Leinster final Wexford v Dublin

[orangeman]

If Dublin don't have to beat Kerry I'd say they will win the AI, there isn't an AI winner in either Connacht or Ulster IMO so I'd say it is Dublin (favs) Kerry (2nd favs) and Cork(3rd favs, though you could swop them for 4-5 other teams).

Kerry have shown this year that they can be beaten by ordinary sides !

[Zulu]

That's my point OM if Cork are ordinary then so is every other team in the championship bar Dublin. I'd give Cork a great chance against any team other than Dublin and Kerry.

[Son_of_Sam]

IMO the loss of Paul Galvin is the key reason for Kerry being so average, I have said it for years that he is the key to Kerrys success, he is such a funtional player & he has the cynacism!!!(spelling) that every successfull team requires.

[orangeman]

Kerry are brittle without Galvin - very brittle - no steel ! He has balls of steel !

[DUBSFORSAM1]

An exceptional performance in the 2nd half against Wexford who put it up well for the first half....That is the League 2 winners and the League 3 winners beaten now (Wexford with 2 wins over Fermanagh in the league so can't be that bad) and a beating of Louth at nearly double what Tyrone beat them.....If Dublin have a tight game it is cause they are rubbish a la Westmeath, if Dublin win well its cause the opposition are rubbish....

Dublin now have more options than before in all sectors of the field with Shaughnessy/Brogan available next time around to further strengthen the panel....What was most pleasing was even when well ahead they still piled on the attack and competed for every 50-50 ball (and usually won them)...

[orangeman]

An exceptional performance in the 2nd half against Wexford who put it up well for the first half....That is the League 2 winners and the League 3 winners beaten now (Wexford with 2 wins over Fermanagh in the league so can't be that bad) and a beating of Louth at nearly double what Tyrone beat them.....If Dublin have a tight game it is cause they are rubbish a la Westmeath, if Dublin win well its cause the opposition are rubbish....

Dublin now have more options than before in all sectors of the field with Shaughnessy/Brogan available next time around to further strengthen the panel....What was most pleasing was even when well ahead they still piled on the attack and competed for every 50-50 ball (and usually won them)...

[/b]


No doubt bout that Sam - it takes a very special, committed, driven and motivated side to do that !

You've now assumed the favourites tag for the AI - How will you cope with this ?

[DUBSFORSAM1]

An exceptional performance in the 2nd half against Wexford who put it up well for the first half....That is the League 2 winners and the League 3 winners beaten now (Wexford with 2 wins over Fermanagh in the league so can't be that bad) and a beating of Louth at nearly double what Tyrone beat them.....If Dublin have a tight game it is cause they are rubbish a la Westmeath, if Dublin win well its cause the opposition are rubbish....

Dublin now have more options than before in all sectors of the field with Shaughnessy/Brogan available next time around to further strengthen the panel....What was most pleasing was even when well ahead they still piled on the attack and competed for every 50-50 ball (and usually won them)...

[/b]

I think we will cope a lot better this year....The management are being an awful lot more decisive in making changes if players aren't playing well, the are picking on form not on reputation and they have ensured there is no response to fouling/goading etc and they are concentrating on the ball..

There are options available in every line of the pitch now - Shaughnessy/Ross/Casey/Fennell/Vaughan/Brogan/Flynn/Andrews etc all not starting today who are putting serious pressure on the guys to retain their jersey...

Guys like Henry, Moran, Cahill, Whelan, Ryan, Brogan, Keaney also playing really well and Connolly who has come through and provides a very potent weapon by being totally 2 footed in at full forward....

With a bit of luck in the injury front and avoiding key injuries and a bit of luck on the day I see no reason to say we can't beat anyone and win Sam...



No doubt bout that Sam - it takes a very special, committed, driven and motivated side to do that !

You've now assumed the favourites tag for the AI - How will you cope with this ?

[INDIANA]

good win for dublin, but wexford were diabolical. Dublin can only beat what's in front of them and they did that with ruthless effiency, but Wexford had 5/6 players that wouldn't make the vincents senior club team , they also caved in mentally. Dublin are serious contenders but we won't know where we stand until we play a serious team, until then its just the same as every other year. Until we beat an armagh or kerry in a knockout game the rest of it is just filling space for the journos.
We're serious contenders but no more than that and we've been serious contenders for the last 3 years. The standard in leinster is muck, laois,wexford,carlow,kildare,longford are all seriously crap outfits, in fact they are beyond shite they are so bad. Only westmeath and meath with a decent manager offer anything as a challenge to the current dublin team with westmeath 2 forwards off being a serious outfit.
The tests all lie ahead, we're better equipped but again, talk is cheap we need to put a big gun out to really start believing.
Probabaly the end of that wexford team today, can't see them coming back from that. when you've got players who just pack it in mentally you've no chance. Mattie probably realised today that he will unfortunately never win silverware with wexford.
The hype will spiral out of control, i'll reserve my judgement till we beat a contender.

[Maguire01]

Impressive win from the Dubs today but after watching the Fermanagh Armagh game I would say the Dubs will struggle against the more organised outfits as their Midfield won't win as much possession and their forwards won't get as much space but they have definitely moved themselves into the favourites position for this All Ireland... it's been said before though and they have failed to deliver.

On a side note how bad must Leinster football be at the minute. Carlow, Wexford, Meath, Offaly, Louth all getting tanked in this year's championship. Aside from Westmeath and Dublin there are no other serious teams to my mind!

I'm not sure Leinster football is as bad as some of ye are making out, Kildare (beaten by Wiclow) beat Cavan (4 point losers to Armagh) yesterday, Dublin are a match for anyone, Wexford aren't as bad as they looked today and Meath got to last years semi final. So maybe it is the general standard of football that isn't great rather than Leinster being weak, because there is no outstanding team in Ulster, Connacht looks poor and with Kerry looking shakey Munster is without a standout team either.

Kildare sneaked past Cavan with a last minute goal. Cavan are the second worst team in Ulster.
Whilst the Sam Maguire may not come to Ulster this year (although still very possible), there are far fewer whipping boys in Ulster and the overall standard is higher for a greater number of teams.

[screenexile]

good win for dublin, but wexford were diabolical. Dublin can only beat what's in front of them and they did that with ruthless effiency, but Wexford had 5/6 players that wouldn't make the vincents senior club team , they also caved in mentally. Dublin are serious contenders but we won't know where we stand until we play a serious team, until then its just the same as every other year. Until we beat an armagh or kerry in a knockout game the rest of it is just filling space for the journos.
We're serious contenders but no more than that and we've been serious contenders for the last 3 years. The standard in leinster is muck, laois,wexford,carlow,kildare,longford are all seriously crap outfits, in fact they are beyond shite they are so bad. Only westmeath and meath with a decent manager offer anything as a challenge to the current dublin team with westmeath 2 forwards off being a serious outfit.
The tests all lie ahead, we're better equipped but again, talk is cheap we need to put a big gun out to really start believing.
Probabaly the end of that wexford team today, can't see them coming back from that. when you've got players who just pack it in mentally you've no chance. Mattie probably realised today that he will unfortunately never win silverware with wexford.
The hype will spiral out of control, i'll reserve my judgement till we beat a contender.

Very sensible and level headed post Indiana... If only the rest of the Dubs support were of the same mind a few more people may actually want ye to win a game!

[Zulu]

That maybe true but while Ulster is competitive, it is debateable if the standard there is any great shakes. Ulster has more decent teams but I'm not sure it has any good team at the moment, from what I've seen so far this year I'd fancy Kerry and Dublin against anything in Ulster and WM, Cork, Galway and Mayo (maybe) would do well against any of them aswell.

[orangeman]

good win for dublin, but wexford were diabolical. Dublin can only beat what's in front of them and they did that with ruthless effiency, but Wexford had 5/6 players that wouldn't make the vincents senior club team , they also caved in mentally. Dublin are serious contenders but we won't know where we stand until we play a serious team, until then its just the same as every other year. Until we beat an armagh or kerry in a knockout game the rest of it is just filling space for the journos.
We're serious contenders but no more than that and we've been serious contenders for the last 3 years. The standard in leinster is muck, laois,wexford,carlow,kildare,longford are all seriously crap outfits, in fact they are beyond shite they are so bad. Only westmeath and meath with a decent manager offer anything as a challenge to the current dublin team with westmeath 2 forwards off being a serious outfit.
The tests all lie ahead, we're better equipped but again, talk is cheap we need to put a big gun out to really start believing.
Probabaly the end of that wexford team today, can't see them coming back from that. when you've got players who just pack it in mentally you've no chance. Mattie probably realised today that he will unfortunately never win silverware with wexford.
The hype will spiral out of control, i'll reserve my judgement till we beat a contender.

Very sensible and level headed post Indiana... If only the rest of the Dubs support were of the same mind a few more people may actually want ye to win a game!

Speak for yourself Screen - sure we ALL want to see Dublin win the AI this year !

[heffo]

Wexford should take that caveman back off again.

He wasn't sent on for his football skills anyhoo!

[redhandluke]

The Dubs look awesome in the seond-half - thought Ryan was particularily outstanding - definitely the team to avoid in the Qtrs apart from Kerry.

Would luv to see a Armagh - Dub game this year in Croker - hopefully a Qtr-final!!!

[Mike Sheehy]

definitely the team to avoid in the Qtrs apart from Kerry

chickens**ts