IT MIGHT be stating the obvious after what happened in Croke Park last Sunday, but Dublin aren’t good enough to win the All-Ireland this year.
Full back Rory O’Carroll actually admitted that yesterday when reflecting on the narrow and fairly harrowing win over Wexford – and also outlining Dublin’s aspirations for the rest of the summer.
“We’re being honest with ourselves and realised since the start of the season that winning an All-Ireland is not a realistic possibility this year,” said O’Carroll.
“Especially after the last couple of years. We set out this season to concentrate on our performances, nothing else, and anything after Leinster is a bonus.”
Dublin regroup this evening for the first time since Sunday’s near-fatal display in Croke Park, where they fought back from a seven point deficit early in the second half to force extra-time, where they eventually won out by a flattering seven points.
O’Carroll was one of the few Dublin footballers to emerge with his reputation intact, having performed relatively well and keeping his head up while those around him appeared to drop. But considerable improvement is required by all if they’re to come through their semi-final date against either Meath or Laois on Sunday week.
“It was a case of relief, really, after Sunday. Thank God we got through. We haven’t watched the game yet, and I don’t know if I want to. But yes, it was a terrible performance by us.
“There’s no one reason for that. Wexford played well and didn’t let us play well. They deserve a lot of credit for taking their scores, working the ball well up the field. They tore us to pieces in the first half, and the first 10 minutes of the second.
“For us I think there were a lot of nerves. It was the first big game for a lot of players, who had been training all year for it. We’d a few challenge matches before and they didn’t go too well.
“We were hammered by Cork. Lost to Cavan. We didn’t play too well against Antrim. And then we got beaten by Mayo as well.
“So we were never really expecting to have a huge performance. But I think we can improve, certainly from the first half. I hope so. Certainly any team, after this, I don’t think would allow us come back from such a huge deficit.”
O’Carroll said he was unaware that some Dublin supporters booed the team off the field at half-time – and that the message from manager Pat Gilroy hasn’t changed much after Sunday.
“We didn’t realise that (people were booing). You just hear a constant noise. We just knew what we had to do in the second half. Work a lot harder. Getting the goal was crucial. Pat just told us what we needed to improve. But there was no need for words.
“All 35 of us are concentrating on the performance, every single game, and see where that takes us. We’re just trying to take the positives. And be aware of the negatives. And try to improve for the next day.”
There is no confirmation yet whether Dublin will spend the night before their semi-final in a hotel, like they did before Sunday’s quarter-final – although that, according to O’Carroll, is the least of their worries: “No, I don’t mind staying in a hotel. It’s usually nicer than my own bed.
“It wasn’t a problem at all, although some other people seem to think it was.”
