Dublin v Kildare - Match Thread!

[Ohtoohtobe]

Good points all only one I'd take issue with is that comparing a game against Westmeath with a game against Offaly is meaningless. Westmeath are way better than Offaly.

I'd like to be optimistic about the Dubs match but we're nowhere near tight enough at the back to beat them. Look at the Div 1 table - we conceded way more goals and way more points than the other seven counties. People go on about our lack of a cutting edge up front but we scored more goals than anyone in that division. Our defending is a bigger problem.

[heffo]

Seriously underwhelmed by this game and most games in Leinster.

Kildare will certainly be 100% up for it as beating us should mean they win Leinster.

Even if we're beaten we probably still won't get a qualifier game down the country.

Would like to see Alan Brogan get a few minutes at the end if he's available.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Good points all only one I'd take issue with is that comparing a game against Westmeath with a game against Offaly is meaningless. Westmeath are way better than Offaly.

I'd like to be optimistic about the Dubs match but we're nowhere near tight enough at the back to beat them. Look at the Div 1 table - we conceded way more goals and way more points than the other seven counties. People go on about our lack of a cutting edge up front but we scored more goals than anyone in that division. Our defending is a bigger problem.

We had a very mean rearguard in 2011 - conceded 0-5 to Wicklow, 0-10 to Meath, 1-12 to Dublin, 0-10 to Laois, 0-14 to Meath, 0-13 to Derry and 1-12 to Donegal after extra time. Last year we were nowhere near as tight and leaked scores. I haven't seen much signs of defensive improvement so far this year. The personnel are mostly the same but their form is nowhere near as good.

We have some forwards who will cause Dublin problems and I think the two Johnstownbridge lads will have a bit of joy if we can get them running at the Dubs. It's difficult to see us racking up a bigger score than the Dublin forwards will against our backs though.

[Dinny Breen]

Good points all only one I'd take issue with is that comparing a game against Westmeath with a game against Offaly is meaningless. Westmeath are way better than Offaly.

I'd like to be optimistic about the Dubs match but we're nowhere near tight enough at the back to beat them. Look at the Div 1 table - we conceded way more goals and way more points than the other seven counties. People go on about our lack of a cutting edge up front but we scored more goals than anyone in that division. Our defending is a bigger problem.

We had a very mean rearguard in 2011 - conceded 0-5 to Wicklow, 0-10 to Meath, 1-12 to Dublin, 0-10 to Laois, 0-14 to Meath, 0-13 to Derry and 1-12 to Donegal after extra time. Last year we were nowhere near as tight and leaked scores. I haven't seen much signs of defensive improvement so far this year. The personnel are mostly the same but their form is nowhere near as good.

We have some forwards who will cause Dublin problems and I think the two Johnstownbridge lads will have a bit of joy if we can get them running at the Dubs. It's difficult to see us racking up a bigger score than the Dublin forwards will against our backs though.

Perhaps lacking in competition, Peter Kelly and Bolton and Foley in particular seem to be getting selected regardless of form. Bolton and Kelly must be under pressure from Eoin Doyle, Hyland and Morgan O'Flaherty. Don't think you need an orthodox full-back against Dublin and maybe we could play Foley at 6 alongside Leper who will probably player a sweeper role. Defensively maybe this line-up might work - feel free to pick holes - just a discussion point really

1. Connolly - more composed than Donnellan I think
2. Lyons
3. McGrillen
4. Hyland - we need pace in the full back line
5. E Doyle
6. Foley - need his physicality further out and in tandem with Leper could counter Paul Flynn on the breaking ball.
7. Morgan O'F/Bolton - Bolton will be more direct in attack but lately is getting caught in no mans land defensively
8. Flynn the elder
9. Flynn the younger
10. Eoin O'F
11. N Kelly
12. Cribben
13. Smith
14. J Doyle
15. Leper

[Ohtoohtobe]

I think your full-back line is weak Dinny but I couldn't pick a dramatically better one and therein lies the problem. Kelly, Foley, Bolton and Morgan Flats are all fine defenders but none of them are in form and I think that's one of the main differences between now and 2011. Hyland and/or John Byrne might improve us in this department in years to come but big ask to give them a debut in this game.

We played poorly against Dubs in '11 but good defence had us hanging in there until injury time. Whereas now I fear that if they do well at midfield the floodgates might open.

[Dinny Breen]

Tis a conundrum wrapped in an enigma alright.

I can see an awful lot of tactical fouling and gamesmanship from Kildare in this game particularly around midfield as Kildare will not want be sucked into a high-tempo game against a team that is just as fit but crucially quicker in some areas and playing with a lot of confidence.

Has the referee been appointed yet?

[AZOffaly]

Good points all only one I'd take issue with is that comparing a game against Westmeath with a game against Offaly is meaningless. Westmeath are way better than Offaly.

I'd like to be optimistic about the Dubs match but we're nowhere near tight enough at the back to beat them. Look at the Div 1 table - we conceded way more goals and way more points than the other seven counties. People go on about our lack of a cutting edge up front but we scored more goals than anyone in that division. Our defending is a bigger problem.

I don't know if they are 'way better' than Offaly, but they are certainly a more mature outfit and further along their development. However the display they gave against Dublin was abject. Offaly would not have been a lot worse than that. I don't think either game has a bearing on the outcome of this clash, but it's likely Kildare were stretched a small bit more than Dublin were. Kildare maybe reached third gear when they kicked ahead after half time. Dublin barely engaged the clutch.

[Ohtoohtobe]

I think Offaly will get there but looking at league positions, Westmeath are a good bit ahead at the moment. Easy to look bad against a team as good as Dublin. Kildare could end up looking just as bad yet!

[Donnellys Hollow]

Perhaps lacking in competition, Peter Kelly and Bolton and Foley in particular seem to be getting selected regardless of form. Bolton and Kelly must be under pressure from Eoin Doyle, Hyland and Morgan O'Flaherty. Don't think you need an orthodox full-back against Dublin and maybe we could play Foley at 6 alongside Leper who will probably player a sweeper role.

There's certainly less competition now that McLoughlin and Fitzpatrick are no longer around. Hyland is only out of minor and has very little senior experience. Johnny Byrne is probably more of a natural half back.

The hope for Bolton, Foley and Kelly is that they have all risen to the big occasion in the past but form cannot be switched on and off like a tap. I think Foley will probably mark Diarmuid Connolly who he did very well on in 2011. Lyons on Brogan, McGrillen on Andrews and Kelly on Mannion. That probably leaves Bolton on Paul Flynn who is Dublin's key man along with McAuley IMO. If Kildare can negate the influence of that pair we have a shout but it's a big ask; too big at this stage of our development I fear.

[AZOffaly]

I seriously doubt it. Kildare have the physical presence to at least win ball and burst through a tackle. Westmeath were badly exposed (as 80% of teams in teh country would be) in that department. With all the talk of the different standards, to me it seems to be the physical aspect which brings you on the most.  Not necessarily the fitness either, but the ability to stand a man up in a tackle, and strip him of the ball. The likes of Donegal, Dublin, May and Kildare, even Tyrone, Cork and Kerry, seem to be way ahead of the rest in that area, and I think that's why those counties are ahead of the rest in general.

If you can't get through a tackle, and can't physically compete for a ball when you don't have it, you're going to have a long, long day against those teams.

[inexile]

Do you know what? I'm beginning to feel a wee bit optimistic, which is based on absolutley nothing except that you cant be pessimistic all the time. Anyway we can't play as bad as we did in the league. Hopefully the day won't be as cold either.

[heffo]

Strange reaction from an IC manager when asked a question by a journalist last year:

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/cwmheyeymhql/rss2/

[Ohtoohtobe]

Bit cowardly of Fogarty. Name the manager or don't mention it at all. He knows that most people know he's talking about McGeeney. He's therefore gossiping about him without having the balls to name him. Bit pathetic, using a private argument to make himself seem more important.

[heffo]

Bit cowardly of Fogarty. Name the manager or don't mention it at all. He knows that most people know he's talking about McGeeney. He's therefore gossiping about him without having the balls to name him. Bit pathetic, using a private argument to make himself seem more important.

He named him last year in the Examiner (or at least went as far as to print his initial reaction when asked about Supple) when the story broke in the national media (months after I posted it here)

[Ohtoohtobe]

Yeah but that's the problem. He's now giving his side of details of a private exchange that took place after the public one, without naming who he's talking about, when he knows that everyone knows full well who's he's talking about.

No problem with him reporting McGeeney's response to a question that Fogarty had a right to ask. That's reporting. But leave it at that. Still talking a year later about a private exchange that happened after is not very honourable. Then again, most of these reporters showed how honourable they were by leaving Declan Bogue out to dry.

And Fogarty is probably one of the better ones, in fairness, in terms of his interest in the game. But he's let himself down a bit here.

Also, that Supple story was a bit unsatisfactory. No details of who is supposed to have made this offer. Could have been anyone from McGeeney to some club manager. Not exactly Woodward and Bernstein stuff.