It came and went 'the promised land'

In last Friday's Evening Herald, Liam Hayes, who the author Kevin Doyle referred to as 'once a giant of Meath football', is quoted as saying that Dublin are heading for a 'bad ending' and that their manager Pat Gilroy 'had gone soft' and 'finished his job a year early'. 

Hayes has never been backward about coming forward and is known in media circles for being controversial for the sake of being controversial. However, on the first Sunday in September his premonition came to pass, and how. The 'bad ending' materialised, Dublin's limitations were alarmingly exposed and Gilroy's men had a 'job' done on them - by Mayo, again.

Just three days after the loss to the Connacht champions Gilroy handed in his notice citing a desire to spend more time with his family and on his career as the main factors behind his decision. Did Hayes know this was coming down the track? If he did it wasn't in Wednesday's edition of the Evening Herald.

The ecstacy...

Winning one All-Ireland, be it in football or hurling, takes huge sacrifices, but yet those sacrifices are willingly made year in year out. When the cup they call Sam returned to the capital less than 12 months ago it seemed that the natural order had been restored. Dublin's appetite had been quenched, the 16-year wait was over but under no circumstances were Gilroy's charges going to rest on their laurels.

Dublin provided a reminder of their ability with an emphatic opening win against a very limited Louth side on June's first Sunday with Bernard Brogan scoring two first-half goals. The same player, who on Wednesday night took to Twitter to thank the departing Gilroy for 'bringing us to the promised land', was a shadow of his former self last Sunday as Dublin exited the championship in a far from satisfactory fashion.

Fourteen-man Dublin subsequently survived a Croke Park scare against luckless Wexford, who lost the services of Jason Ryan earlier in the week, to book their place in the provincial final, a final they won against Meath despite a late Royal rally.

Laois were next up for Dublin and if confirmation were needed that all was not well in the Metropolitan camp then this was it as the O'Moore men, after a ferocious battle, left nothing on the field but ultimately came away with nothing as Dublin advanced to the last four.

Cue the return of the aforementioned Hayes who went on to say that the 'bad ending' was 'most likely' to 'happen when they meet Donegal in the All-Ireland final, though it's also likely to occur on Sunday'. Right again.

...and the agony!

Dublin, under Gilroy's stewardship looked like a team that didn't have the hunger required, and who could blame them. Their hunger had been sated a year earlier despite what captain Cullen said. Mayo, football's 'lovable screw ups' if another analyst extraordinaire Joe Brolly is to be believed, got the better of football's top dogs, almost in spite of themselves.

As the towering Gilroy stood motionless on the sideline I was reminded of my first encounter with him. With a few minutes to spare before the St Vincent's man was due to be presented to the gathered hacks in Parnell Park I decided to drain the spuds. Before my business was done a presence loomed large beside me. It was the man we were all there to see. We exchanged pleasantries, if you could call them that. His unveiling followed shortly after and my impression was of a man that wouldn't suffer fools gladly.

A man like his predecessor Paul Caffrey but a man that would deliver what was really required. 

Gilroy went on to lead Dublin to three provincial titles and on the third Sunday in September last year he stood tallest of all as Kerry, of all teams, were beaten and the 'startled earwigs' came of age, at last.

That was Gilroy's doing and if for no other reason he can hold his head high.