It wasn’t the worst year for Michael Fitzsimons.
The 28-year-old firmly established himself in the Dublin full-back line and was brilliant throughout the season.
And the Cuala man was fittingly rewarded, he received an All-Star for his efforts.
It was a deserved, with the exception of being outdone by Player of the Year Andy Moran (which can be excused), Fitzsimons didn’t put a foot wrong all year.
So to be able to put an All-Star alongside another All-Ireland medal is sweet, but what is sweeter is that a decade ago Fitzsimons would have been the last person you would expect to be playing for Dublin.
That’s no knock on Fitzsimons but where he was in minor would suggest that, he wasn’t even starting.
Yes, a 2017 All-Star couldn’t start for his minor team at club level.
Speaking to Joanne Cantwell at the awards on Friday evening she quizzes the Dublin player about his minor struggles and Fitzsimons admitted he played with the ‘B’ team:
“I was minor ‘B’ and stuff like that but I found a little bit of a niche in the full-back line eventually thanks to a bit of coaching and got on alright.”
That’s not how it is meant to go, the county lads are meant to be the players that impressed from an early age, the lads that were so much better than everyone.
So, it’s heartening to hear that a player that is the best in his position in the country wasn’t even starting for his club minor team.
People talk about role models, kids in Dublin will say that they want to be like Diarmuid Connolly or Bernard Brogan or the more high profile players on the team but Fitzsimons is a great example to any young boy or girl that don’t believe they’re good enough or will ever be good enough.
It’s possible.
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