Barry Cahill pictured at the launch of the FEXCO Asian Gaelic Games.
By Cian O'Connell
Former Dublin star Barry Cahill reckons Donegal manager Rory Gallagher will ‘do something different’ in Saturday’s All Ireland SFC Quarter-Final at Croke Park.
Cahill, who played alongside the current Donegal boss for St Brigid’s, always felt that Gallagher would make a coaching impact at the highest level of the game.
“As soon as he came into our club in 2002, he nearly became player-manager at one stage – he was that vocal,” Cahill recalls about Gallagher’s significant influence. “In training, in the drills that we did, in the tactics, video sessions, you could see straight away that he had the mindset of a coach from his mid-20s onwards. It was no surprise that he took to management like he did.”
And Cahill, Business Development Manager with the GAA/GPA, is ‘looking forward’ to seeing how Dublin cope with a pumped up Donegal outfit.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Cahill admits. “It’s Dublin’s first big test of the year and the fact that it is knock out isn’t ideal. It’s going to be difficult and I expect Rory Gallagher to do something different.
“I know Rory quite well and just thinking about it when he sat down to plan for the year I’m sure he felt they would have to play Dublin at some point to get to an All-Ireland final or win an All-Ireland so I think he will try something unusual.”
Much speculation surrounds how Donegal will set up tactically against Dublin. “Potentially Michael Murphy and Neil Gallagher as a two man full forward line from the first minute if Gallagher is fit you just don’t know,” Cahill said.
Rory Gallagher played alongside Barry Cahill for St Brigids.
“If they do go with that then Cian O’Sullivan will drop that bit deeper which will give them the chance to have a runner or an overlap in the middle third which Donegal are brilliant at. They do have a few possibilities there.
“Rory (O’Carroll) is such a huge loss and Dublin have coped quite well so far and Davey Byrne has been excellent. I thought Mick Fitzsimons might nail down a spot there, but Davey has been very capable so far.
“But the pressure and expectation completely cranks up after the Leinster championship even the training. It would have been a bit tricky in the last couple of months not knowing who you were going to play albeit they would have known it was a Mayo, Cork or Donegal and a Division One team.
“But the two big men in the full forward line would be something Dublin haven’t encountered before. And thinking about the squad they have it would be difficult for them to replicate that in training matches so it would be interesting to see if they go with that approach.”
Donegal have caused Dublin problems previously. Will this spook Dublin? “Possibly, but those two games are nearly taken in isolation,” Cahill commented. 2011 was such a freak game and I remember going into the All-Ireland we didn’t even analyse it because it was such a once off.
“2014 was Donegal playing at their absolute peak. Phenomenal performance and Dublin got caught a bit cold.
“The offensive play they had at that time was so strong they probably did neglect their defensive duties and they have tidied that up over the last 18 months, but it will be tough for Dublin.
“On the back of the All Ireland last year I felt no team was going to get up to Dublin’s level, but they are missing Rory and Jack (McCaffrey) - it has been a leveller and potentially James (McCarthy) missing as well does make it a level playing field.
“For Donegal going into it they have a lot of good games under their belt in the last six weeks and that will stand to them, but I don’t agree with people who say Donegal are an ageing team their average is still quite good.
“Some might say they could be tired going into Saturday, but they have played five Championship matches since early April and I think any inter county team should be able to handle that once the training isn’t excessive. So it should be interesting.”
