THE FALLOUT FROM Dublin’s demoralising Leinster senior hurling quarter-final replay defeat to Galway continues.
It’s clear that Galway supremo Anthony Cunningham learned far more from the drawn Croke Park encounter, and plotted his gameplan accordingly for part II in Tullamore.
From the start, Padraig Mannion was detailed to mark Dublin hitman Mark Schutte, and that match-up was won hands down by the tough-tackling defender.
Schutte had one shot at goal in the first half, an effort that was unlucky to strike an upright, and managed just a point in the entire game.
Schutte can argue with justification that the supply of ball coming his way was sparse, to say the least.
Padraig Mannion performed an effective man-marking job on Mark Schutte. Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
And Dublin’s problems were much further back, with Galway’s inside line collecting 5-15, including 5-8 from play.
With Peter Kelly ruled out through injury, Dublin were desperately short of leaders at the back and Galway made hay.
Manager Ger Cunningham did drop an extra man back into his defence following Galway’s early onslaught but the horse had bolted and the damage inflicted was fatal to Dublin’s Leinster championship hopes.
The sweeper system deployed by Daly in his time there was the way to go right from the start, particularly with the Sky Blues battling into the teeth of a strong wind.
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Colm Callanan was excellent between the sticks for Galway, varying his puckouts brilliantly, but the Tribesmen’s third goal was something that would make an underage coach cringe.
Colm Callanan's saves and puckouts hurt Dublin on Saturday. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Callanan went route one and his wind-assisted delivery bypassed the entire Dublin defence, allowing Cathal Mannion to tap home his hat-trick goal.
Dublin had no player capable of standing over a puckout and winning it, with aerial dominance a feature of Galway’s impressive play, Cyril Donnellan most proficient in this regard.
If Rushe was positioned at centre back, it’s pretty safe to assume that Galway’s task of breaking through would have proven far more difficult.
Two first half penalty misses proved costly but Ger Cunningham’s substitutions also came under intense scrutiny.
David Treacy was already low on confidence after missing the first penalty and dragging a free well wide when Dublin were awarded another penalty before half-time.
Paul Ryan was brought on and taken off again. Cathal Noonan / INPHO
Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO
Cunningham elected to bring on Paul Ryan to take it, with Treacy summoned to the bench.
It was hardly a move that will help Treacy’s already fragile mindset but the more bizarre call was replacing Ryan at the death.
He had scored seven points after being introduced, one from play, and created Eamon Dillon’s goal with a quickly-taken free.
But Ryan was called ashore and it was difficult to understand what he had done to deserve the ignominy of being taken off after coming on.
The positives from Dublin’s perspective is that Kelly should be fit to return for the qualifiers, and players on the bench are champing at the bit for a start.
Dublin need Peter Kelly fit again for the qualifiers. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Dillon and Cian Boland did their chances of inclusion no harm at all and Ryan will feel he now deserves a start. Johnny McCaffrey was left out from the start in favour of Darragh O’Connell and the former team captain will fight hard to get his place back. Throw Joey Boland back into the mix when he’s fit and Cunningham has one-third of a team to call upon, if he decides to go down that route and opt for wholesale changes.
The biggest elephant in the room is the positioning of Rushe, a former Allstar centre back who has done quite well in attack but without tearing up too many trees.
The clamour for a return to the half-back line will intensify ahead of the qualifiers but Cunningham won’t be swayed by media talk or outside influences. It’s an interesting one to keep an eye on.
Dublin hurling has now reached a new crossroads. They bowed out of the championship with barely a whimper against Tipperary in last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final, having been expected to present fierce opposition to the Premier County.
An encouraging League campaign fuelled fresh optimism in the capital but Dublin blew a 12-point lead against Cork in the League semi-final and failed to kill Galway off at the first attempt, with Treacy missing that crucial late free.
Liam Rushe could return to centre back for Dublin. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Dublin have undoubted talent in their ranks but the fear is that arguably the best group of players in the county’s history have missed the boat as potential All-Ireland winners.
Last week’s heartbreaking U21 defeat to Kilkenny was another setback at a time when Dublin hurling badly needed a lift.
Cunningham will feel confident that he can turn things around but the honeymoon period is now well and truly over, with subscribers to various Dublin GAA message boards sharpening their knives.
Of course, as Anthony Daly pointed out, Dublin’s hurlers are prone to days like this, and particularly at times when nobody sees them coming.
A few tweaks here and there could get things moving again and renowned sport psychologist Caroline Currid is a member of the backroom team.
Now, more than ever, Dublin’s deflated hurlers need her services as they aim to climb out of a championship hole. If they don’t manage to do so, the hole will quickly become an abyss from which there may be no escape.
Are Dublin in danger of returning to hurling's abyss?
THE FALLOUT FROM Dublin’s demoralising Leinster senior hurling quarter-final replay defeat to Galway continues.
It’s clear that Galway supremo Anthony Cunningham learned far more from the drawn Croke Park encounter, and plotted his gameplan accordingly for part II in Tullamore.
From the start, Padraig Mannion was detailed to mark Dublin hitman Mark Schutte, and that match-up was won hands down by the tough-tackling defender.
Schutte had one shot at goal in the first half, an effort that was unlucky to strike an upright, and managed just a point in the entire game.
Schutte can argue with justification that the supply of ball coming his way was sparse, to say the least.
And Dublin’s problems were much further back, with Galway’s inside line collecting 5-15, including 5-8 from play.
Dublin’s defensive set-up was described by their former manager Anthony Daly as ‘suicidal’ and it’s not difficult to see why.
When we highlighted 5 key factors that would decide the replay, Liam Rushe was mentioned as one of them, as we discussed specifically where he might play.
With Peter Kelly ruled out through injury, Dublin were desperately short of leaders at the back and Galway made hay.
Manager Ger Cunningham did drop an extra man back into his defence following Galway’s early onslaught but the horse had bolted and the damage inflicted was fatal to Dublin’s Leinster championship hopes.
The sweeper system deployed by Daly in his time there was the way to go right from the start, particularly with the Sky Blues battling into the teeth of a strong wind.
Colm Callanan was excellent between the sticks for Galway, varying his puckouts brilliantly, but the Tribesmen’s third goal was something that would make an underage coach cringe.
Callanan went route one and his wind-assisted delivery bypassed the entire Dublin defence, allowing Cathal Mannion to tap home his hat-trick goal.
Dublin had no player capable of standing over a puckout and winning it, with aerial dominance a feature of Galway’s impressive play, Cyril Donnellan most proficient in this regard.
If Rushe was positioned at centre back, it’s pretty safe to assume that Galway’s task of breaking through would have proven far more difficult.
Two first half penalty misses proved costly but Ger Cunningham’s substitutions also came under intense scrutiny.
David Treacy was already low on confidence after missing the first penalty and dragging a free well wide when Dublin were awarded another penalty before half-time.
Cunningham elected to bring on Paul Ryan to take it, with Treacy summoned to the bench.
It was hardly a move that will help Treacy’s already fragile mindset but the more bizarre call was replacing Ryan at the death.
He had scored seven points after being introduced, one from play, and created Eamon Dillon’s goal with a quickly-taken free.
But Ryan was called ashore and it was difficult to understand what he had done to deserve the ignominy of being taken off after coming on.
The positives from Dublin’s perspective is that Kelly should be fit to return for the qualifiers, and players on the bench are champing at the bit for a start.
Dillon and Cian Boland did their chances of inclusion no harm at all and Ryan will feel he now deserves a start. Johnny McCaffrey was left out from the start in favour of Darragh O’Connell and the former team captain will fight hard to get his place back. Throw Joey Boland back into the mix when he’s fit and Cunningham has one-third of a team to call upon, if he decides to go down that route and opt for wholesale changes.
The biggest elephant in the room is the positioning of Rushe, a former Allstar centre back who has done quite well in attack but without tearing up too many trees.
The clamour for a return to the half-back line will intensify ahead of the qualifiers but Cunningham won’t be swayed by media talk or outside influences. It’s an interesting one to keep an eye on.
Dublin hurling has now reached a new crossroads. They bowed out of the championship with barely a whimper against Tipperary in last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final, having been expected to present fierce opposition to the Premier County.
An encouraging League campaign fuelled fresh optimism in the capital but Dublin blew a 12-point lead against Cork in the League semi-final and failed to kill Galway off at the first attempt, with Treacy missing that crucial late free.
Dublin have undoubted talent in their ranks but the fear is that arguably the best group of players in the county’s history have missed the boat as potential All-Ireland winners.
Last week’s heartbreaking U21 defeat to Kilkenny was another setback at a time when Dublin hurling badly needed a lift.
Cunningham will feel confident that he can turn things around but the honeymoon period is now well and truly over, with subscribers to various Dublin GAA message boards sharpening their knives.
Of course, as Anthony Daly pointed out, Dublin’s hurlers are prone to days like this, and particularly at times when nobody sees them coming.
A few tweaks here and there could get things moving again and renowned sport psychologist Caroline Currid is a member of the backroom team.
Now, more than ever, Dublin’s deflated hurlers need her services as they aim to climb out of a championship hole. If they don’t manage to do so, the hole will quickly become an abyss from which there may be no escape.
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Comment Leinster SHC DAvid Treacy dublin dilemmas Ger Cunningham Liam Rushe MARK SCHUTTE Paul Ryan Peter Kelly Dublin