DUBLIN MANAGER JIM GAVIN was keen to play down their 13-point win over Kildare by stating that while the team is progressing well, it is “a work in progress”.
The Dubs maintained their 100% record in the Allianz Football League at Croke Park yesterday with an emphatic victory over their Leinster neighbours.
Asked whether they might be hitting the heights too early after the final whistle, Gavin said: “I haven’t met that team yet! Or managed that team yet.
“The guys are working very hard on the training ground, and to get that type of performance is satisfying.
“But knowing the players the way they are, they’ll do a lot of inward looking now, this evening, tomorrow, and they’ll review the game. They’re driving the standards. There’s a great energy amongst them.”
“It’s progressing well. This weekend marked the third month that we are with them. There are a lot of new concepts of play that they have to buy into and understand. It’s a work in progress, every session we do with them is a work in progress.”
Goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton, who was left out of the team with Shane Supple starting between the posts, believes that despite their good form, it is important that they don’t get carried away.
You have to make sure that it’s not an arrogance, that it’s not breeding arrogance, that it’s just confidence.
“And if they concentrate on the bedrock which is work rate – what Jim is looking for – then I don’t have a problem with that.”
Lilywhites boss Kieran McGeeney, meanwhile, admitted his disappointment at the loss but explained that he isn’t overly worried about the manner of the defeat.
“People won’t see if it has a lasting effect until next week or the week after,” he said.
“We were doing okay in the first half, we probably could have been a few points up if we had played a wee bit smarter football. But it went from bad to worse, at midfield we couldn’t get a foothold on the breaks or winning primary possession.”
“That is the benchmark in Leinster for all of us who are sort of chasing Dublin. Looking at today we have a fair bit of work to do.”
Meanwhile the draws were made last night for the opening stages of this year’s Dublin senior football and hurling championships.
In football reigning champions Ballymun Kickhams, who play in next Sunday’s All-Ireland club final in Croke Park, face Clondalkin outfit Round Towers in the first round.
2013 SFC 1st round: Erins Isle v St Mark’s; St Pat’s (Palmerstown) v Fingal Ravens; Thomas Davis v Trinity Gaels; UCD v Skerries Harps; Parnells v O’Toole’s; St Maur’s v Raheny; St Brigid’s v Whitehall Colmcille’s; Ballymun Kickhams v Round Towers (Clondalkin); Na Fianna v Naomh Mearnóg; St Vincent’s v Cuala; St Judes v St Anne’s; St Sylvester’s v Clontarf; St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh v Ballinteer St John’s; Ballyboden St Enda’s v Lucan Sarsfields; Templeogue Synge Street v St Peregrine’s; Kilmacud Crokes v St Mary’s (Saggart).2013 SHC
Group A: Lucan Sarsfields; O’Tooles; Cuala; Craobh Chiarain.
Group B: Faughs; St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh; Crumlin; Ballinteer St John’s.
Group C: Na Fianna; St Judes; St Brigid’s; Kilmacud Crokes.
Group D: St Pat’s (Palmerstown); St Vincent’s; Ballyboden St Enda’s; Naomh Fionbarra.
