Five lessons Dublin will have learnt from the 2015 hurling campaign

A lot done, more to do.

The days after a championship exit can be some of the toughest for GAA players. The analysis is often accompanied by some pints in a quiet pub hidden from public view as players assess the season and where it all went wrong. The report card is brought out and the team is marked for it's durability, progress, attention to detail and being a willing participant in class. But for Dublin this soul searching shouldn't become a trawl through the worst moments of 2015 and become a punishment for not doing their homework. In Ger Cunningham's first season the capitals hurlers showed enough progress to suggest that if the lessons of this season are applied correctly then there is no reason not see a few gold stars beside their name in 2016.

Dublin has fine under-age hurlers, use them 

As a new manager, Ger Cunningham wanted to make an impression, but to also stamp his authority on the team he inherited from Anthony Daly. Most managers would try the softy softly approach and gradually change the set-up, but the former goalkeeper realised he needed to be a little more decisive than that. As part of his approach he looked to the county''s successful  minor and U21 teams from the last 18 months and introduced a number of them to their first taste of senior action. Coming into championship Cian O'Callaghan looked comfortable at the back while Chris Crummey and Shane Barrett also came good. Players coming into a set-up together also develop a bond and the fresh blood into a dressing room can also bring new leaders and different voices to discussions. Having found some defenders the quest for 2015 will have to be to bolster the other end of the pitch and find some attacking talent to add some verve to his forward options.

Division One hurling for 2016

Davy Fitzgerald is fully confident that his side, despite two back-to-back championship exits before July, can still make an impression next year in the race for Liam McCarthy But if they are to do so it will have to be from the second tier of the league. Dublin's survival in the top flight, and the intense nature of competition they experienced against Cork, Galway and Clare may not have manifested itself in the championship, but recording wins over Kilkenny and Tipperary gave them huge confidence which they failed to build on. Increasingly the importance of the league for good summertime preparation is being recognised by hurling counties. Waterford used it to fine tune their defensive system, and whatever particular style Cunningham comes up next season should get an airing against the top five counties in the country. The collapse against Cork was a worry but in the games up to that point the Dubs had shown enough menace, and promise, to suggest that spring success and summertime joy could be mixed together.

Work on the best 15 

It may have taken until their final two games of the season, but Dublin looked to have finally found their best 15, or at least 20 men for big match days. Cunningham can be criticised for not leaving Liam Rushe at centre-back for the year, but he at least had the wisdom to change it for the meetings with Limerick and Waterford. However an issue that has had the Corkman scratching his head recently is the versatility of his players, and perhaps why Rushe was seen as the answer to Dublin's scoring problems. Kilkenny or Tipperary rarely shift players around to unfamiliar positions to 'test out' their hurling ability or to put the frighteners on some players who they may feel are coasting. Cunningham's man-management was tested this season and ultimately Rushe got his desire to play at the back. Equally Ryan O'Dwyer can play in midfield or in the half-forward line, but letting him nail down a jersey for certain, could and should be one of the key tasks over the winter.

Work on the mental side of the team

Dublin's league form began with a bang and ended in a whimper while their summer hurling mixed the good with the downright puzzling. How side could go from almost winning against Galway to looking like they met at the Red Cow on the way to Tullamore the following outgoing really does stun the senses. Anthony Daly tried and failed to get inside the players heads but it  still seems that it is not a lack of talent that is holding Dublin back. They showed no respect for Kilkenny in Nowlan Park in the Spring but then forgot to wise up to their opponents Galway in the Leinster championship. Cunningham needs to try and bring a sense of confidence to Dublin but also play on their underdog status when it suits them. Mentally preparing for games and analysing the controllables under their influence will be more important than  any sweeper system or two-man full- forward line

Set an achievable goal 

What are Dublin trying to do under Cunningham? And what do the players expect from him? Is their ambition next year to win the league and see where it takes them or will they be focused on their Leinster opener in June? Nobody outside of the squad need to know, but the players do, and where other sides have the problem of peaking too early, Dublin need to set a date to peak and stick to it. Would a league title be enough in a second year in charge? Or should Kilkenny or Galway be targeted by the Dubs for a championship result? The adage of taking every game at a time is nonsense and the less we hear of that the better. Dublin need to get their focus and training right and the lessons from this season, from performance to preparation should go a long way in helping them whatever goal they set for 2016.