By John Harrington

Carlow football coach Steven Poacher is a big fan of Dublin’s ‘methodical’ approach to attacking football.

The Down native doesn’t think Jim Gavin’s team have the same flair they once did when Diarmuid Connolly and Bernard Brogan were in harness together in the forward-line.

But he admires the way they’ve compensated for this by developing a style of play that makes the most of the athleticism and work-ethic of the current crop of Dublin forwards.

“For me Dublin have lost a bit of really marquee forward now that Connolly isn't there and Bernard Brogan is only on his way back from injury,” said Poacher.

“Their forwards are very methodical and effective, but they're nearly athletes first and foremost. Don't get me wrong, they're still fabulous footballers, I'm not taking that away from them, but they're maybe lacking that little bit of instinct of a Connolly who can do something out of the norm.

“They're very much programmed to do what they do and that's why Dublin are so good at what they do. When they get bodies back and when they break, those guys break with so much athleticism and pace it's very difficult to match them.

“I think their bench is obviously a massive influence as well. The six starting forwards, first and foremost, will work like savages for the team. That's a key thing in their whole system.

“Jim Gavin has made their roles very clear. And if they don't work hard they'll be replaced by someone who will. That's the beauty of their squad.”

Dublin have been commonly regarded as the most attack-minded team in the country while winning the last three All-Ireland SFC titles in a row.

But Poacher believes they’re also the most defensively organised, and that it’s their unrivalled ability to transition from defence to attack that makes them so formidable.

“I've been saying it for a number of years now and some pundits are very dismissive because they have this perception of Dublin being this swashbuckling, all out attacking team," he said.

“When really and truly in 2014 Donegal gave them a lesson in counter-attacking football and Jim Gavin actually changed his whole philosophy and modernised to the game and obviously they became very, very defensively organised.

“I think one of the things about Dublin is their adaptability. They can adapt and press when they need to press.

“But, also, be under no illusions that if Dublin need to get back and get defensively set they're very organised. Last year Jonny Cooper operated as sweeper, the year before it was Cian O'Sullivan. This year it's Cian O'Sullivan again playing as a covering defender/sweeper and the rest of the guys put up a defensive cordon.

“But, at the same time, they're also responsible for picking up men in that defensive cordon. If you analyse it close, they won't be too far away from an opposition player.

“Rather than just come back in a cordon and play zonally, Dublin will put pressure on the ball carrier.

“Because the higher up the field you turn the ball over the easier it is to counter-attack. Whereas if you turn it over on your own 'D' then it's much harder to counter-attack at pace becuase the opposition have chance to get bodies behind the ball.

“Dublin are very good at squeezing that line a little bit higher. They're probably not as defensively deep as the rest of the teams. But there's no doubt they're very defensively organised.”

Poacher believes this greater familiarity with their defensive structure will give Dublin a clear advantage over Galway in Saturday’s All-Ireland SFC semi-final.

“I would just be a wee bit concerned about Galway,” he said. “I do feel they're in their infancy with this defensive system they've developed since Paddy Tally has come in. They’re year one with their system and I think it takes three years to really implement and establish a really solid system of play.

“Before Saturday I would have said that Galway had a serious chance of reaching the Final and giving Dublin a game, but I do feel that Galway will now be on a serious downer.

“Dublin will be fresher from not having to really play at all last weekend will give them a serious advantage, as does playing the game in Croke Park, that's a four or five point start for Dublin, and I just feel they'll have too much for Galway.

“I think they'll have six or seven points to spare.”

Poacher’s Carlow team have played both Tyrone and Monaghan over the course of the last two Championship campaigns.

And though he expects Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final will be a closely fought ‘tactical war’, he believes Tyrone will ultimately come out on top to set up an All-Ireland Final showdown with Dublin.

“I have a lot of respect for both teams and I like Malachy O'Rourke, I think he's one of the best managers in the game.

“I also think that Mickey has adapted to the game as well. But I do feel that Tyrone just have that little bit more strength in depth on the bench and I think that there will be a one that good away feeling in their camp about the Ulster Championship.

“They probably feel they should have won Ulster and the fact that Monaghan beat them in Omagh will be hurting them.

“I would see a Tyrone and Dublin Final.”