Whelan points way for improving Dubs

Leinster SFC Final:Another big day for this Dublin team. And, it must be noted, they are improving. Physically, they are ahead of everyone, including the All-Ireland champions.

The management can be pleased overall for two reasons. They have overseen three Leinster titles in a row but more importantly they are ironing out most of their deficiencies.

Of course, some old failings remain. Dublin are still not ruthless enough when they find themselves in a dominant second-half lead. Laois were always a quick goal away from making it a contest and that would have been a travesty.

Certain Dublin players consistently fail to perform the simple tasks efficiently. There was little movement late on as they came out of defence. This means the ball-carrier lacks options. The quick delivery was also absent.

One score typified how it should be done. Keaney had a free or sideline out on the right. He fed Alan Brogan who immediately picked out a striding Ciarán Whelan who put it over the bar. Simple.

Another strange decision was the token replacements with three minutes to go and in Johnny Magee's case, in injury-time. It was of no benefit, especially considering the harder days to come.

The management can make a genuine statement to a player by giving him more time to earn a starting place. The reaction would be obvious in training this week as the panel member realises he may not be too far off the team.

Jason Sherlock had another creative afternoon but his legs were gone by the last quarter.

Mark Vaughan and Bernard Brogan also played notable roles in the first half but both can be marked absent thereafter.

What message does this send to the likes of Tomás Quinn, Kevin Bonner and Ray Cosgrove? Another seemingly obvious switch would have been Paul Casey. Not necessarily off the field but away from Colm Parkinson, who had the run on him all day. The change came when the game was over. If Laois had managed to support Parkinson more effectively he could have instigated a revival.

But Laois didn't do anything that can be classed as collectively positive. Michael Tierney was magnificent from dead balls. They did hit the ground running but no side could sustain that level of intensity.

Every team that play Dublin know they must find an extra gear when the opposition does their usual 15 minute Houdini act. While Dublin slept, Laois could barely muster a score.

They lacked a target man inside. This was obvious for weeks yet they employed the old tactic of working the ball into goalscoring positions when it would have suited better to trust some long range shooting.

Dublin were always going to prevail in the physical stakes, Shane Ryan being a fine example of a player whose Trojan work ethic and power ensured few Laois players had a chance of winning a 50-50 ball against him.

Ryan was good but his midfield partner Whelan was immense. It was his best performance of the season.

The two-goal blitz sunk Laois. Sherlock must be credited with supplying Bernard Brogan for the killer second goal.

The decision to switch Bryan Cullen into attack also paid off, with Barry Cahill, with some assistance from Collie Moran, doing a fine job of sweeping across the half-back line.

As a former back myself, I am really impressed by this Dublin defence. Stephen Cluxton keeps them focused with constant updates of their jobs, while they possess fearless players, namely David Henry and Paul Griffin, who are more than willing to put their bodies on the line.

That is as important as a regular goalscorer when it comes to producing a winning formula.

We know what to expect from Dublin now. It's hard to be overly critical because no team plays brilliant football for 70 minutes. Few play to their level at all.

In Ulster, Tyrone will be content to have limped over the line against a wholehearted, spirited and tactically astute Monaghan team. Certain players stood out, like Monaghan centre back Gary McQuaid - he managed to contain Brian Dooher and find time to join the attack - while Seán Cavanagh confirmed his role in the Tyrone make-up is on a par to Whelan's in Dublin's.

When the situation demands a player to lead by example, Cavanagh and Whelan are there.