GER BRENNAN SITS down in the Croke Park press room to make his debut post championship match press briefing.
He’s got a good bit of the sun, the St Vincent’s man. And he’s glowing, after his side knocked out Donegal and made their way to the All-Ireland quarter-final.
A few weeks ago, around about the time Dublin were losing to Westmeath, and six days later Donegal absolutely stuffed Kerry in Killarney, what were the odds?
But the new game is still a mysterious beast. It eddies and flows unlike anything we have seen before. Managers either embrace it or are pulled out on the riptide. The ones who thrive on control, like Donegal’s Jim McGuinness, are finding the going tough.
For his opening stanza, Brennan goes into full Jim Gavin method acting.
“We just wanted to give ourselves an opportunity to be in the draw on the Monday morning, which was the ultimate aim, just taking one game at a time,” he opens.
“In terms of the performance piece, you’re just asking fellas to give everything to the cause, and that’s all you can do. The results will take care of itself, and to give credit to the whole squad, those who weren’t in the 26 today, those in the 26 who didn’t come on, there’s been a real push and improvement in what the guys have been doing off the pitch.”
He admitted that after presenting Donegal with a handy goal in the first half with a botched short kick out, they decided to go long and take their chances.
Such was the Dublin dominance in the air that they soon became energised and destroyed Donegal goalkeeper Gavin Mulreany’s restarts.
Truth was, Dublin owned the ball in the second half and had far more possession. They also kicked six wides but once they drew level on 54 minutes, Donegal were on the ropes.
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The Paddy Small goal set them on their way but a late two-pointer free from Michael Murphy forced extra-time. What did he make of it?
“We touched it on the ground. Ross McGarry wasn’t sure whose free it was, and Ross thought it was our free, and the ball was brought up 50 metres because Ross didn’t give it back.
“But he actually wasn’t sure. I think that’s probably one of those moments with the new rules, where referees probably just have to take a minute, take a beat, and just say, hold on lads, a bit of confusion here.”
Dublin's Theo Clancy and Brian Howard celebrate after the game.
It meant that they had to win the game twice, in effect.
But with Murphy kicking the two-pointer and immediately approaching Ciaran Kilkenny, it sparked a confrontation.
Two from each team were dismissed. There is an argument that Donegal were harmed more for the first half of extra-time with Murphy and Jason McGee off the pitch.
In the greater space, Dublin were able to target Donegal players who were fatigued and go straight at them. They hit 0-5 in that period, but a breach, converted by Mulreany for a two-pointer, left Donegal with hope.
“I thought we did really well in that first 10-minute period. Obviously, Charlie McMorrow, if that ball doesn’t hit the post, you’re probably looking at an easier last 10-minute period, but that’s how it goes,” said Brennan.
Revisiting their Leinster final collapse in extra-time, he continued, “We looked flat out on our feet, in that ten-minute period, the first ten-minute period of extra time.
“So psychologically, guys can go into themselves. This time round we obviously learned from that experience, we dominated that first ten-minute period, and the mind is a wonderful thing, but when it’s going against you, you can kind of retreat, and you look more tired than you actually are.
“As a player, when you’re on the other side of the scoreline going against you, or momentum going against you, it’s just about being aware of that, and understanding that, and trying to get hands back on ball, and put a stamp on the game.”
As stirring as the win was, it comes at a cost. Nathan Doran may be victim of an Achilles injury that he had to leave the field in the first half. Con O’Callaghan, brilliant here at times, seemed to have a reoccurrence of his troublesome hamstring injury, one minute before the midway point of extra-time.
The odd thing about this championship is how teams can look like champions in waiting one week, and also-rans the next.
Disappointment for Donegal and Jim McGuinness. Laszlo Geczo
Laszlo Geczo
Donegal were beaten by Down, Cork and now a Dublin team. Down are now in the Tailteann Cup final. Cork and Dublin are clearly getting themselves right but are nobodies’ idea as All-Ireland contenders.
One quality that Donegal manager Jim McGuinness has repeatedly said is lacking, is energy.
Asked if this was the case again, he said, “I don’t want to take away from Dublin in the same way I don’t want to take away from Down, but like, there is no real training going on.
“That’s the reality, and I don’t think there’s any training going on in any county, as you said last time we were in this room, you’re trying to manage it, and you’re trying to have enough fellas to arrive on this stage, but there isn’t really any training going on.
“People are just trying to be managed, they’re trying to get a wee bit done here and there, so there’s a wee bit of it, you never really know where you stand, I suppose is a better way of saying it.
“Whereas the last time I was in this job, you would have three weeks or four weeks between a game and you would be able to get them down, you’d be able to build them up and you would know where people were at and stuff, so that is a big part of it.”
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'The mind is a wonderful thing' - Ger Brennan on Dublin learning as they go
GER BRENNAN SITS down in the Croke Park press room to make his debut post championship match press briefing.
He’s got a good bit of the sun, the St Vincent’s man. And he’s glowing, after his side knocked out Donegal and made their way to the All-Ireland quarter-final.
A few weeks ago, around about the time Dublin were losing to Westmeath, and six days later Donegal absolutely stuffed Kerry in Killarney, what were the odds?
But the new game is still a mysterious beast. It eddies and flows unlike anything we have seen before. Managers either embrace it or are pulled out on the riptide. The ones who thrive on control, like Donegal’s Jim McGuinness, are finding the going tough.
For his opening stanza, Brennan goes into full Jim Gavin method acting.
“We just wanted to give ourselves an opportunity to be in the draw on the Monday morning, which was the ultimate aim, just taking one game at a time,” he opens.
“In terms of the performance piece, you’re just asking fellas to give everything to the cause, and that’s all you can do. The results will take care of itself, and to give credit to the whole squad, those who weren’t in the 26 today, those in the 26 who didn’t come on, there’s been a real push and improvement in what the guys have been doing off the pitch.”
He admitted that after presenting Donegal with a handy goal in the first half with a botched short kick out, they decided to go long and take their chances.
Such was the Dublin dominance in the air that they soon became energised and destroyed Donegal goalkeeper Gavin Mulreany’s restarts.
Truth was, Dublin owned the ball in the second half and had far more possession. They also kicked six wides but once they drew level on 54 minutes, Donegal were on the ropes.
The Paddy Small goal set them on their way but a late two-pointer free from Michael Murphy forced extra-time. What did he make of it?
“We touched it on the ground. Ross McGarry wasn’t sure whose free it was, and Ross thought it was our free, and the ball was brought up 50 metres because Ross didn’t give it back.
“But he actually wasn’t sure. I think that’s probably one of those moments with the new rules, where referees probably just have to take a minute, take a beat, and just say, hold on lads, a bit of confusion here.”
It meant that they had to win the game twice, in effect.
But with Murphy kicking the two-pointer and immediately approaching Ciaran Kilkenny, it sparked a confrontation.
Two from each team were dismissed. There is an argument that Donegal were harmed more for the first half of extra-time with Murphy and Jason McGee off the pitch.
In the greater space, Dublin were able to target Donegal players who were fatigued and go straight at them. They hit 0-5 in that period, but a breach, converted by Mulreany for a two-pointer, left Donegal with hope.
“I thought we did really well in that first 10-minute period. Obviously, Charlie McMorrow, if that ball doesn’t hit the post, you’re probably looking at an easier last 10-minute period, but that’s how it goes,” said Brennan.
Revisiting their Leinster final collapse in extra-time, he continued, “We looked flat out on our feet, in that ten-minute period, the first ten-minute period of extra time.
“So psychologically, guys can go into themselves. This time round we obviously learned from that experience, we dominated that first ten-minute period, and the mind is a wonderful thing, but when it’s going against you, you can kind of retreat, and you look more tired than you actually are.
“As a player, when you’re on the other side of the scoreline going against you, or momentum going against you, it’s just about being aware of that, and understanding that, and trying to get hands back on ball, and put a stamp on the game.”
As stirring as the win was, it comes at a cost. Nathan Doran may be victim of an Achilles injury that he had to leave the field in the first half. Con O’Callaghan, brilliant here at times, seemed to have a reoccurrence of his troublesome hamstring injury, one minute before the midway point of extra-time.
The odd thing about this championship is how teams can look like champions in waiting one week, and also-rans the next.
Donegal were beaten by Down, Cork and now a Dublin team. Down are now in the Tailteann Cup final. Cork and Dublin are clearly getting themselves right but are nobodies’ idea as All-Ireland contenders.
One quality that Donegal manager Jim McGuinness has repeatedly said is lacking, is energy.
Asked if this was the case again, he said, “I don’t want to take away from Dublin in the same way I don’t want to take away from Down, but like, there is no real training going on.
“That’s the reality, and I don’t think there’s any training going on in any county, as you said last time we were in this room, you’re trying to manage it, and you’re trying to have enough fellas to arrive on this stage, but there isn’t really any training going on.
“People are just trying to be managed, they’re trying to get a wee bit done here and there, so there’s a wee bit of it, you never really know where you stand, I suppose is a better way of saying it.
“Whereas the last time I was in this job, you would have three weeks or four weeks between a game and you would be able to get them down, you’d be able to build them up and you would know where people were at and stuff, so that is a big part of it.”
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