Roscommon joint-manager Kevin McStay feels his side are "in good shape" for their Allianz Football League semi-final showdown with Kerry despite their narrow defeat to Dublin at Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada.
The Rossies produced a battling second-half display to run the All-Ireland champions close, but they couldn't find a leveller at the death as Dublin made it seven league wins from seven with a 1-13 to 1-12 win.
A slow start cost Roscommon - they trailed by 0-09 to 0-02 at the break - and McStay warned they must iron out that flaw if they are to reach the next level.
“We only lost by a point, we’d a chance to equalise, it just didn’t work out for us," he told RTÉ Sport. "The bigger question is, how are we getting ourselves into these positions where we’re chasing games?
“We’re only waking up and coming out to play when the game is against us. That’s another thing we have to learn now, to have the confidence to take the game to the opposition and not be reacting all the time.
"At half-time we were in danger of a pasting. The effort they put into the second half, I was very proud of them. We’re well set up for next weekend."
"We did have a strong sense we were already in the semi-final, so technically we had very little to play for"
Dublin became the first side in 24 years to win all of their round-robin league games, but McStay felt his team let them off the hook.
“Coming in to the game we did have a strong sense we were already in the semi-final, so technically we had very little to play for, but we didn’t set it up that way," he added. "We set it up so that we’d have a real cut at the Dubs so we’d be in good shape for next Sunday.
“I did feel we were a bit unlucky. We just could have nudged it. The momentum was with us and if we a little bit more clever... but that’s life.
“We asked them to empty the tank and that is exactly the feeling we have in the dressing room."
Much was made of Roscommon's late, late decision to swithch the game to Carrick-on-Shannon from Dr Hyde Park.
A decision to make the move to Carrick-On-Shannon was made at 9.0am on Sunday morning after the pitch was deemed unplayable, infuriating travelling Dubs supporters who had to hastily rearrange their travel plans.
"It’s everybody fault and it’s nobody’s fault," said McStay. "We just have a rotten pitch down at the Hyde and when the weather is bad it becomes unplayable. They tried everything to get it ready during the week. Nine o'clock was just a little touch late for the Dublin supporters.
“The decision should have been made a bit earlier, but this is Irish weather. This will be sorted out within 12 months and we’ll have somewhere to call home."
