Dublin won't be champions on this performance

GAELIC GAMES:Dublin may be Leinster football champions, but their performance yesterday leaves them with grave questions to answer, writes JOHN O'KEEFFE

DUBLIN ARE the Leinster football champions today but their performance in yesterday’s final leaves them with grave questions to answer about their reputation as true contenders for the All-Ireland championship.

It was a peculiar game in that both the victor and the beaten team had different reasons to feel subdued afterwards. Dublin have to address key flaws within their team and quickly. On this evidence, the talk about winning an All-Ireland is a long way off.

Wexford, meanwhile, know that they had a wonderful chance to win their first provincial title since 1945 and how they recover from that disappointment is going to be crucial to their chances of reappearing in Croke park this summer.

Like most neutrals, I felt a lot of sympathy for Anthony Masterson after his error that led directly to Dublin’s first goal. If ever an own goal changed the entire course of a game, this was it. He knows it was a fundamental mistake and hardly needs another breakdown of what he should have done differently. He had been having a very solid match prior to that moment also. He was not required to make any conspicuous saves but he looked extremely dependable.

The goal offered Dublin a path back into the match which they showed no signs of finding through their own creativity. On a day when Bernard Brogan was tightly marked, his colleagues in the forward line – with the notable exception of his brother Alan – seemed lost as to how to break Wexford down.

The goal was doubly damaging to Wexford. The tight organisation and cohesion of their defence seemed to unravel after the goal and I think they were psychologically rattled for the critical five or 10 minutes afterwards. In addition, the Trojan work that had characterised their first half meant that they probably began to tire even as Dublin began to exploit the gift of that first goal.

The speed with which Dublin flipped the scoreboard on its head was pleasing for them but the way in which James McCarthy carried the ball from deep for Dublin’s second goal probably had its origins in the first goal. After that, Wexford kept pushing but the window had closed on them. Their chance passed.

Dublin’s problems won’t be easily ironed out. So much of their game revolves around Bernard Brogan and yesterday highlighted the limitations of this. It looked to me as if Bernard was testing his hamstring a lot yesterday. He was excellently marked by Graeme Molloy but I felt he was snatching at his kicks and didn’t really look for other options. As a unit, Dublin’s attack didn’t function. They ran out of ideas and this was the worst display that Dublin have had on the break.

Eoghan O’Gara was offering very little as a target man. Kevin McManamon has been unfortunate not to be a starter and I think he has to become one. Tomás Quinn doesn’t seem to be the answer either. They looked like they lack that bit of class. It is one thing having legs and fitness but you do need that extra bit of quality.

Conversely, Ben Brosnan of Wexford looked such a bright prospect. His all-round skill level was laudable as well as his score taking and he really caught the eye here.

Nor will Dublin be happy with the midfield. I feel it is well below the standard required to win All-Irelands. I do feel that Barry Cahill should start on this Dublin team also. Eamon Fennell got his run today and did quite well but you need a bit more quality around the middle of the field.

Wexford got a decent return there from Rory Quinlivan and Daithí Waters while Eric Bradley gave a very strong physical performance. Wexford will be annoyed at the amount of possession they turned over. It is a tribute to Dublin’s full back Rory O’Carroll and to a lesser extent Michael Fitzsimons and Paul Conlon that when Wexford looked up, their inside forwards were so tightly marked, they had to play lateral and slow ball which gave Dublin the opportunity to regroup and get a hand in and reclaim possession too easily.

Elsewhere, Kildare sent out a strong message. They completely dismantled a poor Laois team. This result will boost Kildare’s confidence in score-getting. When you are looking at the fittest teams, Kildare will run and stay the pace with any team left. So if they get it right up front and can register a big score without the massive tally of wides we have become accustomed to, they are a serious team.

And you know who are creeping up on the wings? Tyrone. If they get back to Croke Park, they become contenders again. They have the experience and proven quality but it is significant that Mickey Harte, who has been greatly loyal to the bunch of players he brought through at the beginning of the last decade, gave starts to players like Kyle Coney and Peter Harte against Longford.

The underage success that Tyrone have worked so hard to produce has to be reflected on the senior side sooner or later. That freshness will stand to them. And bringing in quality men like Eoin Mulligan and Brian Dooher in the last 20 minutes as impact substitutes is a luxury few teams have. If Tyrone can make it back to the All-Ireland quarter-final, you wouldn’t write them off.