Dublin (NFL v Monaghan): S Cluxton; M Fitzsimons, R O'Carroll, P McMahon; J McCarthy, C O'Sullivan, G Brennan; E Fennell, R McConnell; A Hubbard, MD MacAuley, P Flynn; D Henry, B Brogan, K McManamon.

Dubs team... Bernie is back in full forward! Fennell is in after an ankle knock (Good news) - O'Carroll back from u21's and slots back into full back...

Good team taking the field on Saturday... still in the building process, we're just delighted to be in this position... if we win this one we'll def secure our Division 1 status and take a step towards a league final appearance.

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 11/03/2010 11:36:23    585075

Really looking forward to this one - Hope it's a good match.

Monaghan beating Tyrone last week set it up well as Mon should go in relatively confident, had they have lost it would have been a non-event.

Still - It's advantage Dublin at this stage - They are the team of the moment !

P.S. I notice it being advertised for Setanta 1 whereas the Tyrone V Cork match is on Setanta Ireland - Which one will be shown live ?

I'll be there anyway but I was just wondering.

The Sage (Monaghan) - Posts: 351 - 11/03/2010 12:12:59    585123

I haven't fancied our chances against any of the previous opposition but I would against Monaghan. So it wouldn't surprise me at all that we lose this one :-)
I still think the team is all a bit too defensive and I haven't been completely convinced by Hubbard at 10. Great effort so far but I think he's lacking in presence around the half forward line. Gilroy looks happy to keep with his 2 men upfront and drop Henry back as sweeper. Defence looks good and has been developing nicely. I know defence has been the major restructuring as part of this league campaign but lets mix it up a bit. I would have been happier to see Dublin try and open things up more. I reckon we could be looking at a very similar game to that against Derry.
If Monaghan have their shooting boots on they could give us problems. I'm expecting a battle in midfield. Monaghan looked solid in that department against Tyrone in the second half.

NavyNBlue (Dublin) - Posts: 1357 - 11/03/2010 12:21:00    585132

The cork and tyrone match will be live on setanta ireland at 7.30. The dublin and monaghan game will be live on setanta 1 at 7.30. Setanta ireland will then show deferred coverage of the dub monaghan game at 9pm on satuday nite. Setanta 1 will then show deferred coverage of the cork and tyrone match at 11pm on saturday nite.

Cloonan14 (Galway) - Posts: 142 - 11/03/2010 12:21:48    585134

Cork seem to be playing a lot of games on Saturday nights
Am I right in saying that bar the Monaghan game, every other game has been on a Saturday so far?
Even their match with Dublin next week is on Saturday

NavyNBlue (Dublin) - Posts: 1357 - 11/03/2010 13:03:58    585201

Saturday's looking like a good night of football for the neutral alright, Tyrone will need a win to avoid a tough relegation fight and wins for Cork and Dublin will have the confidence levels flying even higher.

To be honest I'd love to see Dublin do well in the league, be great for the fans to enjoy a good run and would be a big boost to Gilroy and the players with a much changed panel from last year.

Always thought McConnell was a very good player whenever I saw him playing club football, he had it tough trying to break into the team with Ryan and Whelan ahead of him for a midfield spot but he looks like he could make it his own after moving out from defence. How do people think young O'Carroll is at full back? Looks a very promising talent so far I reckon.

if_in_doubt (Kildare) - Posts: 3694 - 11/03/2010 13:16:39    585214

We need Paul Finlay, Darren Hughes, Tommy Freeman and Conor McManus to play well. If they do we will win. Done well on our last two visits to Parnell Park so hoping for some more of the same.

Adler (Monaghan) - Posts: 754 - 11/03/2010 13:53:11    585257

Teams have been struggling to score from play against Dublin so far. But we've been guilty of giving away a lot of silly frees. We need to keep that in check, especially against Monaghan where Finlay is pretty accurate from frees.

if_in_doubt - Can't say I've been convinced too much be McConnell. Thought he had a good start to the championship last year when playing there, but once we came up against tougher opponents he went missing very badly, especially against Kerry. Still though, he's young and he's playing in his proper position so he still might do well. Rory O'Carroll has really impressed at FB so far. Yet to see his brother Ross play - who is supposed to be the better of the 2 from what I hear. Good to see that we might start having options in the FB line for a change. So far McMahon, O'Carroll, Fitzsimons and Conlon have all done well. They'll have stronger tests come summer time but so far they've well enough

NavyNBlue (Dublin) - Posts: 1357 - 11/03/2010 14:12:08    585285

Im very confident of winning this one.we threw it away against Cork(the best about at the moment),we were robbed against Galway when Finlay got the line and beat Tyrone.Dublin are rebuilding with a young inexperienced team,they beat a 3rd string Kerry side,had a good win against Derry but only scrapped by an Average Mayo side who kicked 18 wides.there will be only 2 points seperating these sides in the league table come Saturday night.lets hope we are made a little more welcome this year.

hogoboss (Monaghan) - Posts: 617 - 11/03/2010 16:18:57    585436

A strong Dublin is very important for the Association, economically, interest, colour and and as a spectacle, and anyone who says otherwise is a fool. Many of us wouldn't begrudge them a bit of success BUT only a bit. I mean who would we slag and laugh at when they make such an **** of themselves every year........apart from Mayo? Only joking the Dubs have had a rough few years and are going about things the right way now by making their defence the most important part of the team.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9840 - 11/03/2010 16:29:56    585457

im never confident ahead of dublin league games , fact of the matter is im very apprehensive , i believe we can but im scared to think we will , if we do win it will look good for us , but we have 4 league games left and take nothing for granted , monaghan will provide a stern test , as will cork the previous week and galway two weeks down the line , then of corse a trip to omagh for tyrone , im not confident on dublin reaching a league final , id like them to get to croke park on april 25th i really would but i just cant see it , i think its a step too far , im usually optimistic when things look good , but im not too sure yet , maybe its the performances , maybe its the lack of scoring , or maybe im just trying to hide the fact that we MIGHT win our fourth game on the trot , IF we beat monaghan , i still think we will need a win and draw from our last 3 games , so in total i think we need 5 points from our last 4 games to get to a league final , although the goal was to avoid relegation , which we look to have done , id be disappointed if we didnt get to a league final , i think the majority of the fans deserve a league final especially after the way that team has performed in its last two games against major opposition , it would be a huge boost of confidence too , but anyway lets not look too far ahead , feet on the floor , treat monaghan with the utmost respect and just try beat them , if its a one point victory in a messy encounter like mayo , ill take it , but lets just see what dublin team turn up , COME ON THE DUBS

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13659 - 11/03/2010 16:32:24    585460

the only reason the Dubs are not as popular as they ought to be(because they do make the championship),is because there is no reason on earth why the should be having such a lack of success recently with the amount of Clubs and players to pick from,another factor im afraid is the sunshine following they pick up come championship time,treating the game as an excuse for a party when they cant even name a player on the team.saying that i think that they are heading in the right direction,a complete clear out was needed and new blood brought in to the squad.maybe in 4 years,just maybe.

hogoboss (Monaghan) - Posts: 617 - 11/03/2010 16:37:34    585476

the only reason the Dubs are not as popular as they ought to be(because they do make the championship),is because there is no reason on earth why the should be having such a lack of success recently with the amount of Clubs and players to pick from,another factor im afraid is the sunshine following they pick up come championship time,treating the game as an excuse for a party when they cant even name a player on the team.saying that i think that they are heading in the right direction,a complete clear out was needed and new blood brought in to the squad.maybe in 4 years,just maybe.


---------



come on ... seriously its boring at this stage

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13659 - 11/03/2010 17:40:59    585605

Tough one to call this one as the occasions we have done well v Dublin in Parnell was when we were coming in under the radar a bit. Dublin know what we are about now and will be ready. Still not convinced about the new Dublin they have a lot of new who are there to replace some really good players. Will be really tight match with not a lot in it. I will go for a draw.

seanie08 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1998 - 11/03/2010 18:42:37    585704

Tough one indeed and i think monaghan might scrape it but hard to go against dublin in this one though.

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 11/03/2010 18:48:59    585712

jimbodub
County: Dublin

Jimbo - You should know the answer as you started this thread.

Did the name of this thread change or is it just my imagination - I thought when I posted earlier to it it was called Monaghan V Dublin or Dublin V Monaghan or something. Then I couldn''t find it and I saw this one and my post was in here - I don't care what it called as long as I know I'm not going mad or blind or both.

Please put my mind at rest someone.

The Sage (Monaghan) - Posts: 351 - 11/03/2010 18:51:39    585717

waynoI
County: Dublin
Posts: 866

'come on ... seriously its boring at this stage'
----------------------

Agreed

The Sage (Monaghan) - Posts: 351 - 11/03/2010 18:53:19    585722

lol your not going mad the sage i started a thread on the dublin forum saying "Dublin v Monaghan...hope that put your mind at rest? :)

Dubsfan08 (Dublin) - Posts: 619 - 11/03/2010 19:10:34    585743

monaghan by 2

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13659 - 11/03/2010 20:38:48    585881

Yeah Dubs are doing well this season so far! But we will see will they keep it up in the championship!

biffo1 (Cavan) - Posts: 148 - 11/03/2010 21:20:21    585955