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

[Schkite]

I wonder will the Monaghan team show any changes?

Any word of Collie Greenan?

From what I hear he will be fit to play some part, not sure whether that will be starting or off the bench. Looking at that Dublin line-out would it be fair to assume Henry will drop back to the middle third or as a 7th defender? If so I wonder will Darren Hughes take him and thus move out the field, making full use of his ability, or will he take up the responsibility of marking Brogan? I'd let him move out and let Dessie and McArdle take care of the two men inside if Dublin play that way, Hughes is wasted at full-back.

[Maguire01]

Looking forward to this game - it's a hard one to call.

Dublin will be favourites, but i'm not sure they're as good as their 6 points suggests.

I was at the game in Killarney and have no doubt that Monaghan would have beaten Kerry on that day. Whilst Dublin looked good, Kerry were very poor.

Then Dublin beat Derry. A good result, but it's hard to know where Derry are at, given their mixed bag of results.

As for the Mayo game, I didn't see any of it, but from what i've heard (and as mentioned earlier in this thread) Mayo kicked themselves our of the game and even with the collosal number of wides, Dublin only won by the minimum.

As for Monaghan, I missed the first two games, but reports were that the performance against Cork was pretty good (albeit very loose in defence). We were in the Galway game right up until Finlay was sent off. Then on Sunday, we managed to shake the Tyrone monkey off our back.

Now before anyone gets excited, i'm not saying Monaghan will have no problem here, just that it would be very foolish to predict this game on the basis of position on the table. There's a lot more behind the points.

So in other words Monaghan only have to turn up- interesting.

Did you read my post to the bottom?
I'd be interested to hear your views on both teams' 3 games to date in the context of their position on the table.

I did and its like reading my annual stockbrokers report. Give all the reasons as to why you think something is good but then write a disclaimer at the bottom of the page in case you are wrong!

As it happens I expect a pretty filthy match dominated by freetakers. I expect monaghan to edge it narrowly on the basis Keaney isn't playing.

We live in a democracy where debate and open speech are encouraged. The man was only stating facts and telling it how he sees it. If you can decode your 'annual stockbrokers report' then you shouldn't struggle with this concept..

I love the way 3 wins out of 3 is dismissed so easily by a county that has 2 points on the board. In fact I find it hilarious.

I never dismissed 3 wins out of 3, no more than I'm disregarding Monaghan's 2 defeats. I'm just analysing the 3 games each team has played to date - trying to look at the performances behind the final results: Monaghan lost to Cork by the minimum after kicking a massive amount of wides whilst Dublin beat Mayo by the minimum when Mayo kicked a massive amount of wides - the 2 points won and lost in those games don't tell the full story. Whilst only the final score matters in the end, you can't base your analysis for the next game on the final score alone.

You seem happy just to disregard my analysis - i'd be interested to read your analysis of team teams' 3 games to date.

[Maguire01]

Any game a team wins the opposition won't have played well- thats a statistical fact.

No it's not.
It might be that the winning team simply played better... there are plenty of games where two teams played great football, but one comes out on the wrong side of the final result.

The relevant statistical fact would be that the winner scored more; that the opposition didn't play well would be largely opinion.

[Declan]

Brogan to start for Dublin

GAA – Team news: Pat Gilroy has made three changes to the Dublin line-up with Bernard Brogan to make his first league start this season when they take on Monaghan in the National League Division One clash under floodlights at Parnell Park on Saturday night (7.30pm).

Brogan came off the bench to score a vital goal during the Dubs narrow 1-09 to 1-08 win over Mayo in Castlebar last weekend to remain undefeated and top of Division one. Gilroy's men also recorded wins against Kerry and Derry and are top of the standings with a better points difference than Cork.

Two changes are made in defence with Rory O'Carroll returning to full-back after under-21 duty, with Michael Fitzsimons reverting to corner-back. Paul Conlon suffered an ankle injury last weekend but may be fit enough to be named among the substitutes which have still be finalised.

At right half-back James McCarthy, also in under-21 action against Louth last Saturday, takes over from Hugh Gill, who replaced Paul Griffin before the game in Castlebar.

Up front Brogan comes in at full-forward with Kevin Bonner losing out. However, Conal Keaney, who had such a positive impact after coming on as a sub against Mayo, has been ruled out after picking up a quad muscle injury last Sunday.

Dublin (SF v Monaghan): Stephen Cluxton; Michael Fitzsimons, Rory O'Carroll, Philly McMahon; James McCarthy, Cian O'Sullivan, Ger Brennan; Eamon Fennell, Ross McConnell; Alan Hubbard, Michael Darragh MacAuley, Paul Flynn; David Henry, Bernard Brogan, Kevin McManamon.

[Hound]

You certainly can't read anything into Dublin winning 3 out of 3 to date. Other than winning is a good habit.

We played pretty well against an understrength Kerry side, a bit of a collapse in the 2nd half, but showed good bottle to win it in the end. Derry minus the Bradleys were poor against us, and we were almost as bad for most of the game. But we did open up in the last quarter, played some decent attacking football and deservedly won well.

We were abysmal against Mayo and blessed to win. But the positive side was we improved when we needed to (i.e. after Mayo got their goal) and Gilroy's after match comments indicated he knew we won despite playing puke football, not because of playing puke football.

We did not enter this league game with any more intention of winning it than we have any of the previous 4 or 5 league campaigns. We always go out to win every game, but in the knowledge that losing a league match is no big deal and the main obejctive being to avoid relegation. But as it happens we're top after 3 games, so I'd hope that finishing in the top 2 is a now our firm objective.

IMO Monaghan are one of the most physical teams out there, so it'll be interesting to see how the new look Dubs fare. Glad to see Brogan and McManamon up front together, hopefully they'll link up well (rather than be greedy) and hopefully they'll get some class of support from the other forwards. Keaney was never going to be involved this weekend, but should be back for the next game - though I reckon it'll be from the bench.

[Monaghan_Ultra]

Monaghan team to play Dublin:

Shane Duffy
Dermot McArdle
Darren Hughes
Colm Greenan
Colin Walshe
Neil McAdam
Kieran Hughes
Francis Caulfield
Paul Finlay
Dick Clerkin
Stephen Gollogly
Martin McElroy
Conor McManus
Vincent Corey
Tomás Freeman

Subs:

Sean Gorman
Donal Morgan
Dessie Mone
Hugh McElroy
Dermot Malone
Gavin Doogan
Rory Woods
Mark McNally
Ciarán Hanratty

[GrandMasterFlash]

Monaghan team to play Dublin:

Shane Duffy
Dermot McArdle
Darren Hughes
Colm Greenan
Colin Walshe
Neil McAdam
Kieran Hughes
Francis Caulfield
Paul Finlay
Dick Clerkin
Stephen Gollogly
Martin McElroy
Conor McManus
Vincent Corey
Tomás Freeman

Subs:

Sean Gorman
Donal Morgan
Dessie Mone
Hugh McElroy
Dermot Malone
Gavin Doogan
Rory Woods
Mark McNally
Ciarán Hanratty

One change from last Sunda with Colm Greenan coming in for Dessie. I thought Dessie was off the pace a little last Sunda but this is to be expected. Good to see Banty sticking with big Frank in the middle and Colm Greenan/Walshe at the back. Big Frank got roasted in the engine room last Sunday I thought but it's good to see him getting plenty of opportunity. It's a different looking team this year with a good mix of youth/experience in there. There's a few options on the bench too if required. Like Dublin there's a a different look about it. We've a completely new half-back line which sounds a looks a little risky but they acquitted themselves well enough against Tyrone. Mulgrew and Colm Cavanagh mightn't have been the hardest men to keep track of however.. Anyways, looking forward to her...

[timmyot501]

Banty using his copy and paste from last weeks team.  I reckon he'll make a change or 2 before the throw in again.  Dessie will start but I don't think it will be for young Greenan unless he isn't fit.  Maybe for Caulfield (who was ineffective last week).  Surprised he hasn't named a midfielder on the bench (though I suppose that might change before half 7 tomorrow night)

[GrandMasterFlash]

Looking forward to this game - it's a hard one to call.

Dublin will be favourites, but i'm not sure they're as good as their 6 points suggests.

I was at the game in Killarney and have no doubt that Monaghan would have beaten Kerry on that day. Whilst Dublin looked good, Kerry were very poor.

Then Dublin beat Derry. A good result, but it's hard to know where Derry are at, given their mixed bag of results.

As for the Mayo game, I didn't see any of it, but from what i've heard (and as mentioned earlier in this thread) Mayo kicked themselves our of the game and even with the collosal number of wides, Dublin only won by the minimum.

As for Monaghan, I missed the first two games, but reports were that the performance against Cork was pretty good (albeit very loose in defence). We were in the Galway game right up until Finlay was sent off. Then on Sunday, we managed to shake the Tyrone monkey off our back.

Now before anyone gets excited, i'm not saying Monaghan will have no problem here, just that it would be very foolish to predict this game on the basis of position on the table. There's a lot more behind the points.

So in other words Monaghan only have to turn up- interesting.

Did you read my post to the bottom?
I'd be interested to hear your views on both teams' 3 games to date in the context of their position on the table.

I did and its like reading my annual stockbrokers report. Give all the reasons as to why you think something is good but then write a disclaimer at the bottom of the page in case you are wrong!

As it happens I expect a pretty filthy match dominated by freetakers. I expect monaghan to edge it narrowly on the basis Keaney isn't playing.

We live in a democracy where debate and open speech are encouraged. The man was only stating facts and telling it how he sees it. If you can decode your 'annual stockbrokers report' then you shouldn't struggle with this concept..

I love the way 3 wins out of 3 is dismissed so easily by a county that has 2 points on the board. In fact I find it hilarious.

  I think you're being slightly paranoid here. Maguire01 was giving his opinion on the games/results to date. We lost our first two games for the reasons outlined above, both narrow defeats. Dublin won 2 out of their 3 games by virtue of the opposition kicking a sight of wides (Mayo) and being poor (Kerry). I don't what's wrong (or indeed hilarious) about either synopsis?

---------------------------------------------------------------------
From today's Indo (http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/fennell-puts-focus-on-capital-gains-2096844.html):

"Every time you play Monaghan, you're going to get a hard game, they're going to tackle you hard and move the ball quickly. I'd expect no different," he said.

"We are surprised (at our results), but we have to be patient, with so many new players. We are after getting results that have surpassed our expectations.

"We didn't play particularly well in the last two games, but we won. They weren't performances that were good enough to start talking about All-Irelands, though."

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Straight from the horses mouth - I rest my case.

[GrandMasterFlash]

Banty using his copy and paste from last weeks team.  I reckon he'll make a change or 2 before the throw in again.  Dessie will start but I don't think it will be for young Greenan unless he isn't fit.  Maybe for Caulfield (who was ineffective last week).  Surprised he hasn't named a midfielder on the bench (though I suppose that might change before half 7 tomorrow night)

Maybe he'll start Dessie and move D Hughes out the field and move Colm Greenan to full back. There'll likely only be two men playing in the forward line for Dub anyhow (Brogan and McManamin). Clerkin will be MF anyways. I'd rather see Hughes playing CHB or MF anyhow. Caulfield did have a bad day the last day (he done OK against Cork). Is Benny McKenna injured or why is he not named in the team or is it a Ctrl+C Ctrl+V exercise as you suggest...

[charlie linkbox]

I'm sorry but if Caulfield starts I'll go mad.

He was responsible for 4 of Tyrone's first 5 points last week (passed the ball to a Tyrone player for two of them, pulled a Tyrone player's jeresy which led to a pointed free, and let yer man Cassidy waltz through our defence for another). He was not ok against Cork either. I've said before that the odd mark does not compensate for his (lack of) contribution generally. I've seen him in all the McKenna Cup and League games this year; when he gets the ball he only has two thoughts. A: fist pass the ball to someone 3 feet away to get rid of it or B: panic.

I'm not normally one for castigating players; anyone who wears a Monaghan jersey will get nothing only encouragement from me. But in this case I've seen enough.

[timmyot501]

I think Benny McKenna was drafted into the subs last week so maybe that will happen again.  But when a midfielder is taken off early and the only replacement on the bench is overlooked in favour of a re-shuffle it doen't look very much like benny is in the banty's plans.  However if Greenan can operate successfully as a FB then Hughes may just be the answer around the middle.

[GAA_Punter]

Allianz National Football League Division 1 Round 4
Dublin v Monaghan, 7.30pm, Parnell Park
Dublin have never had it so good and continued their unbeaten streak on the road last weekend with a slender one-point win over Mayo ensuring a first win in Castlebar since 1992.
Just four away victories have been recorded in Division 1 to date, with Dublin recording two of those so the odds are certainly stacked against a Farney County win.
Dublin also have the tightest defence in the division so far, just conceding 2-25 in their three games while Monaghan possess the worst record in this regard with 4-49.
Pat Gilroy's squad may continue to be plagued by injuries with Tomas Quinn, Alan Brogan and Conal Keaney among those ruled out, but they have coped well with a long injury-list so far and should continue to do so on Saturday night.

VERDICT – Dublin


Rest of the weekends previews on
http://www.sportsnewsireland.com/2010/03/12/weekend-gaelic-football-previews-saturday-13th-sunday-14th-march/

[upmonaghansayswe]

Good to see Banty sticking with big Frank in the middle. Big Frank got roasted in the engine room last Sunday I thought but it's good to see him getting plenty of opportunity.

Your logic is baffling.

[Maguire01]

All the previews that i've read (Gaelic Life, Irish News, RTÉ) giving this game to Dublin.