Dublin answer questions with sparkling attacking performance

Dublin 1-22 Monaghan 1-11

An Easter parade of attacking football by Dublin left an expectant Clones crowd with the consolation of chocolate eggs and the more dubious treat of a return match in the capital next weekend.

After a week when the heartbeat of the sport itself was broadly questioned, Jim Gavin’s team produced a sparkling seventy minute performance which left Monaghan struggling to get to grips from the fifth minute when Brian Fenton, in his first league start, finished a sweeping move for the city team which set the tone for the occasion.

On a balmy afternoon, 10,066 settled in to watch what was a dauntingly accomplished performance from the visitors, who registered 0-13 (0-11 from play) in a second half in which they fired not a single wide.

It was the most articulate response imaginable to the weeklong conversation on the theme of Gaelic football on the verge of self-destruction. Dublin pressed up to deny Rory Beggan any quick looks on his kick outs and from the moment that Johnny Cooper thundered into Clones country from deep to set Bernard Brogan up for a point, you could just see the entire Dublin machine warming to the task of the afternoon. They fired some beautiful distance scores, with Diarmuid Connolly, Philly McMahon and Paul Flynn all converting from distance.

“It was something we worked on,” said Jim Gavin afterwards of heartbreaking scores.

“Long range scores is one of our assets. In games last year it wasn’t so successful but we are fortunate to have technically gifted guys.” If Dublin are to persist with their adventurous, high octane game, outsmarting the diligent defensive patterns which are causing such disquiet will be part of the brief. Yesterday they accomplished that – and still managed to have their own forwards helping out in front of goal. A wonderful fingertip intervention by Connolly in front of goal on a Vinny Corey pass illuminated Dublin’s work ethic; this was in the 60th minute and the scored was 1-18 to 0-6 in favour of the visitors. Afterwards, Gavin smiled at the idea that Gaelic football is in the midst of some sort of crisis.

“We have always said that there is right or wrong way to play football. That’s the beauty about it. We have to offside rule so players can play where they want. We have a particular philosophy in Dublin that I have inherited from when I played but it is not the right or wrong way. We try to play an expansive game. It is a great challenge for teams who want to play a creative game to come up with ideas and concepts to beat it and that is the challenge that we have embraced. All the players are enjoying that challenge against very good sides. I think the rules are fine the way they are.”

It was a sobering day for Monaghan but doesn’t at all dilute their wonderful progress through the divisions under Malachy O’Rourke and gave the management a close-up preview of what they can expect in Croke Park next week in their semi-final meeting. This was a day when nothing went right: Kieran Hughes cut a frustrated figure as Rory O’Carroll mopped up what little ball went into him and with the exception of two first half points from Owen Duffy, their forward unit struggled for pace and time. Karl O’Connell attempted to kick start his team with driving runs from deep but more often than not found himself isolated or with all forwards covered. If Dublin were accused of being laissez faire about defence last year, they showed they have learned here, snuffing out Monaghan breaks and making sure their own half of the field was well marshalled.

“I think they are just following their men,” Gavin said of his own players tracking back.

“If Monaghan players attack, they have to be followed. You saw the lost seven or eight minutes when we lost a little bit of concentration and conceded 1-3, what Monaghan can do. I don’t think we play a defensive game but I do expect our players to follow opposing markers when they go into our half.”

And the necklace of scores Monaghan concocted in that closing phase was an appropriate closing note to a league programme which has been based on ferocious honesty. Malachy O’Rourke’s team does not quit and Darren Hughes 68th minute goal was greeted by the home crowd as if it might have altered the result. Monaghan have won their public over: that was evident from early in the afternoon, when they were applauded after their warm up. This was a lesson more than a set back.

“We never got the pace of the game and I thought that Dublin had a wee bit of extra intensity about them, “ O’Rourke said.

“We just hope we can learn from today and improve when we meet them next weekend. We didn’t build this game up to be anything extra special. We felt it was another league game but Dublin seemed to be a wee bit more up for it than ourselves.”

Afterwards, it was confirmed on the tanoy that Monaghan will only have to wait until next weekend for an opportunity for revenge. But Dublin exhibited such sleek menace and sharpness and organisation that the thought must be a little intimidating. Dublin’s old tendency to mentally drift in games in which they dominated only resurfaced in the last ten minutes and O’ Rourke wasn’t fooled by the late burst of productivity by his side.

“We have been on an upward curve this last two or three years. Making the next step is the toughest; playing against these real quality teams and we have had a couple of tough days against them. But there is a lot of character there and we will sit down and try and address what went wrong and put it right. You have to show that resilience and try to improve step by step. There is a gap there. It will be seen next weekend if we can close it in that space of time.”

Dublin: 1 S Cluxton; 2 J Cooper (0-1), 3 R O'Carroll, 4 E Culligan; 5 J McCarthy, 6 J Small, 7 J McCaffrey; 8 Mc McAuley, 18 D Bastick; 10 P Flynn (0-2 1 free), 11 D Connolly (0-2), 22 B Fenton (1-1); 13 K McManamon (0-2), 14 D Rock (0-6, 5 frees), 15 B Brogan (0-2 1 free).

Substitutes: P McMahon (0-2) for Culligan ( 18 mins), E O’Conghaile (0-1) for MD McAuley (42 mins), C Kilkenny for K McManamon (48 mins), T Brady (0-2) for D Bastick (51 mins), N Devereux for J Cooper (57 mins), D Byrne (0-1) for J Small ( 57 mins black card),

Monaghan: 1 R Beggan (0-2, free, 50), 2 K Duffy, 3 D Wylie, 4 R Wylie; 5 F Kelly, 6 V Corey, 7 K O'Connell; 8 N McAdam, 9 D Hughes, 10 D Mone, 11 P Finlay (0-1 free), 12 O Duffy (0-2); 13 D Malone, 14 K Hughes (1-1), 15 C McManus (0-2 frees).

Substitites: D Clerkin for N McAdam (43 mins), R McAnespie (0-1) for P Finlay (43 mins), P McGuigan for D Wylie (48 mins), T Kerr (0-1) for D Malone (48 mins), S Carey (0-1) for K Hughes (65 mins black card).

REFEREE: M Deegan (Laois).