Dublin name their team

Willie Joe

Photo: Elverys

Dublin have finally named their team for tomorrow’s final. Like us, they’ve the same team that started last time out.

Will it be the team that starts? Same as ourselves, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow afternoon to find out. Here’s the team they’ve named.

Dublin (All-Ireland SFC final v Mayo, 17/9/2017): Stephen Cluxton (Parnells); Philly McMahon (Ballymun Kickhams), Cian O’Sullivan (Kilmacud Crokes), Michael Fitzsimons (Cuala); Jonny Cooper (Na Fianna), John Small (Ballymun Kickhams), Jack McCaffrey (Clontarf); Brian Fenton (Raheny), James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams); Ciaran Kilkenny (Castleknock), Con O’Callaghan (Cuala), Niall Scully (Templeogue Synge Street); Paul Mannion (Kilmacud Crokes), Paddy Andrews (St Brigid’s), Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams).     

71 thoughts on “Dublin name their team”

  1. That’s a great team Dublin have named, probably the best team in Dublin, but it’s very close their second and third teams would be very close…. Best three teams in Ireland outside of Mayo…. Good job they can only play one team tommorow …. No question who has the best fan’s, and most of them.. And It’s not even close, it’s Mayo!

  3. Hope Mayo play drift defence (a la rugby) to close down space , Dubs use width them runners come through Centre,
    If defence tighten/expand as needs be will prevent this. Mayo have speed in defence for this,
    Dubs score points from wing by players releasing/ looping round 123 times ….
    Stay with player looping as well as player in possession
    Knowing forwards favourite kicking leg ,can shield and block down as against Kerry’s J O Donoghue last day ! Great stuff
    Think Aidan O S. could win long kick outs cleanly for mark and put attack on!!! Play to your strengths and believe.
    Beir bua

  6. Some subs bench for Dublin – Connolly, Brogan, MDMA, Kevin Mcmenamin all available to be introduced later in the game. Will take everything to stop them.

  7. Tomorrow i would start with:

    Clarke

    Barrett
    Harrisson
    Vaughan (on Dean Rock)

    Higgins (Sweeper)

    Keegan (on OCallaghan)
    Boyle
    Coen

    SOS
    Parsons
    Durcan

    Doherty

    COC
    BMoran
    AOS

    Go out to rattle the Dubs physically up front and have Doherty and COC playing off the 2 big lads. Try this for 20-30 minutes early on. Then switch to our orthodox game with Andy to come in and DOC and Loftus also available to come in.
    The above would be a risk but it would give the Dubs a big headache having 2 lads 6’4 and 6’5 to deal with.
    May force them to use one of their subs early also.

    Delivery and positioning would be key though. Quality ball would need to be going in and positioning to the side of the goal so as not to block up the square when the ball comes in

  8. centerfield. That’s the worry dublin will have, they can only have 15 on the field and if Mayo were to plunder a few early goals early then all the subs in the world won’t dig it out. Remember, Mayo have highly conditioned subs too, they don’t need to be Lee Keegan or ciaran macdonald in the skills stakes, they just need to be willing to bust a gut and put the super dubs off a degree or 2.

  10. I was at a legends tour of Croke Park with the former Mayo great James Nallen being the guide, great insight into preparation for the finals and a gentleman also.
    I sat in Mayo’s assigned dressing for tomorrow’s final, the pitch will be like an ice rink very heavy rain here in Dublin for the past 3 hours, will surely favour Mayo.

  12. I’d have Boyle on O’Callaghan all day. Boyler sets the tone. Give the kid a welcome to real championship football.

  13. I agree WJ. Barry won’t start. I’ve a feeling loftus might though. One more sleep. Mayo4Sam.

  16. Id say the team thats named will start. Loftus lot better coming on when the game has opened up.

  17. I know this is a long shot but does anyone know of any tickets going for the hill or anywhere. Been to as many games as I can this year and still no hope of a ticket, really feel this is our year. Pleeease help!!!

  18. I’ll bet my bottom dollar that Paul Flynn will start for Dublin to increase their power in the middle third.
    Durcan must start for us due to his pace….DOC should make way!

  19. I watched the last 20 of the replay again this evening and I had forgotten how much pressure we had put on them. Only for some bad turnovers and no one picking up Costello we would have won the match.

    I am convinced that if the team perform and the sideline don;t make a big blunder we will beat them. Given we have a good bit more depth than last year

  21. We must apply the pressure to Cluxton to get the job done. A mini meltdown as he has had before really would rock the dubs to the core. No sub for that position! Maigheo Abu..

  22. With all due respect Willie Joe, that’s heavy moderating. Anyone looking at my deleted comment would think I posted something abusive. It was just a rumour about the possibility of a player starting a football game. Where’s the harm in that? Isn’t that what we talk about before games! I thought it would have been appropriate for The Mayo GAA blog. I suppose Hennelly starting last year’s replay was a bullshit rumour too.

  23. I agree spotlight. I would put Paddy in the top 6/7 players in this team and is a proven performer against the Dubs.

    Diarmaid isnt playing anywhere near his best but will be needed either starting or to come in even if its only for pure athleticism. He has nailed a couple of goals this year aswell

  24. Dubs took their time naming their team. I suppose when you have the best 100 players in Ireland it takes a while to narrow it down to 15. Anyway if we do happen to turn up I expect us to play the team we named. Hope but have my doubts that dubs will do the same. I would just like to wish our lads the very best of good luck tomorrow. They truly are a fantastic bunch who have given me and so many others some absolutely wonderful days out. PS A word of warning to those Mayo people attending their first 2017 match tomorrow. Remember that there are lots of supporters who attended all games this year, but dont have a ticket for the biggest game of all. So you guys who have been lucky enough to get a ticket, get up of your backsides and roar on your county and if I see one of you whinge about the team or abuse any of our players, win lose or draw, then I wont be responsible for what I might do to you. I have a ticket, but to all those who were in Salthill, Castlebar, Ennis, Limerick and Croker X4, and cant be there tomorrow, my heart goes out to you. Hopefully you will be in Castlebar on monday for the victorious homecoming. Up Mayo.

  25. To win just once……anyone who goes to the match is entitled to watch it in whatever way they see fit, without being told by the likes of you what they should or shouldn`t do.

  26. I can’t see there been much change this time round as in a complete left field departure like Hennelley last year and that had a reasoning based on kickouts. We haven’t seen Barry this year..he hasn’t played at all and by all accounts has been getting himself back to fitness to do a bit cameo role like Dillon. I don’t epect Loftus to start and his early inclusions would be a forced one. The big questions are whether Cafferkey has improved enough to start and whether Durcan will start and who will be left out as impact subs. Again just a guess as is anyone’s at this point.. Stephen and the lads know but I doubt many outside that. We will have to wait until tomorrow

  27. Ken – if you knew the first thing about how this site operates (which your comment clearly shows you don’t) you’d know that posting rumours here is completely out of bounds. That’s the rule, one that’s operated here for years and one you’ll abide by if you want to continue posting comments here.

  28. I’m with you, To Win Just Once – everyone from the county who’s lucky to be in Croke Park tomorrow has a job to do and that’s to get 100% behind the team. You’re not a spectator, just there to watch the game – you’re an active participant and need to make your voice heard. Like, all the time.

  29. Good luck tomorrow folks, on an advisory note I would strongly recommend that anyone parking a car outside of a controlled zone should take down flags and other such paraphernalia from view. In the days when we were beating the Dubs I am aware of countless occasions when people returned to their vehicles only to find that they had been damaged or vandalised in some way or other.

    Obviously the vast majority of Dublin supporters are the finest of people but you also have the flatrat brigade who will visit their particular vengeance should their team lose tomorrow and I actually think they will. Nine championship games versus the stroll in the park the dubs had should tilt it in your favour.

    I simply can’t wait for the game and like every soul that lives outside Dublin I would just love to see Mayo lifting Sam tomorrow. Im in my mid fifties and Kerry have won 16 finals thus far in my life time and I have been in Croker for 12 of those victories but we have lost 11 finals also in my lifetime and I witnessed 6 of those lost finals, the world I’d perfect when you win and someone is to blame when you don’t, we are all guilty as charged on that front I’m afraid.

    Point I’m clattering and staggering around on is that Mayo have suffered their fill of losses. September – 17 – 2017 will be your day, I kinda feel it in my bones and I pray to God I’m right. Safe travelling to all and I hope the only reinforcements sent from Ballinrobe are of the kegs of Guinness and Budweiser variety over the next week, don’t be a “Quiet Man” in the stands tomorrow and let it rip like never before. I know you are all very proud of your team and you know what you are bloody right to be as they are some warriors.
    17-MO- SAM

  30. You’re right on that Willie Joe, I didn’t know that rule. Apologises and fair play once again for what you’ve put into the site throughout the year.

  32. Best of luçk to whoever has got tickets for tomorrow however they got them we have supporters all over the world so if they get a chance to be there good luck to them I was one of them myself and used to beg for tickets and did not feel guilty ,I don’t attend the final any more for personal reasons but have the night of respect for the team and management so all the best to them for tomorrow, I watched Mayo in an Irish club in Manchester once and was next to a wonderful lady from Erris who left Ireland when she was twelve years old,but in her seventies was still shouting for Màyo I wish she could be there tomorrow, the best of luck to all supporters where ever they are based and we will win by at least six

  34. And if not there’s always next year. Vinny Murphy doesn’t like that attitude but fuck him. He got one soft all ireland and he suddenly knows all about winning?? He certainly knows all about eating

  35. Lashing here in Wicklow think it will favour us tommorrow if we had bit of drizzle mayo by three points

  36. Yes …. Tomorrow We as supporters have a huge job to do ..warrior’s on the pitch and let’s show our love and respect for these lads ..its going to be though and that’s when we are needed… Safe journey to all ..so proud to be a Mayo man !!

  37. Gamechanger Thanks for your best wishes for tomorrow. I sincerely hope they win this one. In fact I believe we will. They are playing great stuff all year, scoring great goals, a united camp. They have added significantly to their huge army of loyal supporters, they have been written off by expert and none alike and they still have to be reckoned with. Feeling immensely proud of this group of warriors. If you pitch your support tomorrow to be clearly heard down in the Marley Park area of the city that should do nicely.

  39. Hey Guys – if anyone is stuck for parking the St. Columbas School on Iona Road is opening up their grounds. They are charging €10 per car for the day. It’s about 10 mins from Croker. Supervised parking – at least 60 spaces. First come – first served.

  40. I coudnt give a flying fiddlers about what team dublin name or their bench either.
    This mayo team remind me of the kung fu films where the young protege is sent off to the master to learn all he needs to know about how to beat his opponent. I think mayo have shown this year that they have taken all the hard knocks and painful lessons and leart from them and they will unleash all that hurt tomorrow. Im getting more confident by the day that we will have an unforgettable day. As i said yesterday, the fans will also have a huge roll tomorrow-dont understimate your importance . Please please roar the team on.
    BELIEVE Hon Mayo

  41. Hi Willie Joe and Hi Mayo….
    I genuinely wish you all the best tomorrow and I just hope its a good game and it all goes well.

    Kind Regards
    Martin the Dub

  42. These lads really deserve it. I really hope they do it, just for themselves. Win, lose or draw, I’m
    very proud of them and feel privileged to support them, tomorrow is just another chapter in the story of Mayo football. Can’t wait for February?

  44. James Fleming, there will always be people selling and trading tickets before the match, outside Quinns / McGraths pubs.

  45. For me, Keegan to man mark Kilkenny and try to force turnovers off him. He’s the player that allows the Dublin attack to create the 2 v 1 pass and go moves that they slice defenses open with. He positions himself behind the ball with play all ahead of him. That allows their half backs to sprint in to positions where he pops the ball to them. We have to put serious heat on Kilkenny to disrupt that.
    In their defense I’d target O’Sullivan as I firmly believe he is their weak link. Sure he looks great prancing around unmarked and playing 20m 30m foot passes without any pressure but he is not a clean tackler and lacks pace. For me, I’d target him and run straight down the middle channel. Kerry did this in the leagie final win and Kildare missed a few chances from that area.
    Time for bed. Time to rest. Tomorrow we must ALL bring our A game to Croker.

    HON MAYO.

  46. Thanks Martin the Dub obviously we are hoping to win it but I wish you well and Jaden too who often contribute on here. Enjoy the day and may if be a clean classic sporting contest

  47. I like to visit sites from other counties just to get the outsider perspective. A lot of good stuff out there (not as good as here obviously ?), but IMO Hoganstand is inhabited by a lot of numb-skull, trash-talking, chest-puffing, clueless idiots (including some who consider themselves to be Mayo “supporters”). Obvious from their juvenile trolling comments, and amazing ability to state the obvious, that they’re… well let’s just leave it at that. Point I’m trying to make is that (again IMO), we should try and avoid publishing links to any such tabloid sites as they’re just a waste of time (as exemplified by VM piece above – what on earth was the point of that rubbish ?).

    Best of luck to our lads tomorrow. It’s good fun (and therapy) to speculate on all the possibilities etc. and vent some of the mad passion on this site. Keep up the great work WJ and hopefully the curse this time tomorrow will have morphed into “it’s been 66 years since we did 2 in a row and we need to right that in 2018”.

    Mhaigheo abu.

  48. Observer2 I wonder was it you that was behind me at Roscommon replay that absolutely belted me on the back for standing up for first goal !
    As you said everyone is entitled to watch it in the stadium whatever way they want .
    I choose to get into it and support the team.
    Others choose to sit passively as if they are watching it on TV at home .
    If those type of people are behind me tomorrow tough luck
    Ill support the team my way as I always do

  49. Last post before the game, time to get off the internet, and into the mindset of the match.

    I would say “Good Luck”, but I’m not a yerra, and I wouldn’t mean it. I will say, may the best team win, and may it be a game for the ages.

    Either way, I’ll be back on here in a day or so, to either congratulate or commiserate.

    In all the pomp and excitement of the day, let us not forget that GAA is what unites us, it was never meant to divide. Tomorrow is a great day to be Irish, let us revel in that.

    That aside, I hope we hammer yeas 🙂 – Fenton for 1st goal, Dubs by 7.

    Safe travels to all.

    Jaden

  50. Anyone else suffering from David Brady fatigue?? Jesus Christ the man is at every bloody event going. Save oul guff every time. We really need some fresh pundits to put himself and a few other Mayo ex players off the media circuit and out to grass.

  51. I won’t wish dublin luck. They have enough other advantages. I do hope all fans have a nice day out and that the referee/ linesmen/ umpires do a proper job and aren’t afraid to act if they see stuff.
    My final thoughts and post before the game is I hope Connolly and o gara are on the pitch for the final whistle and Mayo deliver on their ability and blow the jackeens away. It might suit dublin to lose tomorrow, it’ll allow them another year or two before the split happens.

  52. Km79……No, it wouldn`t have been me who belted you in the back.
    I don`t indulge in that at all at games.

  53. Observer 2 Of course you are entitled to do what you want tomorrow without being told by the likes of me{your words} how to behave. But I hope you wont be an Observer tomorrow. I hope you will be a supporter {if you are from Mayo} and roar on the team. Passionate support required in Croker. Lots of passionate people dont have tickets Up Mayo

  54. I love my county and always have ever since going to croker for the first time in 89 v cork but I’m nervous about tomorrow, very nervous in a bad way. I’ve always been so positive about Mayo but in the words of the infamous ‘pintman’, “I’m not very fond of the dubs but when they go at it, they do go at it awful very hard”.
    Saying that it’s the last chance for some of these guys and if I were in their shoes I’d be willing to but my every fibre on the line to take this. 70+ mins of unadulterated passion of the physical mental emotional and spiritual kind.
    I’m sure rochford has had a word in Cian O’Neills ear about their weaknesses and they have them because they’re human. Kildare had Dublin’s backs at sixes and sevens on a number of occasions but they just shat the togs at key times. Risks will have to be taken by Mayo and early on I feel to tilt it. Lady luck will come in to play(high balls in to test saint Philly and saint Johnny) and I genuinely feel we the fans in our seats with Blood pressures way above normal have an enormous part to play.
    Connolly when he comes on(that’s if he doesn’t start) is a high percentage red card waiting to happen and the intensity is going to be unreal for the Dublin team. An intensity they haven’t really felt all summer
    So feck it after all that,
    Mayo 2-16
    Dublin 1-18
    I’m off to the fridge for a can!!!! Oh the nerves………..

  55. Safe travelling to all on the roads to and from Dublin.

    Njoy the coverage to all who’ll be cheering on from houses and homes and towns and villages and foreign lands.

    Be loud and proud.

    May victory be ours.

    Roll on the green and red army.

  56. Dont be too hard on Brady. He has never given the opposition dressing room wall material, unlike one of his townsmen.

    On another note, I read in the Examiner about Saint Philly breaking Enda Varleys nose off the ball in 2012. If any of that $hite starts tomorrow every Mayo supporter in the stadium should jump to their feet screaming holy blue murder (no pun intended) and try and draw the referees attention to it.

    It will be a game of millimeters no inches and an extra yellow card for the Dubs early on for off the ball stuff could be winning or losing of the game

  57. Fair play to Anthony on Up for the Match – he put the ‘Belly’ Murphy in his box and let him know exactly what Mayo supporters were all about! There’s is a steeliness about the West this year – no patronising! Hang in there for 60 – don’t think the Dubs will have the ‘Belly’ for the final straight!!

  61. I doubt there’s any Mayo still asleep in the County, the diaspora, the multiverse…waking with tears streaming down faces, waking with butterflies fluttering their guts, waking with the cold passionate steel of belief…first we took the Kingdom, now we take the Dubs! Mayo Abu

  62. Game day at last, have a good feeling about this, think mayo will start with a serious intensity and rattle the dubs from the start, i think we need to be 3 or 4 points up going in to the final stretch to hold off the impact of dublins stronger bench, i have mayo to win ht/ft to help pay for the celebrations, up mayo!!!

  64. Hope your collecting on your bet sonofapitch.

    I know alot of people said, “a great year no matter what happens today”.

    Today now has to be taken on its own merits.
    Today is all about winning not about just taking part.
    I suppose the first step to winning is to play well and put in a good performance.
    But we don’t want to walk away today with credit for playing well and making a great game out of it and putting it up to the Dubs.
    Today is about beating the Dubs and winning our all ireland final.
    Today is about bringing Sam Maguire back to Mayo.
    Today is about our unbelievable squad of players getting their deserved Celtic Crosses.
    Today is about our fanatical green and red army finally, finally getting to see their soldiers winning that all ireland.

    By f**k, today is more, much more than another game of football.
    A counties dreams and hopes.
    A lifetime waiting.
    Generations have come and gone and wondered, and wondered what it would have been like, and never got to know.

    Today is more than everything.
    Our team will give every breath, every last bit of their energy, every football move they have ever learned and every incentive they have stored in their minds to Sam Maguire today.

    Today is about today.

    May our team our managment our fans and them that are looking down make today Mayo’s day.

    May we win our Sam Maguire today.

  65. Feeling different about this one also , what a summer we have had , and what a team. Think they will go out to win it from the off and will rattle the dubs , looking forward to a great day and Mayo to walk the steps of the Hogan stand at 5 pm .

  66. To any MAYO player that may be reading these comments, know that there are people all over the globe praying hard for you and your teammates.
    Best of Luck and please, please, please
    KEEP YOUR COOL AND KEEP 15 MAYO MEN ON THE PITCH FOR THE WHOLE GAME
    You”ve all trained to right the wrongs and are going be a champions come 5 o clock today.
    MAYO FOR SAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  67. If we play like we played against Kerry in the reply with the same confidence and belief, there will be only one result. I would have loved if the all Ireland was a week after the Kerry match.

    I have to asked though, if it’s a draw, would it be one or two weeks?!

  68. Safe travels everyone. Hon MAYO. Had some dream last night the missus streaked at the game to raise money for the local club. She’s not coming now I’m bringing the young fella. Little bollix 16 and it’s the 3rd final he’s been too.

  69. If if if it’s a replay , it’s Saturday the 30th ,
    Won’t happen, mayo by 2 today ,
    Noise and colour today lads and lassies ,
    So excited

  70. James Fleming stand on NCR opposite The Big Tree with a sign. You will get one from a Derry, Kerry or Mayo supporter as they walk in on the NCR

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