There is far too much talent in Dublin.
Jim Gavin’s side scored for fun throughout the year, they beat Westmeath by 31 points. That says it all.
You just have to look at some of the forwards that started on the bench in the All-Ireland final to realise just how good they are.
- Diarmuid Connolly – Two-time All-Star
- Bernard Brogan – Four-time All-Star; One-time Player of the Year
- Paul Flynn – Four-time All-Star
- Cormac Costello
- Niall Scully
And then there are the lads who started
- Ciaran Kilkenny
- Con O’Callaghan
- Eoghan O’Gara
- Paul Mannion
- Paddy Andrews
- Dean Rock
It’s scary the strength and depth they have, Con O’Callaghan and Niall Scully have both already established themselves as two hot young prospects in the game and Dublin stalwart Cian O’Sullivan recently told SportsJOE who he reckons will be making a big impact in the Dublin team next year:
“There’s so much competition, especially in the forwards we have some really good underage guys coming through over the last couple of years,” O’Sullivan said.
“Cormac Costello didn’t get a good run out this year, he’s been there the last couple of years now but he’s an incredible talent, a fantastic player and a guy that I definitely can see being a big player for Dublin over the next couple of years and getting longer game time.
“Colm Basquel as well had a couple of niggly injuries from the under 21 campaign, when you are coming onto the team you need to be firing on all cylinders for every training session especially when you’re trying to break into a position and unluckily for him he didn’t get that break and didn’t get that couple of weeks where he could really go hammer and thongs,” the Kilmacud Crokes man said.
O’Sullivan also failed to mention the likes of Conor McHugh who made an impression during Dublin’s 2017 league campaign but there was one man that stole the show in Parnell Park on Saturday.
Ballymun Kickhams were facing St.Bridgid’s at the weekend in the Dublin Senior Football Championship, the team is littered with Dublin stars as Dean Rock, James McCarthy and John Small all started but it wasn’t them that had the crowd impressed.
In fact, it was John Small’s brother Paddy.
Paddy Small didn’t start in Dublin’s Under-21 final victory over Galway this year but made sure that he can no longer be overlooked after his stellar performance.
As Ballymun ended up comfortable winners against Paddy Andrews’ St.Bridgid’s winning in a scoreline of 1-17 to 1-9 it was Small that largely inflicted the damage.
Small scored 1-6 and all of it came from play, he was sensational.
And it didn’t go unnoticed:
Paddy small pure class
— Tomás Noone (@tommynoone1) September 30, 2017
Paddy small tearing shit up tonight
— Ciaran Howard (@howard_ciaran) September 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/kevinpower93/status/914234086344085510
Masterclass from Paddy Small for Ballymun v Brigids. 1-6 all from play. Expect he'll make the O'Byrne Cup squad in the new year #TheToughest
— Neil Mac Dhonnagáin (@neilmacdh) September 30, 2017
Have been going to Dublin club games a lot the past 3/4 years and I can't understand how paddy small is not on the Dublin panel #quality
— Adrian Farrell (@adrian_farrell) October 2, 2017
And of course:
"If Dermo hit scores like that, SportsJoe wouldn't shut up for a month about it." Just one of the comments I overheard about Paddy Small's scintillating performance in Parnell Park last night. Man of the Match and a personal tally of 1-06. A serious talent.
Image: Sportsfile pic.twitter.com/sSGm8pt12y
— AllIrishSport (@AllIrishSport) October 1, 2017
We hear you Hill 16 Army, we hear you.
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