'We got the tough game we were looking for'

TOM HUMPHRIESfound an atmosphere of calm satisfaction and reflection prevailing in the Dublin camp as minds turn to the bigger tests ahead

PAUL GRIFFIN made a couple of astonishing blocks yesterday at a time when Dublin needed all hands on the pumps. In those moments he articulated the reasons for his captaincy perfectly.

In a quieter, more urbane mood later in the press conference room he spoke briefly of the afternoon’s endeavours.

“I think we knew going out that they would be a serious challenge. We got off to a great start and, in fairness to them, they didn’t panic, they came back and chipped away at it. I think they put us under a lot of pressure in the first half and we probably delayed a bit on the ball and caused ourselves a bit of hassle.

“In the second half we moved it quickly and played some good football. We just dug it out for the last 10 or 15 minutes. Especially the forwards. Alan came back a few times and helped out when needed.”

And that was it. Dublin’s press conference lasted a mere four minutes but, in terms of succinct summation of the action, Griffin was unequalled. Beside him Barry Cahill was asked about his goal, scored when some people were still taking their seats.

“One of my better finishes,” he explained with a smile before clarifying that it was indeed his greatest ever finish.

“Eh actually it was my first ever goal for Dublin. It opened up for me and I just had a go. It opened the game up but they got back into the game after 10 or 15 minutes. We expected a very tough physical game from Kildare and that is what it was. Hopefully the game will stand to us.”

And the feelings of a man winning his fifth provincial title in row? The words “over the moon” were not required.

“Any Leinster title is nice to win, especially in the manner we won it there when we were down to 14 men. I think we were a bit disjointed at times toward the end of the first half. At half-time we sorted a few things out. A lot of players showed a lot of character out there. It’s a nice victory.”

Alan Brogan was equally lacking in dizziness and giddiness.

“Thankfully we got the tough game we were looking for. I’m very thankful to come out the right side of it. I’d say it was the toughest game in a number of years.

“They kept coming back at us and got level but we pulled away again. Fair play to the guys, we were just grinding and grinding. We will look back on the video. They used their extra man very well. They always had that outlet. They got a lot of scores out of that.

“Maybe we should have picked it up tighter a bit earlier. It is over now. We move onto the next stage. That’s all that matters.”

So no whooping and hollering from the players. None expected from the boss.

Pat Gilroy caught the mood of analysis and reflection.

“We needed to change things. We were all over the place in the last 10 minutes of the first half and there was no way that was going to work for us in the second.

“We needed to get an outlet up front. Alan gave us that for the first 15 minutes of the second half. The guys worked very hard around the middle. We did an awful lot better in the second half.

“After we got the early scores we stopped letting the ball in early. We were put under severe pressure in the middle. Kildare worked us and forced us into trying to carry the ball which is not our game. That is when it went wrong. We got back level in the second and let the ball move again.”

And ahem, the Ger Brennan incident?

“I didn’t see the Ger incident but it is very disappointing to have a guy sent off. It was a tough hard game.

“I didn’t see it but I am sure he wasn’t sent off for nothing. All the guys who came in made a difference. We were drifting before half-time.

“We needed a game like that and we got it in bucketfuls today. It is exactly what we wanted.”

Delirious the lot of them.