out! I don’t think he will be considered though…feel Marinakis will look for someone like Mark Hughes or David Moyes
That is ironic; good last line.
Daryl Murphy will end up there if Roy Keane goes there, Roy Keane and Daryl Murphy go together just as well as Harry Redknapp and Nico Kranjcar
@Eddie Dillon.: Daryl Murphy is already there.
@Eddie Dillon.: Ah jaysus Eddie