GETTING IT RIGHT at the back was one of the key factors in Dublin’s success when Anthony Daly was in charge of the county’s senior hurling team.
Under Daly’s tutelage, the Sky Blues won the 2011 Allianz Hurling League title and added a breakthrough Leinster crown two years later.
But Clare’s 1995 and 1997 All-Ireland winning captain Daly was alarmed by Dublin’s defending against Galway in Tullamore last Saturday.
Red-hot inside forwards Cathal Mannion, Joe Canning and Jason Flynn scored 5-15 between them, 5-8 from play, as Dublin’s full-back line was taken to the cleaners.
Playing with the breeze from the start, Galway destroyed Dublin with direct ball and exploited alarming gaps at the back.
Speaking on The Sunday Game, Daly was critical of Ger Cunningham’s defensive strategy as they elected not to drop an extra man back from the start.
“They didn’t seem tuned in for the day and if you’re not tuned in for days like that, Galway are the type of team that can destroy you,” Daly said.
“I couldn’t believe the set-up. Into that storm in Tullamore, not to have an extra man back was suicidal.
“Cathal Mannion is on fire at the moment, a contender for Young Player of the Year already, he gets a run on Paul Schutte who didn’t look fit.
“This is a team defending into a massive wind, leaving that kind of space.
“Galway varied their puckouts and Colm Callanan was fantastic, hitting Cyril Donnellan with short ones and going route one, there was no Peter Kelly to shore it up.”
With Kelly out injured, Dublin were devoid of leadership at the back.
Daly’s fellow TV panellist Donal Óg Cusack described some of Dublin’s defending as “schoolboy” and insisted that the back line needs “radical surgery.”
Daly did admit some sympathy for Cunningham, having also presided over some dark days for Dublin during his six years in charge.
“These days seem to transcend from nowhere at times. I feel for Ger. I’ve been involved in days where for some reason, they just don’t show up.
“You can’t win if you concede five goals, unless it’s a very funny game.
“They had a chance to kill it off (in the drawn game), didn’t do it and now find themselves in the depths of despair, trying to pick up the pieces.”
