Dublin v Kerry AI final 20th September 2015

[screenexile]

Maybe this is what Indiana was on about re. Bottle.

No no Indiana definitely said it was the Kerry lads who questioned the Dubs' bottle!

[AZOffaly]

I know, but maybe he was mixing up Martín with another green and gold thing..

[Dinny Breen]

Any team that can beat Kildare in January has bottle 

[The Hill is Blue]

O'Gara and Mannion being back next year will be a boost

Also keep an eye on young Conor McHugh from Na Fianna - great under age career.

[easytiger95]

Just about recovered from the celebrations - I'm not going to claim it was a great game, but there was a real feeling of satisfaction in dogging it out. In 2011 we probably stole it, in 2013 we went toe to toe and came out ahead, but this year, well, unless you were there (having watched it again last night) you didn't really get a sense of the inevitability of the result. After the initial flurry after DOS came on for Kerry, Dublin's control was total - summed up maybe to the air of indulgent bemusement when Galvin came on to  the pitch. Some Kerry supporters were going mad, but most people in the stadium were thinking the same thing - if he is the answer, they are asking the wrong question on the sideline.

I think if it had been a dry day we would have destroyed them on the scoreboard - which in the long run may have been a better result for them. Now Kerry have a winter to brood about a "non-performance" and the temptation to deceive themselves will always be there. If I was them, I'd be sticking with E Fitz, but I'd be telling him to consider next year as year zero - chop out all the older performers there at the weekend and base it on a youth system that has been flowering quite impressively over the past couple of seasons. I know they are good at retreading senior statesmen down there, but it seems this has become standard practice rather than a contingency plan. I honestly believe that if you played that game 10 times over in a variety of conditions with the same teams and you'd get the same result, or worse, for the Kingdom. And they need to realise this if they want to regain Sam quickly.

As for us, so proud to have been there and seen players like ROC, Jonny, Kilkenny, Paddy Andrews, James McCarthy, Fenton etc take central roles. You are only as strong as your weakest links and when you have a day when your goalkeeper is stuttering, your centre back has huge questions over his fitness (and he was definitely saving himself during the game), your acclaimed most talented player is not going great at half forward, and your main scoring threat is finding it difficult to handle the ball (though the amount of work and vital tackles that Berno put in was amazing), it is so satisfying to see the others step forward. A true team, the best dubs side i have ever seen, and though the arguments about "greatness" will rage, they're certainly up there with Kerry and Tyrone teams of 2003/2009 (personally I think they play a better brand of football).

Met a fair few Kerry fans on Sunday night, gracious to a fault as always, so commiserations to them. Up the Dubs!

[redzone]

Talk about getting carried away with a result.nothing between the two teams and if use played another 10 times it would be 5-5.

[smort]

I think it would end 8-2 Dublin

[Armamike]

Just about recovered from the celebrations - I'm not going to claim it was a great game, but there was a real feeling of satisfaction in dogging it out. In 2011 we probably stole it, in 2013 we went toe to toe and came out ahead, but this year, well, unless you were there (having watched it again last night) you didn't really get a sense of the inevitability of the result. After the initial flurry after DOS came on for Kerry, Dublin's control was total - summed up maybe to the air of indulgent bemusement when Galvin came on to  the pitch. Some Kerry supporters were going mad, but most people in the stadium were thinking the same thing - if he is the answer, they are asking the wrong question on the sideline.

I think if it had been a dry day we would have destroyed them on the scoreboard - which in the long run may have been a better result for them. Now Kerry have a winter to brood about a "non-performance" and the temptation to deceive themselves will always be there. If I was them, I'd be sticking with E Fitz, but I'd be telling him to consider next year as year zero - chop out all the older performers there at the weekend and base it on a youth system that has been flowering quite impressively over the past couple of seasons. I know they are good at retreading senior statesmen down there, but it seems this has become standard practice rather than a contingency plan. I honestly believe that if you played that game 10 times over in a variety of conditions with the same teams and you'd get the same result, or worse, for the Kingdom. And they need to realise this if they want to regain Sam quickly.

As for us, so proud to have been there and seen players like ROC, Jonny, Kilkenny, Paddy Andrews, James McCarthy, Fenton etc take central roles. You are only as strong as your weakest links and when you have a day when your goalkeeper is stuttering, your centre back has huge questions over his fitness (and he was definitely saving himself during the game), your acclaimed most talented player is not going great at half forward, and your main scoring threat is finding it difficult to handle the ball (though the amount of work and vital tackles that Berno put in was amazing), it is so satisfying to see the others step forward. A true team, the best dubs side i have ever seen, and though the arguments about "greatness" will rage, they're certainly up there with Kerry and Tyrone teams of 2003/2009 (personally I think they play a better brand of football).

Met a fair few Kerry fans on Sunday night, gracious to a fault as always, so commiserations to them. Up the Dubs!

Agree totally with that bit. Thought the rain kept Kerry in it.

[easytiger95]

Talk about getting carried away with a result.nothing between the two teams and if use played another 10 times it would be 5-5.

Except for the fact that on the previous three occasions we've played, Dublin have won. And this was the game where they were at their most dominant (despite the scoreboard, as I spoke about above).

[ashman]

Talk about getting carried away with a result.nothing between the two teams and if use played another 10 times it would be 5-5.

Except for the fact that on the previous three occasions we've played, Dublin have won. And this was the game where they were at their most dominant (despite the scoreboard, as I spoke about above).

The current dublin v kerry rivalry is similar to the 70s in that After a few years one team is on decline.  Kerry now and dublin from 78 onwards .  Since 2008 Kerry have been in decline but due to "muscle memory" tradition and  bit of luck won two all Ireland's .  They remained competitive due to a big drop in general standards . Good sized counties like kildare , Meath and Galway have not really pushed on. Although Kildare were good from 2008 to 2011. 

Cork have regressed since 2010 ;  Tyrone regressed from 2008 and only look like coming back now.  Armagh have also gone back.  Only for Mayo and Donegal twould be dull.

[easytiger95]

Yep, totally agree Ashman, which is their big problem - very similar as well to the end of the great eighties team, where Jacko, Bomber and Mikey Sheehy etc were still go to guys (in Jacko's case all the way into the 90s).

[ashman]

Yep, totally agree Ashman, which is their big problem - very similar as well to the end of the great eighties team, where Jacko, Bomber and Mikey Sheehy etc were still go to guys (in Jacko's case all the way into the 90s).

Kerry are replacing departees with lesser players.  Similar to munster in rugby.

That said I think they will play dublin in semi next year.  Yes , things are that predictable.

[Farrandeelin]

Yep, totally agree Ashman, which is their big problem - very similar as well to the end of the great eighties team, where Jacko, Bomber and Mikey Sheehy etc were still go to guys (in Jacko's case all the way into the 90s).

Kerry are replacing departees with lesser players.  Similar to munster in rugby.

That said I think they will play dublin in semi next year.  Yes , things are that predictable.

It's looking like that surely. You never know though, they MIGHT wobble at the quarters, especially if Down make it that far and are drawn against them...

[From the Bunker]

Yep, totally agree Ashman, which is their big problem - very similar as well to the end of the great eighties team, where Jacko, Bomber and Mikey Sheehy etc were still go to guys (in Jacko's case all the way into the 90s).

Kerry are replacing departees with lesser players.  Similar to munster in rugby.

That said I think they will play dublin in semi next year.  Yes , things are that predictable.

It's looking like that surely. You never know though, they MIGHT wobble at the quarters, especially if Down make it that far and are drawn against them...

A Mayo Dublin Final next year!

[rrhf]

I think this generation of dubs will prove to be a better outfit than the 70s.   Their football is crazy, kamikaze at times and they have some of the dirtiest hoors in Ireland playing for them, but they have 3 all Irelands behind them. They are glorious on the front foot.  Jim Gavin proved he can manage them this year, and yes they would struggle in the ulster championship,  but they don't have to play in it either.  Fair play to them .  A great team.