McConville: Aura gone, but Dubs can still win All-Ireland

The chasing pack in football have caught up with Dublin, but Oisin McConville says despite relegation to Division 2, Dessie Farrell's side could still go on to win the All-Ireland this year.

Monaghan had led the men from the capital at a sun-drenched Clones yesterday for most of the game, but Dublin drew level with an injury-time penalty by Dean Rock as they seemed to time their run to perfection.

But a Jack McCarron 45 deep into injury time preserved Monaghan’s Division 1 status and condemned the Dubs to the drop.

After last year’s All-Ireland semi-final loss to Mayo and losing their first four outings in the league, many have suggested Dublin’s domination is over, but former Armagh forward isn’t ruling Farrell’s team out of top honours later in the year.

"It’ll (relegation) make them realise that the standards they set, they have to be pushed," he told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.

The aura that surrounded them is gone, but I think that is good for a lot of other teams

"The thing about Dublin this year is that they have looked slightly off it, but they have improved from their early season league form, which was pretty pathetic.

"They will buy themselves a little bit of time in the Leinster Championship and are still good enough to win an All-Ireland, but a lot of teams have caught up.

"The aura that surrounded them is gone, but I think that is good for a lot of other teams."

More than anything else, it brings the chasing pack of holders Tyrone, Kerry and Mayo onto an even footing with the men in blue.

"I think it brings it to a level where we are going to have an unbelievable All-Ireland football race because there are so many teams in and around that area, but I wouldn’t completely write Dublin off just yet."