Bad news for chasing pack — Dubs are getting better
The League is over and the Dubs look better than ever
THE new condensed schedule brought its own teething problems, but this season’s Allianz Football League was as fascinating as any that had gone before.
That was in itself an achievement given fears that with the introduction of the Super 8s would dilute purpose and ambition for the top-tier teams, but the competition, embellished by Sunday’s fiercely competitive final, stood firmly on its own two feet.
Now that it’s over, what, if anything, have we learned ahead of Championship 2018? Sportsmail offers up 10 lessons worthy of consideration.
1. DUBLIN’S DESIRE KNOWS NO LIMITS
JIM GAVIN’S team is one to be marvelled at, but they have also become the most powerful champions of the game’s secondary competition.
A few stats first — this was their fifth outright win in six seasons — the kind of domination not seen since Kerry also racked up five in six years between 1969 and ’74.
The crucial difference, though, is that Kerry managed just one League and Championship double in that run, while this summer Dublin will go in search of their fourth. It all adds up to this team becoming the most successful ever witnessed within a single decade — Sunday’s triumph over Galway was their 17th major title since 2010.
And the manner in which it was won — a man down, playing against the wind in a tied game going down the stretch — said it all. Even Gavin, never one for effusive praise, loosened his tongue to say: ‘What I find remarkable about them is that they can do that on such a consistent level, especially because they have achieved so much in the past.’
Enough said.
2. AND THEY’VE EVEN GOTTEN STRONGER….
THERE is an obvious reason why they retain such high levels of desire, because if any of the group drop it a notch, there is a price to be paid.
History tells us the demise of great teams is rooted in a misplaced sense of loyalty to long-established players, but Gavin has no tolerance for cultivating that kind of environment.
He used 33 players in this year’s League, with the game-time afforded to Brian Howard, in particular, and Colm Basquel suggesting both will feature prominently this summer.
Alarmingly, for the chasing pack, this League was won without Jack McCaffrey, Cian O’Sullivan, Paul Flynn, Diarmuid Connolly, Con O’Callaghan [apart from a brief cameo in the final] and Bernard Brogan. In terms of individual quality, that amounts to two former players of the year, 16 AllStars and 20 All-Ireland medals and yet it was hardly noticeable.
The likelihood is that all but Brogan will be back — McCaffrey is back training on grass, while Connolly is expected to return to the fold shortly — for the Championship.
3. CIARÁN KILKENNY IS A GENUINE STRIKE FORWARD
PROOF that we possess the memory of a goldfish is to be found in how Ciarán Kilkenny was lauded as the ultimate link player for the past six years, when he had established himself with such effect as a top inside forward at minor level that the AFL once came knocking on his door.
He was flattered by his official man-of-the-match award in Sunday’s final —– it should have gone to Galway’s Damien Comer or Kilkenny’s team-mate Brian Fenton — but he has no reason to blush for his Player of the League citation.
His two points in the final brought his tally in open play to 2-18 this spring, and has added considerably to the menace of a Dublin attack which has never been shy when it has come to baring its teeth.
4. GALWAY’S COMING IS FOR REAL
GALWAY’S credibility as a genuine force has been validated over the past couple of months in a manner which not even their backto-back wins over Mayo in the previous two summers had suggested.
There is a reason for that; Galway footballers have been dogged by a perception of flakiness which suggested they were always good for an ambush and never trusted in a battle. Not anymore as this campaign underlined the sense that they have the structure and the substance to go deep into the summer with the best balanced team out there after Dublin.
Their attacking threat is obvious, led by the outstanding and, at times, unplayable Comer, but it their defence which is their corner-stone. They had seven shutouts in eight games — including two against Dublin, while they conceded less than 13 points per game on average.
Despite losing the final, they are entitled to believe that momentum is still their friend as they head to Castlebar next month.
5. AND SO IS MAYO’S STAGNATION…
THEY may have produced their own version of the great escape in Ballybofey last month, but surviving in Division 1 hardly masked an underwhelming League campaign. An ageing panel in dire need of fresh blood, they unearthed corner-back Eoin O’Donoghue in terms of rookie talent, but needed to find so much more.
The loss of Lee Keegan to a shoulder injury is likely to come at a heavy price, one which even the anticipated return of Keith Higgins will not compensate.
6. KERRY APPEAR NO CLOSER TO SOLVING DEFENSIVE WOES
FOR all the talk of their youthful promise — which the attacking trio of David Clifford, Seán O’Shea and Micheal Burns went some way to delivering on — they are no closer to solving the defence frailties which have haunted them.
They managed just one shut-out while conceding more goals than anyone else 10.
It was their defence which cost them dearly last year, and there appears to be no quick-fix solution.
7. WIPEOUT LIKELY TO COST KILDARE
AFTER last season the talk was that Kildare were shaping up as challengers to Dublin in Leinster but after nine defeats on the bounce their confidence is at rock bottom.
They became the fourth team to be relegated since 2009 without winning a single point and precedent suggests that wipeout campaigns can cost.
Westmeath suffered back-toback relegations in the aftermath of pointless seasons in 2009 and 2014, while Down suffered a record 19-point defeat in Ulster to Monaghan and crashed out of the qualifiers after drawing a blank in the 2016 league.
It might not be that bad for Kildare this summer, but it is unlikely to be as good as they hoped for.
8 THE RISE AND RISE OF CARLOW
THEIR promotion to Division 3 was the feel-good story of the
League and was built on the success of their run in last summer’s qualifiers. It underlined once more the value the lower-tier leagues offers developing counties, but it begs an obvious question. Why should the only competition that counties such as Carlow have a chance of winning, finish at the end of March? Finding a second-tier Championship format that offers the disenfranchised a tangible reward has to be the priority.
9. CONDENSED SCHEDULE NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED
THE decision to go with a tighter schedule was well intended — to facilitate a club-only month in April — but was not practical. Weather conditions early in the year are always likely to be an issue, but the optics of not fulfilling all the fixtures in Division 4 and playing postponed fixtures after the ‘final’ round had been completed, damaged the credibility of the competition.
The only solution is a split county and club season.
10. BLACK CARD TOO CONTENTIOUS FOR ITS OWN GOOD
THE well-intended black card rule has served some good but is fast approaching its sell-by date, not least after Sunday’s final.
Galway star man Comer was brought to ground three times in the opening 19 minutes all from fouls committed with cynical intent, two of which merited a black card, in spirit, but none were shown.
This will happen time and again over the next few months, so the time has come for all cautionable fouls [black and yellow] to be dealt with by the introduction of a sinbin rule.