Dublin captain Stephen Cluxton has warned his teammates to keep their feet on the ground after they blitzed Kildare in their NFL Division One clash at Croke Park last Sunday.
Cluxton watched from the bench as the Dubs annihilated a well-fancied Kildare team in the second half of the weekend’s top match to win by a score of 2-20 to 2-7.
Many pundits have installed Jim Gavin’s team as favorites for the All-Ireland this summer on the back of their impressive start to the league campaign, but Cluxton is preaching caution.
The new Dublin captain told the Irish Sun, “You have to make sure that it’s not an arrogance, that it’s not breeding arrogance. That it’s just confidence and if they concentrate on the bedrock which is work rate.”
Gavin also insisted that his team have yet to hit their peak despite the manner in which they saw off Kildare.
Asked if his team have peaked too soon, Gavin said, “I haven’t met that team yet. Or managed that team yet. The guys are working very hard on the training ground, and to get that type of performance is satisfying.
“They’re driving the standards. There’s a great energy amongst them. But they’re well aware that it’s only the fourth game in the National League.”
Cluxton was left on the bench as former Ipswich Town goalkeeper Shane Supple made his NFL debut for the Dubs on Sunday.
Cluxton said, “I think he did very well, very composed,
he’s been doing it in training week in, week out so I’ve absolutely nothing, no qualms about it. He did very well.”
Gavin now has players fighting for places with real competition within his squad.
“The players do it themselves; they generate that atmosphere. There’s great energy amongst them at the moment. Long may it continue,” he said.
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