Former Dublin footballer Tomás Quinn.
By Michael Devlin
Former Dublin star Tomás Quinn says Jim Gavin’s men can’t afford to hand a Kerry side loaded with attacking talent a head-start on Sunday.
Dublin have been guilty of starting slowly in several games this season. Mayo were two up on the All-Ireland champions by halftime of the semi-final, while Cork were able to race into a 0-5 to 0-1 after ten minutes in the quarter-final group stage clash at Croke Park.
In the Leinster final too, an uncharacteristic Dublin only managed 0-5 in the opening half against an extremely wasteful Meath side, and Quinn believes the same sluggishness out of the blocks can’t be afforded to Peter Keane’s men on Sunday.
“I do think there’s a worry there, I think it’s something Dublin have to go after. I do agree, I don’t think they can afford a slow start. They have done it, there’s only been one game this year where they’ve got out of the blocks early. I think that’s something they will have to look at.
“If they do give opportunities, Kerry are going to be the forward line who will go for the jugular, they’re capable of scoring goals. That is the thing Dublin have to guard against. I don’t think they can afford having a 15 or 20 minute ‘feeling out’ period to see what Kerry have to bring.
“At that stage Kerry might have brought so much that they might be looking at it instead of being two or three points down like they were against Mayo, all of a sudden they are eight or nine points down and it changes the dynamic of the game. So yeah, I think there is an onus on Dublin to get off to a good start.
The Dublin senior football team pictured before the All-Ireland SFC quarter-final group stage game against Roscommon.
Each time though, Dublin showcased their devastating quality in brief second half spells that blew away the opposition. They took just 12 minutes to dismantle Mayo’s courageous first half stand, an unanswered 2-6 surge swinging them into a 10-point lead, while they laid on similar scoring sprees to build up big winning margins against Cork and Meath.
Quinn says that while Dublin possess the quality and the panic-free mentality to seize control of games in quick fashion, grabbing a foothold from the first whistle should be top of the agenda against the Kingdom.
“I think they have got into that trap of having so much confidence in themselves, they’ll think through and work things through, and they’ve always had an answer, that they’re so kind of sure of themselves that they aren’t going to panic.
“There is an element of, ‘We’ll probably have enough here today in a sense that we’ll work it out’, but that always won’t be the case. There will be a case where you’re looking at it 20 minutes in and looking at it, ‘Okay, that wasn’t part of the plan’, and maybe that’s a little too late.
“So I think for me, you obviously saw it, there’s such a contrast between what they do at the start of the second half to the start of the first half. It’s not sustainable to continue that level of what they had for those 12 minutes for 70 minutes, but they’d like to start like that and certainly get a foothold on the game early rather than letting Kerry get the impetus early on.”
While there is understandably plenty made about the plethora of attacking talent Kerry possess - David Clifford, Paul Geaney, Stephen O’Brien and Sean O’Shea just four names that can cause Dublin serious damage - Dublin are certainly not lacking in their own offensive department.
Paul Mannion and Con O'Callaghan in action against Mayo.
This season has witnessed Paul Mannion and Con O’Callaghan hit new heights in particular, and both are names in the conversation for Player Of The Year. In Dublin’s seven games, Mannion has racked up 0-22, while O’Callaghan has plundered 4-9, both tallies all coming from open play. Quinn hasn’t been surprised at how the duo have raised their game to higher levels.
“I love watching them. I love Con going, I love the intent with which Con gets the ball and goes for goal, as an inside forward I think it's brilliant. He might not always get it but that threat is always there. You can see defenders now are kind of second-guessing, 'If I get too close to him, he's strong enough to go by me. If I take a step back, he can throw a shimmy or a dummy.'
“What's really impressed me about Paul Mannion is the skill level of the points he's kicking at the moment. I think when he came on, he was predominantly left-sided, but he's added to it. He's much more comfortable on his right side now and again, his pace and power keeps defenders honest. If they step back, he's good enough to flick it over from 35 or 40 yards and I think what he's brought his game to this year, probably the last two years.
“He was exceptional in the club championship for Kilmacud last year. He effectively led Kilmacud to a Dublin Senior Football Championship last year as well and he's continued that form on. The two of them are in a rich vein of form and it's going to be a big challenge for Kerry to try and nullify them at the weekend.”
Scoring ability from placed ball is another area where Dublin have an embarrassment of riches. Gavin has inter-changed between Dean Rock and Cormac Costello on free-taking duties this season, and both have been consistently excellent in their turns.
Quinn in his pomp for Dublin in 2005.
Quinn, Dublin’s free-kick specialist throughout his own career, says there’s not much that separate the two, but he believes Rock will get the nod for the big day based on his track record in years gone by.
“It's pretty close, I don't think there's a wrong answer to that question, but in terms of what Dean has produced in the last number of years especially in those pressure situations, he's been the guy. But I think Cormac has shown anytime he's been tasked with frees, he does it at a very high level, his scoring percentage is probably up there with anyone else.
“Dean is going to be the guy and again just those pressure moments in the last few minutes of previous All-Ireland's and previous games and I think they'll stand to him.
“They are definitely competing against each other, I don't know if they do it at set training sessions. I'd imagine they do the vast majority of practice on their own, in their own kind of little routines and there would be times where they would have, I presume before or after training, they might be out on the pitch and they might be having little competitions.
“I used to love, now this is before Stephen [Cluxton] was a free-taker, I used to love, I used to always go out early and start taking frees and Stephen would come out and we'd take five or six balls and we'd take turns choosing from the spot and he'd certain sweet spots, particularly with a left-footed kicker and I with the other side.
“So you'd go out and compete like that. You mightn't be necessarily going out and saying, 'Take 10 frees around the D', or whatever but he was throwing down and you'd go against each other. So little things like that I'm sure there are ways in which they can try and challenge each other and bring each other on.”
Electric Ireland GAA Minor Star Awards Panel member for 2019, Tomás Quinn highlights the importance of the pre-game ritual to Minor players, encouraging fans to be a part of “The Championship Haircut” which returns to Croke Park for the Electric Ireland GAA All Ireland Minor Football Final, for the second year running. Fans can avail of a free cut or style between 11.30am – 1pm on the Cusack Stand Side.
