We will always play an attack-based team: Jim Gavin

Wed, 13th July 2016

In an era when defensive tactics more often than not dominates the conversation around games Sunday's Leinster SFC final will be a more open contest if the word emanating from the rivals camps comes to reality.

The Dubs face Westmeath this weekend in a repeat of last year's provincial final in Croke Park (4.0) hoping to secure their sixth Leinster SFC title in-a-row - last achieved by Dublin between 1974-79.

Last summer Jim Gavin's men upped their game in the second half and ran out very comfortable winners after Westmeath deployed a defensive game-plan but for this Sunday their manager, Tom Cribbin, promises a change of tack.

“We are all about expression and we always have been, that bit of creativity,” says Dubs boss Jim Gavin.

“You will have missed passes and missed shots but that’s what we like to do.

“You need to be defensive as well but in the main we like to be creative and expressive and let the players enjoy their football.

“As long as I have the baton anyway, we will always play as an attack-based team," adds Jim.

Westmeath look to be planning a more expansive game this Sunday than last July.

"Any team that's going to beat Dublin has to get goals. We reckon we've no chance of beating them unless we get three goals and we don't concede one. That's the way we'll be planning the game," says Westmeath manager Tom Cribbin.

"We've nothing to lose, so the only hope we have of causing an upset, the David and Goliath thing, is to get goals.

"It's really (about) believing in yourself and counter-attacking at pace. You have to get that ball in really quickly, and then follow through.

"They feel they've nothing to lose this year. Last year, I knew by talking to them it was more they didn't want to be humiliated in Croke Park. Whereas now they don't care anything about that. They want to have a go.

"They have loved their experiences in Croke Park, and they're not afraid this year to have a go at it.

"You can see they're starting to express themselves an awful lot more. You can see them, they're really starting to enjoy their football, they're letting go, playing the way you want them to play.

"They just feel they've nothing to lose going into this Leinster final," adds the Westmeath boss.