1. Dublin demonstrate they can dig out a win
Scan through Dublin’s eight league clashes before yesterday and there was a clear trend of dominance. They won five of their six games by margins of at least six points while the exception was the March meeting against Mayo where they still had four points to spare.
That pattern proved they had not been asked searching questions and it was notable that in their two tightest matches – the defeat to Tyrone and draw with Donegal – the spoils eluded them. In the second-half yesterday in Croke Park, they received a stern examination of their credentials and most pleasingly for Jim Gavin, they responded.
After a game where they had not tapped into a powerful flow of play, Dublin strung three points together at the death and narrowly prevailed at the finish. They dug out a win and that is something to satisfy their setup.
2. Tyrone forwards step up in the absence of Stephen O’Neill
Stephen O’Neill’s wizardry towards the end of the league semi-final win over Kildare meant there a strong focus on the Tyrone sharpshooter before yesterday’s game. A freak accident which damaged his ankle in the warm-up robbed Mickey Harte of his potent attacker yet his team responded to raise their second highest number of white flags in their 2013 league campaign.
Niall Morgan and Sean Cavanagh have been reliable scoring sources this spring but the real positives yesterday were Conor McAliskey’s measured shooting as he notched three points and the constant threat that Mark Donnelly posed with his incisive running. Tyrone are going to need O’Neill back for their summer assignments but yesterday offered promise that their attack has greater depth.
3. Goalkeepers pointing the way
Booting the ball over the bar towards the Hill 16 end in September 2011 established Stephen Cluxton’s status as the pre-eminent goalkeeping freetaker in the country. He notched another vital kick in the second-half yesterday in Croke Park but it was his counterpart Niall Morgan who caught the eye in the game.
The Tyrone goalkeeper potted five points from six shots and his 61st minute point from 55 yards out was truly exceptional. Morgan namechecked Cluxton last week as one of his guiding goalkeeping influences and the Dublin number one was impressed with his opposite number’s contribution.
“He played very well, in fairness to him. He made a few saves and kicked his frees – you can’t ask a lot more of a goalkeeper.”
Tyrone’s Niall Morgan kicks a free
Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
4. Jim Gavin’s hand strengthened by return of Ballymun players
Wrapped up with club commitments meant the Ballymun Kickhams representatives were out of reach for Jim Gavin for much of his debut league campaign as Dublin manager. They have returned to the Dublin squad since their St Patrick’s day defeat and yesterday Dublin felt the full force of their impact.
James McCarthy made several surging runs forward from his half-back berth and Philly McMahon came on to boom over a great point from distance. The match-winning contribution was made by Dean Rock though as he showed signs that his stellar club form can be transferred to the inter-county stage with two stylish scores.
5. A sign of Derry’s summer or a false dawn?
Derry’s league campaign concluded in a positive fashion yesterday but the true worth of this Division 2 title is not going to be revealed until later in 2013. There were strong points yesterday in the defending of Gerard O’Kane, the midfield play of Patsy Bradley and the scoring edge offered at various stages by Eoin Bradley, James Kielt and Emmet McGuckin.
But this is a county that reached league deciders in 2008 and 2009 yet their seasons subsequently ended in July on both occasions. While their manager Brian McIver steered Donegal to their first league crown in 2007 yet saw his team lose by 11 points to Tyrone and by eight points to Monaghan that summer. The championship will be the yardstick by which to judge this Derry team.
Derry’s Mark Lynch and James Kielt celebrate winning the Division 2 trophy
Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy
6. Dessie Dolan’s worth to Westmeath
John Heslin’s freetaking was on the money, Ger Egan and Callum McCormack both chipped in with a brace of points while Denis Glennon shot over a pair of beautiful scores. Yet who was Westmeath’s top scorer from play in yesterday’s Division 2 decider? Their old stager Dessie Dolan.
He only entered the fray midway through the second-half yet in his 24 minutes of action Dolan fired over three points. It was more than just his scoring though as he was the focal point for Westmeath’s attack and is an inspirational figurehead that his young teammates can learn off. Westmeath could benefit from starting the Garrycastle man come their championship opener.
7. Monaghan have a real chance to shine in Ulster
For a core of Monaghan’s team, there have been several strong challenges over the last decade but precious little silverware. Saturday’s Division 2 title was something to cherish then for the likes of Darren Hughes, Owen Lennon, Dick Clerkin and Paul Finlay – the four experienced figures who started in the win over Meath. Long-serving figures Stephen Gollogly, Dessie Mone and Vincent Corey came on to supplement their challenge in the second-half.
There is a new Farney wave that offers promise for the summer ahead with Drew Wylie Neil McAdam, Kieran Hughes, Eoin Duffy and Conor McManus all catching the eye on Saturday. Manager Malachy O’Rourke has done a fine job to date and given the inviting nature of their Ulster championship draw, making a decent stab in the province must be their aim now.
The Monaghan team celebrate on Saturday night
Pic: INPHO/Donall Farmer
8. Limerick’s hope that injuries heal
Manager Maurice Horan admitted he was perplexed towards the end of Limerick’s Division 4 title win on Saturday night. On the one hand it was heartening to see emerging talents like Derry O’Connor, Ian Corbett and Seamus O’Carroll all taking on the mantle of leadership to get Limerick over the finish line in first place.
But that was offset by the worrying sight of John Galvin and Ian Ryan – two players who are critical to Limerick’s future aspirations – hobbling off with injuries. The countdown to their Munster tie against Cork on May 25th will be an anxious wait to see if that pair can shake off respective hamstring and ankle ailments.
9. Worth of divisional finals?
For the counties involved in the lower-tier divisional league deciders, they are games of immense worth in their championship preparations. But they are a stepping stone in the season rather than a culmination and are people outside the camps getting enthused about these finals?
7,742 supporters streamed into Croke Park on Saturday night for two games that were clearly hampered as occasions by the fact that all four teams had already gained promotion. There was a predictable lack of spark to them then and as GAA Director-General Paraic Duffy admitted last week, it is a dilemma over whether to continue with this practice.
