As a Dublin fan for 30+ yrs I think you are being grossly unfair. Those lads have given their lives up for Dublin football, unlike the rest of ye who can go out on the razz when ye feel like it, they sarcrafice social lives and everything else for that blue jersey. The hours of training and committment they put in is phenomenal. They have to brush themselves down and go into work like the rest of us the next day. Sadly a lot of Dublin fans are very fickle and the word "loyalty" doesent enter their equation. Those Dublin fans who booed the lads off the pitch at halftime should be ashamed of themselves. This team have been on the brink this last few years, yea they had a crap day on Sunday but that happens no matter what sport you are playin. Youve short memories, they have given us loadsa great days, one only as recently as a massif Leinster final display. The problem is the Management and the Dublin County Board. Sadly the same owl chrooneeism still prevails in the GAA. Pilar must have cringed watchin that game, all his hard work demolished. After what happened back in 1996 Whelan should never been allowed any involvement with any Dublin team and sadly history is repeating itself . The team can only do as instructed by management and when managment play players out of their positions and make crap and wrong team choices , where do ye go from there???? What management team, in their right minds, would leave a player of Whelan's calibre off the starting 15 against any team but least of all, KERRY? What that Dublin team need now is a famous icon, someone whom we all admired greatly during their playing days and someone who stood out in an All Ireland winning side from the past. The likes of Keith Barr or Paul Curran or one of the lads from the 70s era. Not to mention a bita backing and loylaty from their so-called supporters!!!!

Mollymalone (Dublin) - Posts: 1137 - 05/08/2009 10:05:33    378446

@d3ccy Fair play! nothing like a few sower grapes to sow this time of year. In recent history Galway seemed to have blown a Connaught final to Sligo. They won F-ALL til they had a Mayo man at the helm. Back in your box with your tail between your legs please.

beetlegeuce (Mayo) - Posts: 7 - 05/08/2009 13:27:09    378916

LaDub.Micko didnt go for the low fruit in Kildare,Laoise or Wicklow he went for the fresh fruit that he knew would grow and develop he didnt want to go to Dublin because he knew there was nothing but Crab Apples gone sour and bitter and well past their best and why would he want to be assosiated with the poison that spews from the Hill anyway.

pistelero (Wicklow) - Posts: 1719 - 05/08/2009 14:35:18    379059

Blame management, blame tactics and blame nerves on the day all you want but the bottom line is Dublin are just as quoted by Colm O'Rourke, "A very ordinary team deluding themselves on the big stage...

This apparently brilliant Dublin team have been knocking on Sam's door for the last seven years and have failed to deliver.. players of the likes of Ciaran Whelan, Alan Brogan, Jason Sherlock, Shane Ryan, Conal Keaney etc have been sucking up all the hype over the last several years, and year after year have always crashed out on the All-Ireland stage. Dublin lost on Monday because they were deluding themselves that they were Sam Maguire worthy and the harsh reality is, Kerry demolished Dublin on sheer individual class, pace and pure guts.. they showed absolute no character in chasing the game and failed to find that drive of pride for their county that so many teams express.. character is not something that can be preached through management, it has to be in the players themselves and I'm afraid to say this Dublin team simply don't have it..

The reality check at this stage for Dublin is as Joe Brolly put it himself.. they are "A confidence building exercise for the better teams of the championship". Argue all you like but bottom line is, Dublin just simply aren't good enough..

RoyalClass (Meath) - Posts: 790 - 05/08/2009 15:07:41    379141

Ah theres nothing like the owl green eyed monster rearing its ugly head from supporters from the weaker counties who've won feck all over the years!!! When did Wicklow win Leinster, not to mention 22 All Irelands!!!!!!

Mollymalone (Dublin) - Posts: 1137 - 05/08/2009 15:31:22    379214

Molly when did Dublin ever win an All Ireland with 15 players born in Dublin its the same when any of your Clubs win an All Ireland usually half the players are from other Counties and that is part of your problem when it comes to pick a County panel the majority of the best players are from other Counties and its said ye have never won an All Ireland without a Wicklowman on the team sure in the past didnt the Bray Emmets Club from Wicklow win one for ye,and forget about Jealousy i have no doubt if Wicklow had the quantity of players to pick from that Dublin has down the years we would have won All Irelands as well,and dont be coming up with the same old excuse year after year blaming Management they can only do so much the players on the field win matches .Kerry have won 30+ All Irelands always with 15 Kerry men born and bred thats real pedigree

pistelero (Wicklow) - Posts: 1719 - 05/08/2009 16:36:42    379399

Royalclass ... hard and all as it is to admit you are basically right, Dublin simply aren't good enough.

I heard a great interview on "Off the Ball" last night with Robbie Kelliher and Paul Curran. Both made the point that Dublin have only won 1 (I think) Minor and U21 title since 1984 ... and that is where our problems really lie. We simply are not producing the players past U-14 level.

We are very competitive on a national basis up to U-14 level, e.g. at the recent U-14 Kildare Feile, Ballyboden won both the girls AND boys competitions. Well done to them as they are effectively All Ireland titles, but we need to change the underage structures so that the talent carries forward into minors, u-21s and then senior titles.

Hope the Dublin County Board are listening.

Beacaire Gorm (Dublin) - Posts: 597 - 05/08/2009 21:26:34    380010

Hi, this is my first post however I have been a Dublin supporter for the last 30 years. On Monday this is the lowest I have felt in all that time. I cannot understand (believe) that players wearing the sacred blue jersey could just lie down like they did. I just dont accept that players who have trained so hard over the last 5-7 years could lose there nerves so bad again. A lot of the players have been at the quarter final/semi final stage before and yet they dont appear to have gained any experience. I know the management have a lot to answer for but the players needed to stand up and be counted. I hope some of the players do visit this site and read what is posted. I for one who as a supporter have followed them all around the country for years feel let down. Could they not have thought about us supporters who give so much also and given us a performance we could have been proud off.

siteman (Dublin) - Posts: 1 - 05/08/2009 23:50:48    380325

As an avid Dublin supporter for over 25 years, I was so sad on Monday evening. For the first time that I can recollect we were humiliated in croke park. Even last years nightmare against tyrone doesn't bear up to the kerry defeat. We were beaten in practically every position on the pitch with the exception of one or two notable exceptions from the minute the ball was thrown in. Now I can't imagine the players haven't given it all over the last 5 years or so but we are just simply not good enough. Irrespective of what happens in leinster from year to year we arrive in the knock outs and just do not come up to the mark. However there are a few criticsms that I think the management should take on board. Bryan Cullen gave a huge performance at centre back when introduced against kildare, something that was a joy to watch from a player who had come into some unfair criticsm over thae last number of years. Yet against kerry he was switched, this cannot have done anything for the mans confidence and he played like that. Similiarly Barry Cahill was moved into centre back after giving some great performances at wing back, doesn't add up. The substitution of Jason Sherlock beggared belief. What he was taken off for when a ball barely passed the half way line does not add up. We forfeited midfield before the game started as Stephen Cluxton was going for short and wing kick-outs as soon as the game started whereas previously he would mix it up. Had we concluded that we couldn't compete with Dara O Shea and Seamus Scanlon and if that was the case the midfield that was selected was the incorrect one. To see Ciaran Whelan and Shane Ryan not been given more game this year was ridiculous. For all that we don't seem to have developed any cleverness or cuteness over the years. A tactic used by kerry, tyrone and armagh over the years is to slow down or break up the game when things are going against you, not in our case. The whole circus that surrounded Pillar Caffrey's tenure for example applauding the hill was eradicated but still we came up miles shorts. Where we go from here is a serious issue and one that requires some huge soul searching, underage structures need to be looked at and listening to an ex player like Paddy Christie on the radio the other evening brought it all home. To get where we all want might take time but we need to invest heavily in the young footballers in the county and if this means we will have a couple of lean years so be it. I think the long term good of Dublin is an entirely seperate issue than the immediate future of where this current team is going. I would also like to say that this team has sweated blood and tears to achieve the holy grail and for that I would like to thank them sincerely and to go overboard with negative criticism will achieve very little. Here is looking to great days in the not too diastant future

LC (Dublin) - Posts: 4 - 06/08/2009 10:21:54    380602

Gilroys treatment of Shane Ryan this year was shameful! For God sake he was the only Dublin player with an all star last year.

Jackeen (Dublin) - Posts: 4097 - 06/08/2009 10:51:29    380651

I couldent agree with the last 2 posters more. This current team have given it their ALL. We couldent honestly have asked for anymore and people slagged off some of Pillars' tactics at the time but I think they were far superior to those of the current Management. Switching players like Cullen and Cahill to different positions when the same two lads had outstanding games in their original positions beggars belief. Leaving 2 midfielders of Whelan and Ryans' calibre on the bench for ANY game is even more off the wall. Then whippin Jayo off after 15 mins, the only man WITH an AI medal in his pocket, the mind boggles. The decisions overall by Management last Monday were outrageous but sadly the poor players were victims of these decisions and they are the ones who have to take the flack from their so called supporters and the media. They might think they made little of the players by booing them at half time but ye know something they only showed themselves up as cretins. Sadly the rest of us decent supporters are branded by their low-life behaviour. I actually feel like sending a letter to the Dublin County Board just thanking the players for their hard work and all their efforts over the recent years, not to mention all the GOOD days they have given us in the past. No wonder they couldent lift their game after the break, imagine how they must have felt goin into that dressing room. In other counties the team ousted out bad Management, why cant the Dubs do it for a change and FINALLY stand up and be counted and get the Management Team they are worthy of. Cmon the boys in blue, theres some of us still behind ye and still believe in ye............

Mollymalone (Dublin) - Posts: 1137 - 06/08/2009 12:25:26    380809

HARD FACTS:DUBLIN DONT HAVE WHAT IT TAKES

sat24 (Meath) - Posts: 103 - 07/08/2009 13:59:17    382592

Well, they certainly have A LOT MORE OF WHAT IT TAKES than what the Royals have!!!!!! When was it ye last even won Leinster????????????????

Mollymalone (Dublin) - Posts: 1137 - 07/08/2009 14:43:10    382677

Mollymalone
County: Dublin
Posts: 8

382677 Well, they certainly have A LOT MORE OF WHAT IT TAKES than what the Royals have!!!!!! When was it ye last even won Leinster????????????????

Don't bite my friend....let the little boys come on and vent their frustration bless them. It's not their fault, it's their hormones.

Jackeen (Dublin) - Posts: 4097 - 07/08/2009 15:03:38    382713

we will have kildare to fly the flag for us next year.dublin will be forgoting about

sat24 (Meath) - Posts: 103 - 07/08/2009 15:03:40    382714

sat24
County: Meath
Posts: 5

382714 we will have kildare to fly the flag for us next year.dublin will be forgoting about

Is spelling part of the Junior Cert exams this year?

Jackeen (Dublin) - Posts: 4097 - 07/08/2009 15:15:44    382744

cork v kerry final It will be awhile before any Leinster team will make a final ... Up the Kingdom

vinnie222 (Kerry) - Posts: 7 - 07/08/2009 15:29:21    382775

jackeen.thats over since june.just like dublins dream

sat24 (Meath) - Posts: 103 - 07/08/2009 15:30:05    382778

sat24
County: Meath
Posts: 7

382778 jackeen.thats over since june.just like dublins dream

HaHa....not bad for a 15 year old!

Jackeen (Dublin) - Posts: 4097 - 07/08/2009 15:40:28    382803

winding up the dubs.is as easy as kerry winin sam

sat24 (Meath) - Posts: 103 - 07/08/2009 15:50:47    382840