DUBLIN HURLING:DUBLIN HURLING manager Anthony Daly is conscious that for all the high life enjoyed by his team in recent weeks, including beating the last two All-Ireland champions, there is a specific urgency about the next two weeks when they take on Offaly and Wexford, the teams identified pre-season as the main rivals for staying up in Division One.

Losing these matches – as they did to Offaly last year – would negate the good work done in racking up three points to date. But Daly feels better at this stage of the season than he did 12 months ago.

“I’m happier that the panel is stronger and happier in that we won the Walsh Cup and didn’t get a hiding from Kilkenny like we did before. I suppose everyone had a look at themselves after the Antrim match (last summer’s shock championship exit) and knew we’d have to up it.

“Now we’ve a couple of results and the media love Dublin. I’ve had any number of extra calls from journalists.”

The panel has been supplemented by the return of Conal Keaney from the county footballers and the migration of former Tipperary player Ryan O’Dwyer, as well as some younger talent graduating from under-age.

Daly reacts sharply to a question about whether these additions will result in a change of tactical emphasis from the caution displayed at times last year.

“I get a pain with all the talk about tactics and two-man full forward lines. You put out the best team you can and try to get the best out of it on a given day and eke out the best result.

“Last Sunday we’d injuries. Daire Plunkett was put in corner forward with the two big men even though he’s not a corner forward, so we gave him licence to roam out for 10 to 12 minutes in each half.

“You have someone analysing a video and saying there should be more movement in the forwards. Fellas getting out first to the ball – that’s the first movement I’d like to see. I don’t want to complicate hurling. Win your ball and let the thing travel.

“Look at Tipp last September. What were the tactics there? Get first to the ball and let it go and Lar Corbett scored goals. Hurling is hurling. Don’t make American football out of it.

“There was criticism of our wides against Tipperary. We did nothing different in training for that match than we did for Waterford the week before when we’d only four wides. How are you going to score if you don’t shoot? What are you analysing?

“Okay, if you see a fella shooting off his weak side on the touchline 60 yards out you have a word with him, but a lot of shots are just narrowly wide.”

Meanwhile, Galway’s disastrous start to the season worsened yesterday when top-scorer Seán Armstrong suffered a serious hamstring injury which could rule him out of the rest of the league.

Galway have lost all three league games to date under Tomás Ó Flatharta and travel to play All-Ireland champions Cork on Sunday week.

Armstrong was injured in UL’s Sigerson Cup quarter-final loss to NUI Maynooth and may not be back until the championship.