DENIS DREADS A DUB DECADE OF DOMINANCE
DENIS GLENNON fears Dublin’s dominance of the Leinster Championship will last at least another decade.
The Westmeath man burst onto the scene as a teenager in 2004 as part of the side that beat the Dubs on the way to a breakthrough Leinster win.
But just one team – Meath in 2010 – has overcome Dublin in the province since, something Glennon described as ‘statistically outrageous’.
Westmeath lost to Dublin in the 2015 and 2016 Leinster finals and Glennon came on last June when the Dubs ran out 4-29 to 0-10 winners in the semi-finals.
Dublin went on to win an All-ireland three-in-a-row and Glennon – who is hanging up his boots – said he’s leaving behind a ‘frustrating’ and one-sided Leinster championship.
Westmeath’s third highest scorer ever, with 11-231, said: “I can’t see Leinster changing any time soon. It’s like a conveyor belt of talent coming through in Dublin. Do I see that changing in the next four or five years? I don’t and I would say it could go closer to the 10-year mark, they’re so advanced.
“There are brilliant young players coming in and other guys who are on the fringes of the Dublin squad that would be the main forwards or midfielders in any other county.
“That competition has made them a phenomenal outfit. They’re bringing Footballer of the Year winners on as subs, not just very good players or even All-stars but actual Footballer of the Year winners.
“That’s the problem that everyone else has in Leinster. It’s very difficult and frustrating.”
Glennon, who gave 13 years of service to his county, said he’d like to get rid of the Leinster Championship completely.
“I would and I wish it was done a good while ago because it might have given players like myself more opportunities for silverware.
“I think the Super 8s format is a good option, with the rest of the counties maybe in a Tier 2 structure and the winners, or a couple of them even, coming back into the Championship the same year. “I don’t like saying we need a Tier 2 but, being realistic, I think it’s what football needs.
“Look at the stats, Dublin have won almost everything in Leinster since 2004. When they were beaten by Meath it took five goals to do it. That’s statistically outrageous.”
Glennon was the last member of Paidi O Se’s 2004 Westmeath team to call it quits.
The Tyrrellspass man said: “It was some team we had; Dessie Dolan, Alan Mangan, John Keane, a two-time All-star, Rory O’connell, our first All-star, Gary Connaughton, you could go on.
“We were in and around Division 1 or Division 2 but there’s a solid bunch there now too.
“Fellas like Kieran Martin, John Heslin and Ger Egan (inset) are all pushing it on.”