I bet EI is wondering what might have been, had Mannion not messed up the DXB route ...
You're comparing apples with pears, Emirates was always going to have Dublin on the "Cities to serve list" regardless of whether the Irish flag carrier's one and only foray into the Middle East worked or not. It might have been worse had EI succeeded and built the traffic up only for EK to walk in and nick it.
It will be *very* interesting to see what Etihad do here, having built the market up well, is there really room for both?
btw Emirates only have two B777Fs so not that sure DUB will be seeing them soon.