Fallout from Dublin's defeat: Gavin Cummiskey talks to Dublin selector Dave Billings, who, in the aftermath of the county's defeat by Westmeath, calls on the team and management to show courage.
The fallout from Dublin's defeat to Westmeath last Sunday looks set to continue as manager Tommy Lyons will see out his three-year term. County board chairman John Bailey confirmed yesterday that Lyons will not be removed from his position.
Also, for the moment at least, Lyons does not seem likely to resign so, unless the players revolt, little change is expected. A further defeat in the championship, however, would almost certainly bring his three-year spell as Dublin manager to an end.
Having taken on the role of mediator since last summer, team selector Dave Billings has called on the players and management to show their mettle over the coming weeks.
"It's a group thing now. The management and the team will now have to row in together. We will all just have to get back up on the horse. It's about whether men can prove they are men."
Calls for a new management team to be put in place before the end of the summer - to give them a bedding-in period free of the normal pressures that come with the job - look to have fallen on deaf ears within the county board.
Billings took a less emotional response to the whole affair that has sent football in the capital into a crisis so early in the summer.
"It was a two-point game, the world didn't stop spinning. Fair dues to Westmeath they deserved the victory, but we were there at the death. In a two-point game everything is pivotal. We had a goal chance that we didn't take."
In the game itself several well-documented problems were again evident. Once Westmeath closed the supply lines to Jason Sherlock and Alan Brogan Dublin struggled, scoring only three points (two from play) in the second half.
"This opened up opportunities for other players to come up with the scores but they didn't exploit them. Things just didn't fall into place for them," said Billings.
Also, despite it being Conal Keaney's championship debut a lot of responsibility was placed on the dual player's shoulders, while Bryan Cullen and Senan Connell were played out of position.
Even the old chestnut regarding the lack of a genuine free-taker remains unresolved. Connell, who takes frees only from the left side for his club Na Fianna, became the seventh free-taker of the Lyons era. To his credit he did kick two from three attempts, the only wide being from the unfamiliar right side.
"We're not deliberately not picking a free-taker," said Billings. "Only one free was missed, albeit a crucial one, but Dessie Dolan also missed a vital free for Westmeath. Of course, we would like a regular free-taker."
However, Tómas Quinn was the regular free-taker during the National League but on Sunday he remained on the bench.
The failure of Dublin to progress brings into question the decision not to bring former captain Dessie Farrell back into the panel and the delay in recalling Jonny Magee.
After defeat to Laois last year, Lyons went back to players like Connell, Farrell and Sherlock for the Derry qualifier.
Farrell will not be recalled this year despite the mantra emanating from the management that the door is never closed to any player in the county. They will also probably lose the services of Keaney for next week's visit of London to Parnell Park as he is expected to join the hurlers ahead of this Sunday's match, also against Westmeath.
"We have been consistent in our team selection. You could more than likely predict what team was going to be named last week. There has been no change, yet," said Billings
While Dublin deal with the shock of defeat, Westmeath can claim to be finally living up to the promise that produced All-Ireland titles at minor and under-21 level.
Ironically, Tómas Ó Flatharta was asked to be involved with the Dublin minors this year, a role he turned down to follow his old friend, Páidí Ó Sé, to Westmeath.
"I'm delighted for the players. It's them who have done all the hard work. We were down three points at half-time but I felt for the last 10 minutes of the first half we lifted a gear.
"I felt good coming in at half-time actually with the way that they were playing and the work rate they were showing. I think the second-half performance was fantastic," said Ó Flatharta.
Westmeath's decision-making from the line, coupled with those not made by Dublin, tilted the contest in their favour. The introduction of David Kilmartin for James Davitt forced a reshuffle in the full-back line, with Damien Healy slipping back to help plug the damage being done by Alan Brogan and Sherlock. Also, Joe Fallon and David Mitchell both kicked vital points on their arrival in the second half.
"The switches went for us on the day," continued Ó Flatharta. "Some days they go for you, other days they don't. All the subs that came in did very well. But the game was won on the field."
The giant leap made under Ó Se's management team cannot be disregarded. Paddy Collins and Jack Cooney allowed them to keep some continuity with the past but the arrival of Ó Se and Ó Flatharta has brought consistency in the Leinster championship.
Judging from this year's league form it never looked likely.
"In the O'Byrne Cup we played very well in some of the games. We only lost narrowly to Meath in the final. In the league we started off quite well, maybe we should have beaten Cork in the first game, but then after that we went through a lot of pain when we met Kerry, Dublin and Tyrone.
"Maybe it was those games that did bring us on because when you are being beaten like that you know you have deficiencies. The most important thing is to identify the weaknesses that you have."
Westmeath are learning from their mistakes. Today Dublin must start preparations for the visit of London, a championship match up the road from Croke Park.
