Dublin v Monaghan - Parnell Park - 13/03/10

[Bord na Mona man]

After his mare v Mayo, Cluxton was back on form. No mistakes under the high ball and excellent distribution.

Hardly excellent distribution now. One 20 yard chip kick out straight to an unmarked Monaghan forward for a gimme point, one kick out straight over the sideline, another requiring a diving Dublin player to keep it in play.
All of these with 15 against 14 and a spare man every time.

[Hound]

After his mare v Mayo, Cluxton was back on form. No mistakes under the high ball and excellent distribution.

Hardly excellent distribution now. One 20 yard chip kick out straight to an unmarked Monaghan forward for a gimme point, one kick out straight over the sideline, another requiring a diving Dublin player to keep it in play.
All of these with 15 against 14 and a spare man every time.

One mistake straight after the goal fair enough. The one over the sideline was going straight to Philly McMahon who deliberately left it after the ref blew for some sort of technical foul.

Dublin won a big percentage of ball off their own kickouts thanks to Cluxton.

[INDIANA]

First half was a decent game of football. Monaghan started at a cracking pace, but thereafter I thought the Dubs took control and well deserved their 4 point lead. I couldnt see a way back for Monaghan.

Don't know whethe Mone meant to clobber Hubbard, but it was a definite 2nd yelllow. It seemed to galvanise Monaghan, and but eventually the Dubs took control again. How there was only 3 points in it as they game approached 70 minutes was amazing. Dublin missed no less than 4 clearcut goal chances in the space of 7 or 8 minutes (Magee, Brogan/McMenamon, Brogan, McAuley) and I was afraid they would pay for their profligacy. Freeman and Clerkin then both missed handy point chances which would have made it a tense finale.

At the game I thought Dublin were dreadful in the 2nd half, but watching again on TV they werent too bad (despite some keystone cops moments). They defended very well and largely restricted Monghan to long range scoring efforts (effort which were generally very poor).

After his mare v Mayo, Cluxton was back on form. No mistakes under the high ball and excellent distribution. McMahon was my favourite in the full back line. Fitzsimons got turned a few times early on but improved as the game went on, O'Carroll continues to look very promising.

O'Sullivan is a class act, but often too lacksadasical. A number of silly lobbed passes which give opponents too much of a chance. McCarthy had a mare, Brennan was average. Gill did reasonably well when introduced.

We're definitely going to struggle in midfield come championship. I still like McConnell, but he needs a dominant partner. And I don't think either Fennell or Magee are good enough, certainly neither a patch on Whelan. Maybe between them we can work something out.

Flynn was a disaster in the 2nd half, but hopefully just an aberattion. McAuley decent in patches (not so good in other patches) and I still can't see the point of Hubbard. I thought Henry was doing reasonably well, albeit a couple of bad wides. McMenamon didnt get the scores, but was playing very deep for a while, and he took his goal very well. Brogan was head and shoulders the best player on the pitch IMO.

Hope Griff isnt as bad as he looked, he'd be a huge loss.

Hard luck to Monaghan, they came to play, and the injuries didnt help. Finlay will hardly play as badly again. Finlay's foul mouthed tirade at Rory Woods (picked up on Setanta) was funny, but just a moment of anger rathe than symptomatic of anything.

Have to be realistic as well Hound. Monaghan are no great shakes. Can't get carried away either. Kerry would have won that game by 10-12 points with an extra man. God help us if Bernard gets injured using that system. Thats all I'll say.

[micka the dub]

jaysis lads what more do they have to do to pleases some of yiz.
will we go back to playing kamikaze entertaining football but fall flat on our faces and become a laughing stock again or do we try out new players,new system and instill an unbelievable work ethic into the whole squad in the hope that trying to do something different might actually benifit us and restore some pride in dublin football.
4 from 4 in the leauge and some of you still are not happy,dont get me wrong i know we arent world beaters but things look a lot better than they did last august.
as for berno getting injured,every team hasa player that when they lose him to injury cant replace him,even kerry.

[bucketamail]

Before the beginning of the second half stephen cluxton came jogging out on to the pitch heading for his goals. he was carrying a black bag with him in which im sure all his ancillary equipment was in.

I have never seen a GAA goal keeper carry a bag with him during a game.

Perhaps this is a new cosmopolitan craze among GAA goalkeepers in "Capital D".

Nonsense is what i call it!

And sure whatever is in it, could it not be carried under the arm???

[micka the dub]

it was application forms for his club parnells.
just in case there was any laois man at the game

[Main Street]

jaysis lads what more do they have to do to pleases some of yiz.

Glass half empty outlook, an almost permanent state of cynicism and pessimism.

will we go back to playing kamikaze entertaining football but fall flat on our faces and become a laughing stock again or do we try out new players,new system and instill an unbelievable work ethic into the whole squad in the hope that trying to do something different might actually benifit us and restore some pride in dublin football.
4 from 4 in the leauge and some of you still are not happy,dont get me wrong i know we arent world beaters but things look a lot better than they did last august

You're a glass half full man, enjoy it.

[INDIANA]

jaysis lads what more do they have to do to pleases some of yiz.
will we go back to playing kamikaze entertaining football but fall flat on our faces and become a laughing stock again or do we try out new players,new system and instill an unbelievable work ethic into the whole squad in the hope that trying to do something different might actually benifit us and restore some pride in dublin football.
4 from 4 in the leauge and some of you still are not happy,dont get me wrong i know we arent world beaters but things look a lot better than they did last august.
as for berno getting injured,every team hasa player that when they lose him to injury cant replace him,even kerry.

I'm entitled to my opinion mick same as anyone else here I couldn't honestly care less whether you agree with it or not.

You don't mind if I wait a few months before ordering the Bollingers 75?

[micka the dub]

jaysis lads what more do they have to do to pleases some of yiz.
will we go back to playing kamikaze entertaining football but fall flat on our faces and become a laughing stock again or do we try out new players,new system and instill an unbelievable work ethic into the whole squad in the hope that trying to do something different might actually benifit us and restore some pride in dublin football.
4 from 4 in the leauge and some of you still are not happy,dont get me wrong i know we arent world beaters but things look a lot better than they did last august.
as for berno getting injured,every team hasa player that when they lose him to injury cant replace him,even kerry.

i dont agree with you indiana but we wont fall out over it.
ah feck the bollingers ,a bottle of cider will do me.

I'm entitled to my opinion mick same as anyone else here I couldn't honestly care less whether you agree with it or not.

You don't mind if I wait a few months before ordering the Bollingers 75?

[micka the dub]

jaysis lads what more do they have to do to pleases some of yiz.

Glass half empty outlook, an almost permanent state of cynicism and pessimism.

will we go back to playing kamikaze entertaining football but fall flat on our faces and become a laughing stock again or do we try out new players,new system and instill an unbelievable work ethic into the whole squad in the hope that trying to do something different might actually benifit us and restore some pride in dublin football.
4 from 4 in the leauge and some of you still are not happy,dont get me wrong i know we arent world beaters but things look a lot better than they did last august

You're a glass half full man, enjoy it.

and after all the kicks in the teeth i have gotten over the years i really should know better and i will probably get another one this year but,as you say, i will enjoy it till then

[Bord na Mona man]

After his mare v Mayo, Cluxton was back on form. No mistakes under the high ball and excellent distribution.

Hardly excellent distribution now. One 20 yard chip kick out straight to an unmarked Monaghan forward for a gimme point, one kick out straight over the sideline, another requiring a diving Dublin player to keep it in play.
All of these with 15 against 14 and a spare man every time.

One mistake straight after the goal fair enough. The one over the sideline was going straight to Philly McMahon who deliberately left it after the ref blew for some sort of technical foul.

Dublin won a big percentage of ball off their own kickouts thanks to Cluxton.

In this case it didn't matter in the end as Monaghan couldn't press on, but Cluxton has cost Dublin in the past with some rare 'decision making' with the ball. On the evidence of Saturday night, he still should carry a health warning.