Is this the next Brian Howard?

Nobody is safe on the Dublin team.

Last year, Paddy Andrews, Kevin McMenamin and Eoghan O’Gara didn’t see the light of day in a Dublin jersey having been key players in the year’s previous.

Jim Gavin is constantly on the lookout for new players who are going to freshen things up and who are going to light the fire under the lads who are already there.

How could complacency possibly exist in a set-up like that? And with everyone fighting tooth and nail in training to to try get themselves into the mix, the standards are ultra competitive and if anybody slips up, there’s always someone chomping at the bit to replace them.

Last year, it was Raheny’s Brian Howard who made a name for himself in the league and kept the foot down long into the championship. By the year’s end, many were dubbing him as the Young Player of the Year.

Diarmuid Connolly’s prediction for Brian Howard was near prophetic

Then, midway through the championship and with training still as competitive as ever, Eoin Murchan was the bolt from the blue who came in during the Super 8s and played a key role from there to the last minute of the All-Ireland final.

Keep evolving.

So looking ahead to the 2019 season, thoughts turn to who the next man to break through will be. Former Dublin footballer Senan Connell has his finger on the pulse when it comes to all things Dublin football and speaking at the launch of eir Sports’ coverage of the National Leagues, the Na Fianna club man gave us an insight into Jim Gavin’s methods, and a tip for a player he fancies to make the grade this year.

“If you don’t get on the train, you’re stuck on the platform, that’s Jim’s motto,” says Connell.

“A lot of other counties – if they won in 2011 or 2013, they’d still have Paddy Andrews, Brogan, McMenamin, O’Gara still playing – the four of them didn’t see game time last year, I know Brogan was injured but at the end of the All-Ireland, they rocked onto the pitch, you could see the disappointment in them – they’d been winning All-Irelands and it’s a very difficult thing to do to go back to being a sub…I think every other county would have had those lads starting, based on their history…”

He points to the emergence of his club man Murchan.

“You look at Eoin Murchan last year – Murch came from nowhere – he’s from my club, I’d have known he’s good, he won an under-21 All-Ireland with Dessie Farrell but to come in during the Super 8s and to hold your place all the way through…that was phenomenal, nobody saw that coming…He marked Ryan McHugh in one of those games and that’s it, keep your position…”

“It’s interesting that Diarmuid Connolly referenced Howard the year before and he ends up taking the jersey and being an All-Star nomination…that’s testament to Jim…The other testament is to the coaches up along, it just seems so seamless, it goes back to them coaches, they’ve a clear set of instructions and then lads just fit in, like Murch did when he got his chance.”

And having charted Brian Fenton’s emergence to us a couple of years ago, Connell is well placed to spot a bolter for 2019.

“I think if they need a player this year, cover has to be in the full back line,” he said.

“Half back and midfield, I think we’re alright…I think they need a player there more than anywhere else. Seanie McMahon – the other night, he played at number three, he’s from Raheny, he’s a good player.

And 23-year-old McMahon, who minded the house against Meath in the O’Byrne Cup the other night, fits the bill.

“I like the look of him there as well, he sticks ball under his arm and runs…Philly McMahon obviously coming to the twilight of his career, Jonny will obviously stay there, Davy Byrne has been in and out for a few years, he was the one a few years ago..so cover there is the one I think they might need in terms of longevity and trying to stay on top…Just say if Jonny Cooper gets injured during the season, there’s an opening there, and you don’t just throw a lad in full back, I think they’re made, it’s in their DNA to play there…It’s a certain type of player that wants to stop somebody else.”