HAVING WON AN All-Ireland with Dublin in 1995, Paul Bealin knows what it takes to get the job done in the final stages of the championship and his advice for Dublin today is to get out of the blocks quickly, particularly if they are to avoid the tension of the 0-8 to 0-6 victory over Donegal at this stage in 2011.
Bealin, who last month parted company with Westmeath after just one season in charge, feels an early Dublin lead would force Donegal to come out of their shell.
“It’s really important, I think, that Dublin get a good start.
“If Dublin get a good start I think that we’ll have a great game of football because I think Donegal will have to come out at Dublin.
“We know they’re going to park the bus. They’ll play two forwards inside.
“So if Dublin get a good start and get a couple of scores early on the board I think we’ll have a great game of football and I hope that’s what will happen.”
It’s an opinion former Dublin All-Star Ray Cosgrove agrees with adding that Dublin’s strength in depth will see them through regardless of the type of game.
“There’s absolutely no doubt that they are going to park the bus. Jim McGuinness has been involved the last four years.
“They’ve won an All-Ireland, three Ulster titles, a National League and were beaten in the league final this year. He’s not going to change the game plan on Sunday.
“It’s tried and tested.
“The players are used to playing to his game plan. They’re going to keep it as tight as they can and keep as many men (as possible) behind the ball and keep it close for 50 to 60 minutes.
“I don’t believe that they have the strength in depth that Dublin have though. You have young Darach O’Connor who has just done his Leaving Cert, playing in the Ulster Championship three days later.
“That would be unheard of and that wouldn’t happen in Dublin, you know, a kid lining out for Dublin.
“All in all I expect Donegal to put it up to Dublin but I just think Dublin will have too much over 70 minutes.”
The pair were talking at a special ‘GAA Legends in the Garden event’ hosted by Dublin venue Everleigh Gardens on Friday night.
