Cranky Corner Forwar
Full Member
Well looking at the county championships and county leagues, can you name any midfielders who are standing out at any grade? Cause Id struggle to name one besides Maguire. O Callaghan isnt a misfielder and is only filling a gap that we are sorely weak in. Havent had any type of midfield since Walsh and O Connor retired. Agree with your thoughts about the half forward line but bar starting Meehan and pushing up Powter into the half forward line and maybe starting Hayes we havent many options there tbf.Don't think things will go well for Cork if that teams lines out as selected. As should be clear and obvious from the Limerick game that half forward line and midfield as a unit doesn't work. Who is going to win primary ball there? In fairness to Cleary and co there's a lot of absentees who might help but structurally that team could be better.
Ive seen both the Meath and Kildare games that the Dubs played and tbf both of them made Dublin look absolute world beaters. Yes Kilkenny, Fenton and O Callaghan are top class IC players the rest of that Dublin team are good not great players (not a patch on the team that won 6 in a row). Just look at the way Kildare allowed them waltz through their defence for 5 goals, twas comical defending at best. Id expect Cleary to detail O Rourke and Maguire to sit in frobt of the full back line to cut out that long ball option to O Callaghan. Shanley will match him in the air, while Powter will sweep in behind to prevent open goal chances. I actually think we learned alot from the Kerry game and even though we let Limerick the freedom of PUC I always felt we'd enough to beat them.
If we keep with Dublin for 55 to 60 mins I think that'll be acceptable as long as we dont defend as naively as Kildare otherwise it'll be over in the first 15 mins