Meath vs Dublin 17th June

[DUBSFORSAM1]

Amazing an intelligent posting on Hogan Stand that I actually could agree with...

Now for the footballers - I reckon I've cracked it ! I know you will all think I am mad but here's my starting 15 if the current squad of players is to win SAM.

Cluxton
Henry McConnell Shaugho

Cahill JMcGee Griffen

DMcGee Ryan

Whelan Cullen Bonner

Brogan Keaney Sherlock

Why ? Hear me out !

- We are conceding too many scores and why ? Cullen is class footballer but gets lost when teams move him away from 6. He is a man we need on the ball as much as possible. DMcG and Ryaner poor on the ball but savage ball winners so keep it simple ; win it, pass it to Cullen and job done. Imagine how good three boys inside would be with Cullen providing the ball ?

- Cahill and Griffs are class footballers, let them off. They can mark but when we have the ball they would give us serious options. Pace, power and both are leaders who would lift it when under pressure.

- Johnny has never let Dublin down, ever. If 11 goes roaming well then it can be switched on the pitch but he will hold centre back and will add huge physicality.

- Darren and Ryaner need no explanation - will win a mountain of ball and they just need to keep it simple.

- Whelo and Bonner ? Options from kick outs and can also take a score and hurt defences by running at them. They will also be huge players in the crucial middle third when we have been losing big time when pressure is on. Breaks win tight games and Cahill, Griffs, McGee x 2, Ryaner, Cullen and Bonner would give me more confidence then anyone we have out there.

- Game plan A - get the ball in FAST and EARLY, what a full forward line. Game plan B - for 15 mins let Whelo and Bonner run at them and draw frees and the defender. Game plan C - closing out the game or slowing it down just get Cullen on the ball as much as possible. Leave the rest to him, he is that good.

Frees ? Cullen from the left, Keaney from the right. When game opens up then Mossy, Connolly and Vaughan may do damage but they are just not good enough to start. Left hand side of our attack is so weak its not funny ; you have to be either electric or physical and mobile and Mossy and Connolly are neither. We were carrying Connolly, Mossy and Collie the last day from our six forwards and this cannot happen again. All three would be good from the bench and give us options.

Shaugho was class but wouldnt be too worried if Goggins or whoever is in at 4. Just release Griffs and Cahill. Casey has a great heart and gives everything but like Mossy and Connolly, just not good enough. Cullen would be a class centre forward and would also kick a few scores per game. Bonner would do the donkey work which so often goes unnoticed. But what a full forward line ; if they get ball........... mayhem ! Very strong team physically up the middle, leaders in the right positions and all in all I'd love to see this starting 15. What you think boys ? Don't even try and tell me its not ar better then what started last Sunday's game !

[Gnevin]

I cant understand Dubs need to play players out of position, Is their not a full back and a few decent half forwards in the county?

[darbyo]

Johnny has never let Dublin down, ever. If 11 goes roaming well then it can be switched on the pitch but he will hold centre back and will add huge physicality.

- Darren and Ryaner need no explanation - will win a mountain of ball and they just need to keep it simple.

- Whelo and Bonner ? Options from kick outs and can also take a score and hurt defences by running at them. They will also be huge players in the crucial middle third when we have been losing big time when pressure is on.

Lots of assumptions there DFS, McConnell doesn't look an inter-county full back to me(from limited exposure, granted). The 2 Magee's and Bonner would be weak enough too IMO. The full forward line has loads of potential but the three of them rarely deliver on the same day. Against quaility full back lines I'd say they are more than capable of coming off second best. Griffen and Cahill have been very impressive at different times over the years, but Griffen is having a poor time of it recently and neither are in the T. O'Se/P.Jordan/A.Lynch class, i.e rarely fail to get the better of their man.


               Dublins problem IMO is that they have plenty of good footballers but very few brilliant footballers, and those that they have are not consistent enough. Ye are probably good enough to win an All-Ireland but only with a nice bit of luck and a fairly easy run to the final. Though in fairness you could say that about quite a few teams. This is the year for a team like Dublin to win Sam IMO, Kerry are in transition, Tyrone are crippled with injuries again, Armagh will be tough to beat but don't have enough to win it.  Donegal and Cork are coming with better teams than the likes of Dublin, in a year or two I'd say they could be two of the power houses, with Cork in particular looking good for the next 4-6 years.

[Gnevin]

Johnny has never let Dublin down, ever. If 11 goes roaming well then it can be switched on the pitch but he will hold centre back and will add huge physicality.

- Darren and Ryaner need no explanation - will win a mountain of ball and they just need to keep it simple.

- Whelo and Bonner ? Options from kick outs and can also take a score and hurt defences by running at them. They will also be huge players in the crucial middle third when we have been losing big time when pressure is on.

Lots of assumptions there DFS, McConnell doesn't look an inter-county full back to me(

Thats because he's not he's a midfielder , stuck in their to cover

[DUBSFORSAM1]

Well Canty, Heaney, McAnallan, Moynihan, O'Sullivan etc are all players who weren't full backs and were converted....so why not McConnell...admittedly he is still young but should be able to learn...

I think most full back lines would struggle with that full forward line especially if they stayed close to goals and got provided decent ball....

A half forward line of Whelan, Cullen, Bonnar would all be capable of winning ball and providing it inside - not many half back lines would have guys able to beat all 3 of these in the air...

Magee and Ryan in midfield would just provide a solid barrier in midfield with Ryan only making the odd sortie forward...

Magee at chb just providing a significant presence a la McGeeney at centre back and just controlling the centre and not letting players run through the middle....

[magpie seanie]

Excellent article by Keith Barr there. Hit a lot of nails on the head.

[Jinxy]

Is the Dublin team normally named on the Tuesday evening?

[Stagmeister]

Yeah Keith Barr knows his stuff alright...I regularly read his articles and he always seems to be spot on with his analysis.

[Stagmeister]

Yeah the team is due to be named after training this evening...

[INDIANA]

Amazing an intelligent posting on Hogan Stand that I actually could agree with...

Now for the footballers - I reckon I've cracked it ! I know you will all think I am mad but here's my starting 15 if the current squad of players is to win SAM.

Cluxton
Henry McConnell Shaugho

Cahill JMcGee Griffen

DMcGee Ryan

Whelan Cullen Bonner

Brogan Keaney Sherlock

Why ? Hear me out !

- We are conceding too many scores and why ? Cullen is class footballer but gets lost when teams move him away from 6. He is a man we need on the ball as much as possible. DMcG and Ryaner poor on the ball but savage ball winners so keep it simple ; win it, pass it to Cullen and job done. Imagine how good three boys inside would be with Cullen providing the ball ?

- Cahill and Griffs are class footballers, let them off. They can mark but when we have the ball they would give us serious options. Pace, power and both are leaders who would lift it when under pressure.

- Johnny has never let Dublin down, ever. If 11 goes roaming well then it can be switched on the pitch but he will hold centre back and will add huge physicality.

- Darren and Ryaner need no explanation - will win a mountain of ball and they just need to keep it simple.

- Whelo and Bonner ? Options from kick outs and can also take a score and hurt defences by running at them. They will also be huge players in the crucial middle third when we have been losing big time when pressure is on. Breaks win tight games and Cahill, Griffs, McGee x 2, Ryaner, Cullen and Bonner would give me more confidence then anyone we have out there.

- Game plan A - get the ball in FAST and EARLY, what a full forward line. Game plan B - for 15 mins let Whelo and Bonner run at them and draw frees and the defender. Game plan C - closing out the game or slowing it down just get Cullen on the ball as much as possible. Leave the rest to him, he is that good.

Frees ? Cullen from the left, Keaney from the right. When game opens up then Mossy, Connolly and Vaughan may do damage but they are just not good enough to start. Left hand side of our attack is so weak its not funny ; you have to be either electric or physical and mobile and Mossy and Connolly are neither. We were carrying Connolly, Mossy and Collie the last day from our six forwards and this cannot happen again. All three would be good from the bench and give us options.

Shaugho was class but wouldnt be too worried if Goggins or whoever is in at 4. Just release Griffs and Cahill. Casey has a great heart and gives everything but like Mossy and Connolly, just not good enough. Cullen would be a class centre forward and would also kick a few scores per game. Bonner would do the donkey work which so often goes unnoticed. But what a full forward line ; if they get ball........... mayhem ! Very strong team physically up the middle, leaders in the right positions and all in all I'd love to see this starting 15. What you think boys ? Don't even try and tell me its not ar better then what started last Sunday's game !

Had to rub my eyes to then read it again -then i remembered it came from hoganstand and i brightened up again.

Point 1- griffin has been struggling but shocko has played absolutely no intercounty football this season-absolutely none. Now i wouldn't necessarily agree with that but this ain't a game for someone making their first start of the year. You could do it against one of the lesser lights in Leinster but not meath.
Point 2 Johnny Magee can't run anymore. In the wide open spaces of Croke park he'd be pissed on. You could use him for 15-20 mins or against someone like armagh but there is no way you'd get away with him on sunday in 22-23 degrees. Not  a prayer.

Point3- whelan has never been effective anywhere bar midfield- so i'm not going to elaborate on that because it shouldn't require elaboration.

Point 4- i don't think bonner is  ahalf forward- he doesn't play there at club level and i don't think he'd be any more effective than collie moran. He's not particularily quick although he'd win afew kickouts. unconvinced of that move to be honest.

Point 5- cullen has never taken frees even in a league game - i don;t think sunday is the place to start. Anyway vaughan is starting on sunday and kicking the frees. Just for the record on Connolly- he's actually the fastest dublin forward- timed so to say he sin't quick is bullshit. It was probbaly too soon for him the last day-he's only 19 and the day got to him a bit. Would consider moving cullen but personally i'd tell him to play  a different role at 6 which the dublin managment aren't  or seem incapable of him instructing him. Mossie is our best goal scorer -so i don't see the sense in dropping him - we won't outpoint meath and he's our best goal poacher. I think meath are ropey in the full back line.

Point 6 -jayo isn't fit- i'd play him at 11 if fit but you pick your best 2 midfielders and don't accomodate the other because you feel you have to.That team would be tanked on sunday- i'd put a mortgage on it.

[joemamas]

is the game on setanta ,

[Hound]

- Cahill and Griffs are class footballers, let them off. They can mark but when we have the ball they would give us serious options. Pace, power and both are leaders who would lift it when under pressure.

- Darren and Ryaner need no explanation - will win a mountain of ball and they just need to keep it simple.

I wouldnt be adverse to bringing in Shocko and playing Griffin at 7. Griffin is class, and I disagree about some people's views that he's playing poorly. He was our second best back the last day.

Cahill on the other hand has been shíte this year. Brennan should be in ahead of him.

As for the ball winners - how many balls did Shane and Darren win last time? Not many, and none respectively. Shane's a great man for getting free and winning ball that way - but if we're looking to win 50/50 ball in the centre of the field, Whelan is the only man we have. Magee can sometimes have days when he catches a lot of ball (tho was cleaned by Ward last day) but even in those good days he manages to drop the ball most of the time within 3 seconds of catching it.

Anyway vaughan is starting on sunday and kicking the frees. Just for the record on Connolly- he's actually the fastest dublin forward- timed so to say he sin't quick is bullshit. It was probbaly too soon for him the last day-he's only 19 and the day got to him a bit.

Are you sure about Vaughan starting ahead of Connolly (I would have thought it'd be Cosgrove, but I'd like to see Vaughan in)? The same 15 has been named as last time, not that that means a whole heap. Of course that brings us back to if Vaughan is good enough to start this time, why wasnt he good enough to get 10 or 15 mins the last day?

I find it hard to bellieve Connolly is the fastest man on the Dublin team. Depends on the distance I suppose. And in fairness he has the languid loppy style that maybe makes him look less pacy than he is.

[Stagmeister]

Dublin have named the same 15 that started against Meath in the drawn encounter for Sunday's Leinster SFC quarter-final replay in Croke Park (4.15).

DUBLIN (SF v Meath): S Cluxton; D Henry, R McConnell, P Griffin; P Casey, B Cullen, B Cahill; C Whelan, D Magee; C Moran, S Ryan, D Connolly; C Keaney, A Brogan, T Quinn.

[Davitt Man]

Yeah Keith Barr knows his stuff alright...I regularly read his articles and he always seems to be spot on with his analysis.

I dunno Keith Barr can be a bit off the wall at times, i dont agree with him putting barry cahill corner back, Cahill is too big to be a corner man and would get skinned in there, they tried him at full back last year and that didnt work out for him so why keith barr reckons he would be a good corner man is beyond me.

[Gnevin]

Dublin have named the same 15 that started against Meath in the drawn encounter for Sunday's Leinster SFC quarter-final replay in Croke Park (4.15).

DUBLIN (SF v Meath): S Cluxton; D Henry, R McConnell, P Griffin; P Casey, B Cullen, B Cahill; C Whelan, D Magee; C Moran, S Ryan, D Connolly; C Keaney, A Brogan, T Quinn.

Am not impressed with this team i thought  Moran was terrible last time ,  Connolly struggled and the half back where poor .
I can't belive their is no place for Vaughan , B Brogan or Shocko . Play crap and be 100% sure of your place some system