• Home
  • /
  • GAA
  • /
  • Mick O'Dwyer Isn't Calling This Dublin Team 'Great' Just Yet

Mick O'Dwyer Isn't Calling This Dublin Team 'Great' Just Yet

Mick O'Dwyer Isn't Calling This Dublin Team 'Great' Just Yet
PJ Browne
By PJ Browne
Share this article

On Sunday evening at Croke Park, as the Kerry young guns misfired in the face of the Dublin artillery, one pessimist about the prospects of a team other than the Dubs winning the All-Ireland this year, a Longford man, turned to another, a Kerryman, and said, 'I wonder if this will be the year Dublin will hammer a team in the All-Ireland'.

The Kerryman, in the unfamiliar territory of feeling like he wanted to escape Croke Park for the first time in his life and do something more pleasurable - like run up Carrauntoohil barefoot - laughed; maybe this will be the year the Dubs make all other football fans despair.

Until that happens, until they destroy a team in an All-Ireland final, Mick O'Dwyer is not going to mark Jim Gavin's side down as an all-time great team just yet.

Recommended

The 81-year-old spoke to RTÉ on Monday at a civic reception in Tralee where his achievements as a Kerry footballer and a manager were recognised.

Well at the present time, they're an exceptionally good team but then they've only won All-Irelands by single points against Mayo. Until they hammer a team in an All-Ireland final by seven or eight, ten points then I'll say they're a really great team.

But they are certainly the best team I've seen for quite a long while and they'll take a lot of beating.

Of Dublin's five All-Ireland victories since a 16-year drought was ended in 2011, only the 2015 final against Kerry has been won by more than one point.

Advertisement

In contrast, the eight All-Irelands which O'Dwyer claimed as manager in the 70s and 80s were won by an average of nearly eight points. During that period, Dublin also won three All-Irelands by an average of seven points. It is that prism of history through which the Waterville man is judging this Dublin team.

See Also: Michael Duignan Irate Over 'Despicable' Adrian Tuohy Incident Against Limerick

 

 

Join The Monday Club Have a tip or something brilliant you wanted to share on? We're looking for loyal Balls readers free-to-join members club where top tipsters can win prizes and Balls merchandise

Processing your request...

You are now subscribed!

Share this article

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. Developed by Square1 and powered by PublisherPlus.com

Advertisement