1. POSITIVITY
Between Dublin, Kildare, Laois and Louth 4-66 was scored in Croke Park today. That’s an average of 1-17 per team.
One province anyway seems to be carrying their attacking instincts from this year’s league in to championship football. All four teams took full advantage of the open spaces, and there were very few sweepers on duty.
Laois showed in their first half performance that you don’t need to park every bus in the county to compete with the big teams.
2. KILDARE UNTESTED
Kildare’s clash with Louth today was for large spells a non-contest. Kildare struggled through this year’s league with a number of injuries, and now going in to a likely Leinster semi final with Meath a number of their players have yet to be tested.
Jason Ryan’s team sauntered to a fifteen point win, and for a manager who has used 51 players in competitive matches this year, he’s no closer to knowing his best fifteen.
3. YOUNG GUNS
Niall Kelly, Cormac Costello, Ryan Burns, Padraig Fogarty, Jack McCaffrey; there were a number of top quality young players on show in Croke Park today with some being used more effectively than others.
Neither Costello or McCaffrey started for Dublin, with Costello being just the fourth forward to be introduced. Yet both young men made big impacts and will no doubt have larger roles to play as the summer progresses.
Louth introduced Ryan Burns late in the first half, when the game was practically over. The youngster looked a constant threat inside in an otherwise static Louth forward line. While Kildare started with youngsters Niall Kelly, Paddy Brophy and Padraig Brophy inside. All three were on fire.
Albeit Ross Munnelly, at 30, was the standout forward in Croker over the two games
4. IT’S THE INCHES
Laois came out at half time two points ahead, and despite the expected onslaught from Dublin it was them who had the better opportunities to put the first score on the board.
Instead wasteful distribution on two occasions allowed Dublin to counter attack up the field through James McCarthy in particular. Within the first fifteen minutes of the second half Laois players spilled possession five times in attacking positions (twice from Donie Kingston who was nursing a facial injury at the time).
While the strength of Dublin’s bench and their goal scoring threat has constantly turned games on their head in recent years, Laois undid their own hard work in the first half and made it easy for Dublin by the end of the game.
5.LOUTH AS FAVORITES
It was Déjà vu for Louth today, as once again they failed to follow up on an opening round victory with a similarly consistent performance.
The Louth that turned up today was more in-check with the Louth team which struggled through the league than the team which defeated Westmeath.
Like last year when Louth couldn’t build on a ten-point win over Laois and were defeated by Wexford in the quarter finals, they came in as favorites for many today and they couldn’t handle it?
6. KILDARE’S ATTACK
Kildare have no forwards, and John Doyle their only forward over the past decade has retired – so we’re told.
Niall Kelly, Padraig Fogarty and Paddy Brophy caused havoc for Kildare today as they utlilised the open spaces of Croke Park working as a unit.
Niall Kelly operated somewhat in the pocket as Fogarty and Brophy’s movement inside made themselves available for a constant stream of possession – and for the most part, they finished!
