Dublin put in a much-improved display in last Sunday’s Division 2 final against Derry, as they ran out 4-6 to 0-11 winners against the Oak Leaf County at Croke Park.
While he acknowledged encouraging signs, ex-Dubs great Diarmuid Connolly has concerns about their current scoring rates.
“Dublin are building a decent squad with a lot to come back in, so I’d be quietly optimistic about the season ahead. But there are still question marks for me,” he told Boylesports.
“I know they scored four goals, but ten scores in a game isn’t going to get you far. Six points isn’t good enough for me, they were very wasteful in front of goal.”
Nonetheless, there have been improvements compared to the group stage.
“Goals win games and Dublin took off in the second half,” the St Vincent’s club man noted. “They hadn’t been creating too many goal chances this season, but they created plenty in the final and took four of them. They had a plan for Brendan Rogers because he wants to go direct, but Dublin had three or four lads around him. Derry were very ponderous in their attack too whereas Dublin were more direct. Con O’Callaghan had an unbelievable game and it’s great to see.
“Derry had a great campaign, but Croke Park was just a step too far for them. I still think they’ll bounce back against Fermanagh in the Ulster Championship.”
The Dubs now switch focus to the championship. They open their Leinster defence against Wexford or Laois at the quarter-final stage. Should they retain the Delaney Cup as expected, the Sky Blues will enter the All-Ireland Championship group stages as top seeds given their status as provincial winners.
