– Niall Kelly reports from Croke Park
1. McManamon takes his chance
Any examination of Kevin McManamon’s Dublin prospects will inevitably — and frustratingly, no doubt — feature the word “supersub.”
But handed just his second start of the campaign by Jim Gavin, the St Jude’s man impressed and was a deserving man of the match.
Not only did he kick three points from play but he also played a vital role in knitting together some of Dublin’s best moves and keeping attacks alive in the face of resilient Donegal defence.
Gavin has a wealth of attacking options at his disposal but this performance will do McManamon no harm.
2. Will the real Donegal please stand up?
It’s hard to believe that Donegal side that arrived in Croke Park was the same team that put up 3-15 against (an admittedly miserable) Down, 2-14 against Cork, and even 0-17 in defeat to Roscommon last week.
That kind of return can only come from expansive play and a sense of adventure, both of which were markedly absent from this contest.
Two explanations immediately spring to mind. This, of all games, is the best proving ground for any defensive plans Rory Gallagher might need to roll out later in the summer; and equally, there’s a lot to be said for not showing your full hand before March is even out.
3. Dublin have the patience to prevail
At one point this evening, every single player bar Dublin keeper Michael Savage was wedged into the space between the Donegal goal and 45 line.
It’s a familiar sight for Jim Gavin’s Dubs whose attacking threat often leaves their opponents with little other choice.
But they showed again that they are willing to patiently weather even the most defensive storm and bide their time until opportunities present themselves.
They trailed Donegal early in the second half, and even with 15 minutes to play, the contest was much closer than they would have liked as they led by just a single point.
But as Donegal tired and began to seek out opportunities of their own, more and more spaces appeared and Dublin punished them.
4. McCarthy could face trial by TV
The Setanta Sports cameras got a perfect view of the scuffle that preceded James McCarthy’s red card with just under 20 minutes to play.
As he grappled with Martin McElhinney, McCarthy’s hand made contact with the Donegal player’s eye area, an incident which looked even worse when magnified by the slow-motion replay.
Speaking afterwards on Setanta, both Senan Connell and Aaron Kernan suggested that there was no intent on behalf of the Dublin man.
Whether McCarthy will have a disciplinary case to answer in the coming days remains to be seen. The authorities will have to wait for referee Conor Lane’s match report before deciding how to proceed.
5. Donegal still with all to play for
Dublin’s place in the league semis was already secure before throw-in, but for Donegal, a third straight defeat in the league leaves them looking up — and down — ahead of the final weekend.
It now seems likely that they will need a win in Monaghan next weekend not only to secure their own place in the final four, but also to be certain of beating the drop as teams start to pile up behind them.
Sunday’s results will go a long way towards determining the combinations and permutations but after starting the league with three wins from three, this is a headache that Rory Gallagher could have done without.
