TOO STRONG…The chasign pack just aren’t up to dublin’s standards

WE found two things out last weekend. Number one is that Dublin are maybe two or three levels above anyone else and number two is that Tyrone might be the best equipped team to challenge them this year.

You can say what you like about their resources or the amount of money that Croke Park pump into the Dublin County Board, but as an admirer of Gaelic games you should simply sit back and enjoy this once in a lifetime group of players that the Dubs currently have at their disposal.

They are a beacon of light for the GAA at present as they represent everything that is positive about the game. They play the game the way it’s meant to be played, attacking at every opportunity with real venom while at the same time relishing the man-to-man combat in defence.

Off the field of play they are immaculate role models to which the younger generations can aspire to emulating. Considering the amount of success they have enjoyed, and most likely will enjoy again in the summer, it’s amazing to see the amount of pride and passion they still have for their clubs.

After the game last Sunday when Ciaran Kilkenny picked up his Man of the Match award the first words out of his mouth were that he couldn’t wait to get back playing with his club next weekend in the club championship.
That to me typifies what this current group of Dublin players are all about, they understand where they come from and they realise the importance of staying grounded.

Jim Galvin deserves great credit for the way he has raised the bar both on and off the field for these players since they won their first All-Ireland under Pat Gilroy.

In a city like Dublin it would be easy for these lads to have their heads stuck up their own arses but Galvin has ensured that this is not the case, they want to create a legacy which will be talked about for generations to come.

They have learnt harsh lessons along the way and rather than let those lessons effect them they have used them to put even more daylight between themselves and the chasing pack.

As summer draws nearer, it’s hard to fathom how any team can stop them. Do Mayo have the firepower to put them to the sword? Probably not. Do Donegal have the legs to match them? Probably not. Can Kerry improve on their showing from last Sunday and close the 13-point margin? It’s hard to see.

For me Tyrone may have the best chance to derail the Dublin juggernaut. From the start of the year you would have to be impressed by the Red Hand county. Operating in Division Two, they quietly went about their business blooding new players in the process.

Tyrone have been impressive in most games this year, they have a real zip to their attack when they break and their defence is as mean as ever. The likes of Mattie Donnelly and Ronan O’Neill are beginning to blossom at this level and with the old head in Sean Cavanagh alongside them they know how to grind results out. I listened to Mickey’s post match interview and it was clear to see that attention had already switch to playing Derry in Celtic Park so that tells me that they have another gear or two to shift through before the summer is out.

They have some very accurate forwards but what impressed me most about them is their athleticism. When you speak about matching the Dubs good accurate forwards won’t cut it for you, you must also be able to match their ferocious intensity and power and for me Tyrone are one of the few teams that might have the young lads to do just that.

Like always we will see a burst from a few teams in the coming weeks as the start to flex their muscles on Championship Sundays, but as it stands Sam could be staying in the capital for a while.
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