Brilliant day at Croker. I'm a football man at heart but I have to say that yesterday was one of the best days I've had at HQ in all my years of following the Dubs. That was a heroic performance. From both teams there was pace, skill, passion.. It had absolutely everything. Having watched the Cats against Tipp as well over the weekend it really brings home what a great sport hurling is.

Fair play to the neutrals here offering their congratulations and I'm delighted for the Dublin hurling die-hards who have suffered for many years but finally had their day in the sun, literally, yesterday. I have to say I didn't give the lads a snowball's chance of overcoming Kilkenny in the drawn game, especially having witnessed the 18 point mauling against them last year but you have to say that they really have come good in the past few weeks and great credit to them and Daly for putting away three counties who have a great hurling tradition. Five matches in now and a lot of counties would have landed Liam after a series of games like that.

Anyway, onwards and upwards for the lads. I hope they can keep the effort going.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4746 - 08/07/2013 13:50:33    1426541

perfect10
County: Wexford
Posts: 768

1426516
delgihted for dublin,and their loyal hurling following who stuck with them.i thought after last year they were going backwards after las year and again against ourselves,but they turned it around.
well done.i'd say hurlingdub mes_amis etc have sore heads today!

I'm up outta the leaba now! It was a late one last night alright!

What a performance though. Johnny and Joey in the middle were awesome. Keaney was magnificent and Ryaner showed us all his class. Delighted for Dotsy too. He's come in for a lot of criticism of late but in the last 2 games he's been back to his very best.

Rushe was good at centre back too, Hiney and Carton solid beside him. Peter did all he could to curb Canning and kept going when it looked like Big Joe was going to really cut loose. Gary in nets pulled off one great save and a couple of vital interceptions. His puck outs were top class too. I could go on and on about the players in fairness. They were all top class yesterday.

I'll hold me hand up and say that I've gotten it wrong with Anto. I thought he should've gone after last year but fair play to him. Give him the freedom of the city now I say!

I first started going to Dublin hurling games with my Grandfather and father. Neither of them were present yesterday but they weren't far from my thoughts as Johnny McCaffrey lifted the Bob O'Keefe trophy.

Thanks boys!

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13816 - 08/07/2013 16:04:32    1426772

MesAmis that lad would probably put sheep grazing on Stephen's green!!

Do you think an All-Ireland might be beyond them yet?

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 08/07/2013 16:51:59    1426837

Pinkie

He can leave his sheep in my gaf if he wants!

We're in bonus territory now doubt about it. Promotion, Kilkenny beaten and a Leinster title so we don't want to get too greedy!

However with things shaping up as they are I don't think an All-Ireland is outta the question. I genuinely think we could do it. We're in the last four now and have beaten last year's 2 finalists. Confidence is high and if we produce performances like yesterday's again then we'll take some stopping.

In saying that the Cats haven't gone away and neither have Galway.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13816 - 08/07/2013 17:05:41    1426856

Just surfacing perfect10! Great day. Thought they had a chance but honestly never saw that sort of performance. The winning margin was deceptive as the result was in balance until last 7/8 minutes. Skehill and Maguire saved certain goals. Was brilliant game and we will have to consider Dublin as genuine contenders now. Can't believe it :-)

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 08/07/2013 21:10:55    1427087

Great win for Dublin alright, a big step towards an All Ireland in the coming years too possibly.

Surely Daly has secured himself another year in charge at least with this? It was mentioned before that Shay Boland would have been the obvious replacement but after the defeat to Carlow has his stock dropped a little, or like Dessie Farrell and the under 21 footballers did this season's championship just come a year too soon for a young team?

if_in_doubt (Kildare) - Posts: 3691 - 11/07/2013 17:46:46    1429259

Were you on your holiers if_in_doubt? Thanks for the congrats by the way!

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8778 - 11/07/2013 17:51:52    1429269

Over in England since Monday of last week, and flying home on Saturday.

Lets just say the early sailing from Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead the morning after the football semi wasn't my best journey.

if_in_doubt (Kildare) - Posts: 3691 - 11/07/2013 18:29:32    1429317

indeed, ouch!

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8778 - 11/07/2013 18:35:36    1429321

if in doubt

i wouldnt say shay boland stock has fallen.i think there was a clear problem for the under 21 hurlers this year in that they only had 3 guys involved with the senior panel,after two succesful leinster winning minor panels and all ireland finalsists,the lack of players being brought into the senior panel from them teams ment nearly the entire under 21 hurling side had no inter county involvement since last years all ireland minor final,so very hard to know where they were going to stand,compared to carlow who had several senior players on their under 21 side.i think we need to be bringing more of the guys from them minor teams into the senior set up for the under 21 level to benifit otherwise you will have same problem as this year

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 11/07/2013 18:46:42    1429329

21s is tricky grade. Not much time to prepare teams and minors not always a relaible guide to how lads will have come on. Perhaps needs to be more integration among the squads at management level? Might also be an idea to do as Cats do and use as many 21s as possible in the Walsh Cup?

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 12/07/2013 08:51:23    1429522

No one... including myself gave Dublin a chance against Kilkenny
Look how that turned out...
Big up to Snuff on that one...! Spot on...
jimbodub
--------------------------------

Just back from a few days holidays down in the mots homeplace in Corca Dhuibhne!

Yes indeed jimbodub, before the match I was spaeking to a lad who was telling me we had no chance in hell. I turned to him and said "Dublin will not lose to Galway THIS DAY!...Shake on €50!". By half time he was gutted and I knew I had flushed out the lads wallet by the nervous look on his face. Before full time he gave me the makings of €50. I took it all from him, then gave him back €30 and held up a €20 to him telling him I am just going to keep this much and let that be a lesson to him not to bet against the Dubs....and that goes for the football as well! He went off happy, even sent down a round of drinks to myself and the mot right away!
Moral of the story comes from something I learned in business a long time ago....'Never take something at the very lowest price. Get the price down to the lowest you can and then give some back to the seller. That way you both go away happy and the door is left open for future relations on good terms and favours in hand rather than being seen as a lad there to shaft people'!

Regards,

Snufalufagus....Laochra Gael

Snufalufagus (Dublin) - Posts: 8100 - 12/07/2013 17:16:16    1430083