GAA has created a monster in Dublin

ALL Ireland champions Dublin made an ominous statement regarding the depth of talent available in the county by cruising to the O’Byrne Cup title in Drogheda last Sunday with what in effect was their development squad.

Made up of club players and former minor and under 21 stars of recent years Dublin’s embarrassment of riches really shone through as they won their ninth title on a soreline of 2-16 to 1-10.

Temporary manager Paul Clarke was given a few scares early on but his rookie side pulled away in the second half as Louth struggled to stay in the game. During the 30 minute period either side of half time Louth failed to register a single score as the men in blue tagged on seven points without reply.

For much of the opening 20 minutes it was actually the home side who were in the ascendency as Colin Kelly’s side continued where they left off the previous week against Meath. Craig Lynch’s quick kick-out strategy ensured lots of possession and the defence was solid and compact.

During that opening quarter both wing backs caused havoc in the Dublin rearguard as they raided forward to great effect but inaccuracy and poor decision-making in front of goal cost Louth dearly.

An additional tally of 2-5 or possible even 2-8 was spurned. This allowed the young metropolitans settle into the contest and they soon gained a foothold in the game.

They slowly began to boss the individual battles around the middle third and took a stranglehold in terms of winning primary possession. The Dubs targeted Louth’s ball winners and prevented them making those crossfield runs.

I felt the referee and linesmen were much too lenient in allowing the Dubs pull, drag and block the Louth runners. An early black card to the first offender would have sorted the problem instead of the officials customary cop out of two yellows.

But all that said Louth simply couldn’t match their opponents in the key departments of skill and strength. Once they gained control of proceedings Dublin were clinical and ruthless in their execution. They dominated the second half and the game was long over as a contest by the time referee Hickey blew his final whistle.

Despite the loss I feel Louth’s early season graph is still on an upward trajectory. This is an improving team and who knows what might have happened had some of those first half chances been converted.

On the evidence of the O’Byrne Cup I’d be fairly upbeat about our chances in Division 3. Much like Navan was the previous week, I think the surface in Portlaoise will be much more suitable to our style of play and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we come away from O’Moore Park with two points next Saturday evening.

As for the Dubs. Well, they’re on a different road to us altogether. A different road to probably 25 or 26 other counties. It’s a growing monster, getting bigger and stronger by the day. Where is it all going to stop?

Twenty years ago the GAA recognised they had a problem with Gaelic games in the Dublin area. The largest centre of population in the country was underachieving in terms of participation and trophies. They therefore embarked on an ambitious plan to address the slide.

Money was not an issue and full-time coaches were appointed up and down the county. The clubs embraced the coaching and development strategy and Gaelic Games is now thriving in the county like never before. Of course they say you should be careful what you wish for and Croke Park must now surely be aware that they have created a monster.

Their stranglehold in Leinster is choking the competition and there will be no surprise come September if they win their third All Ireland on the trot.

With such success comes even more money. Dublin GAA have penned the two most lucrative sponsorship deals in the history of the association, first with Vodafone and then with AIG, far outstripping anything that the national body can attract.

They also play virtually all their big games at home in Croke Park with the majority of the crowd on their side. So the deck is now staked impossibly in the Dubs favour.

Deconstructing what they’ve built in Dublin is not the way forward. Slowing the flow of cash into the capital however is something the GAA can do, diverting those resources to help float other boats around the country.

It’s high time the GAA devised a similar plan to try and make other traditional counties catch up and become strong again. It they don’t act soon then I fear it might be too late.