DESSIE FARRELL ADMITTED some of Dublin’s long-serving stars may be ‘considering their future’ in the wake of last night’s All-Ireland championship exit at the hands of Galway.
Dublin were stunned in the second half as a four-point interval advantage evaporated and they lost 0-17 to 0-16 in the quarter-final tie.
Their manager conceded that the end of their 2024 campaign could prompt change in their playing squad.
“Dublin have no entitlement, no more than anybody else. That era that everyone looks back to, has moved on.
“It’s a different generation of players now. I’m sure there’s some of them in there who will be considering their future. It might be the last time that we see them play for Dublin.
“They’ve been brilliant warriors. They died with their boots on today. But there is another generation of players in there who have the hunger and desire to want to continue and go on to wear the Dublin jersey with pride and honour and I’m sure they will do that.
“They’re the type of players that don’t want it necessarily to be about themselves. You don’t have to dwell on that. It’s inherent though in players’ understanding in terms of where things are at, in terms of their evolution of the squad and what the future might hold.”
Farrell analysed the game and pinpointed where Galway broke his team down in the second half.
“Great credit to Galway. We knew they’d come at us hard and throw the kitchen sink at it and we just found it hard to come up with the answers they posed. Ultimately, we came up short.
“They played very well and denied us time and space. We struggled to break it down, which we had been good at over the recent games against that type of opposition but we found it hard to get shots off under that kind of pressure. Hats off to Galway. They were far superior in that second half.
“We just seemed to run out of energy in the second half. The pep just wasn’t in the step. Execution was off and we were turning over ball but then when we turned them over, we struggled to get up the field with pace which is something we’re normally very good at doing. Our ability to get forward quickly and get back quickly, definitely diminished in that second half.”
Dublin got a limited impact off their bench but Farrell outlined the thinking behind parachuting Jack McCaffrey, Paul Mannion and James McCarthy into their starting side, rather than holding them in reserve.
“You can become very predictable too, doing that and some of those lads were coming back from injury and we felt had more in the tank and more to offer. It worked well in the first half but we started to struggle in the second and just couldn’t find a way.”
Unfortunately that was like watching a game from 2018/19 Limericks persistent fouling not being blown. Jack O’Connor had 3 Limerick lads hanging out of him at one stage and no free. Maybe just an Alan Kelly thing but hopefully the powers that be haven’t stepped in here because of Kielys comments against Galway
@Jamie Bent: stick to old Trafford jamie
@Jamie Bent: bang on. Cork B team wasn’t too bad. The young lads did ok
@Jamie Bent: in fairness Jamie I think you’ve been influenced greatly by the whole narrative about limerick fouling. The same used be said about the great kk team. Its a tough game, let them at it, I think the refs are blowing for the softest stuff now. There wasn’t a dirty stroke in that game, it’ll get a lot more intense in championship, do we want refs blowing up everything? If there’s no dangerous shots then let them play
@Jamie Bent: talking out through your hoop
@Jamie Bent: ah start beating a different drum lad, getting beyond boring now.
@Sean Barry: nothing to fear in 4 weeks so, should be wiping that Limerick team outta the way once the A team is back. Roll on qualifiers for us.
@Sean Barry: what about the b limerick team.
@Jamie Bent: did you actually watch the game, pretty sad trolling bud.
@Jamie Bent: So limerick didn’t foul in 2020 when they won everything and went unbeaten.Fair point.
@Daniel Roche: Too easy rattle the Cork biys. Limerick missing almost as many as Cork tonight.
@Jamie Bent: hurling might not be for you lad. They’re a big physical team, like the tipp teams of past, or KK, or even Cork themselves during Diarmuid Ó Sullivan time. If you can’t mix it and match it at inter County level then go home. Waterford were well able for them a few weeks ago and galway before that.
@Jamie Bent: get over yourself. Limerick by far the better team. It’s a contact sport. 4 weeks time will be alot closer….
@Daniel Roche: Limerick had 9 of their all Ireland team, that B. Cork had a bunch of kids
@Sean Barry: so missing over a third of the team,ya and we will need to really improve, very poor from limerick.
Limerick will take some beating this year. Cop on media and give them a break. They only won an all Ireland a few weeks back ye expect them to hit the ground running. And stop putting the pressure on referees to influence the way they play the game. They are super team who play on the edge the way every county would love to see their team playing. I love watching them and their hunger and desire to compete is incredible. Shades of the greatest team to play the game a few years back. From a Kilkenny man.
@James Fox: only people putting pressure on the refs are KK former players and limerick people.
@James Fox: 25 weeks back wasn’t it?
@Shane Roche: yes about that. So if the All Ireland was the middle of August as it should be would you expect them to be back hitting the ground running in the middle of December. No I didn’t think so
Lynch an absolute wizard
Limerick needed to put that performance out. Absolutely dominant in all aspects. Allowed Kiely to put out his whole bench early into second half. Always felt like limerick took the foot off the pedal and looked like they had a few more gears if they wanted. Cork definitely aiming to bang goals and to be fair when they did get on those 1v1 situations they looked dangerous and have a few youngsters that look like solid future players. Limericks tackling is improved they are clearly trying to be more accurate in the tackle and its working. Nonsense hearing people give out about the swarm when no fouls are being committed it’s just crowding out the oppositionplain and simple. Any team in the country would give anything to have the ferocity and work rate limerick bring to the tackle.
Limerick were utterly dominant but it was a very inexperienced Cork team. I hope we learned some valuable lessons in terms of puck outs but I won’t hold my breath. Limerick must be red hot favourites in 4 weeks time.
UTR
@Harry Corry: not red hot but favs all the same, your forward line is easily one of the most deadliest when given space, let’s not build this up to be a Limerick cakewalk, it will be far from it. Given space and some clinical finishing, goasl there for that Cork side, but replicate the same puckout strategy and you’ll need the 4 or 5 goals to keep in it, gonna be a cracker.
The fact Cork look so nervous doing the short game says it all. Needs to change. Not a major gulf in scoreline in the end but cant help but feel Limerick had a few more gears if needed.
Limerick very dominant today but that was a very young and inexperienced Cork team and I’m going to call it that Cork are keeping their cards close to their chest this year and it wouldn’t surprise me if they win Munster this year .
@Finnster: think none of the teams are fully firing yet , you could pick a name out of the hat at the moment for Munster, Tipp, Cork, Waterford will all fancy their chances and we will have to be at it from the start to justify being favourites.
Will be a great battle this year for Liam , Kilkenny and yourselves will be up for it also and will not fear anyone.
Can’t wait for championship to start.
Cork not at much tonight. Limerick did as well as expected. Championship will be a different kettle of fish.
Really laid down a marker there i must say. Last few weeks put to bed. The new guys adding to competition as well.
@Conor Houlihan: Not so sure about that. The game was pretty much shadow boxing by Cork. They lacked the work rate of the first 3 games.
Between scores and wides Limerick had in excess of fifty scoring attempts. Challenge match type stuff.
Delighted with that all the moaning will stop now for a few weeks
Delighted to get a good performance. Might get the pundits to lay off limerick about how they weren’t scoring enough and giving away 2 may frees. Ok they did give a good few in the second half.I know Cork were missing players, limerick were also. 4 weeks time will be alot closer but good preparation anyway. Also said limerick don’t get goals but if u can score 30 plus pints and 22 wides. U don’t need goals.
Lot of limerick fouling but this is what cork have to face. All these years they still get blown out of every tackle. I know they were kids but still
@Finbarr O Donovan: cork put more fouls in than limerick , two very young teams out there , both teams giving players their chances . Young leaving cert students o neill And Coughlan for limerick are finds of the season , kiely will manage them well . Limerick are still only building up momentum , not at their best at all yet .
Most boring match I have seen for a while. Limerick play like robots
@SandraMeyler: so you don’t like watching skillful players,Cian lynch is one of the most skillful players in the country,if that is like robots,hope more copy him.
@SandraMeyler: so what do ye know in Carlow about hurling?