Who are the leading contenders to win the 2018 Footballer of the Year?

WITH THE FINAL looming into view, the 2018 All-Ireland senior football championship is set to conclude and the last opportunity arises to make the case for the star footballer from this season.

Howard, Cavanagh, Fenton, Kilkenny, Sludden and McCaffrey have been some of the star performers this season.Source: INPHO

It looks set to be a player from next Sunday’s finalists Dublin and Tyrone, breaking the winning run enjoyed by Mayo players for the last two seasons.

A Dublin figure last triumphed in 2015 when Jack McCaffrey was crowned while Sean Cavanagh in 2008 is the last Tyrone victor.

McCaffrey’s resurgent form this season, after he has rebounded from the snapped cruciate he suffered in the early stages of last September’s decider, puts him in the frame. Newcomer Brian Howard has been a shining light for Dublin this season, moving seamlessly into the senior grade and catapulting himself into contention.

The two favourites are their Dublin team-mates Ciaran Kilkenny and Brian Fenton. It is a recognition of the significant roles they now both fill for the champions. Kilkenny has orchestrated the attack, scoring 2-21 from play in the process, while Fenton has controlled the midfield, contributing 1-9 along the way.

For Tyrone the pair best placed appear to be Colm Cavanagh and Niall Sludden. Cavanagh is the last remaining playing link from Tyrone’s previous foray into All-Ireland final action back in 2008 and gave a towering display to claim the man-of-the-match award in their semi-final success over Monaghan.

Sludden scored the solitary goal of that game, a vital score for his side, and has bagged 3-13 in total during this summer’s championship.

They are some of the leading contenders but who do you think should get the nod or have we omitted someone?

Let us know.

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Turning down squad invite from Mickey Harte, a broken leg on 21st birthday and a Tyrone breakthrough at 24

YOU HAVE TO hand it to a certain breed of Tyrone footballer.

When Mickey Harte comes calling, few refuse the offer. In Tyrone, there is no higher calling than being a county player.

And yet when you look through their team and pick out some of their more aggressive performers, the eye is drawn to, say, captain Matthew Donnelly, Kieran McGeary and Niall Sludden.

The trio have one thing in common. Harte made an approach to all of them in their teens. And they all made the decision to stick with their clubs and universities, feeling their way into senior football and getting as many games as possible.

Take Sludden in particular. In 2010, he was part of an All-Ireland winning minor team. Harte made his play shortly after.

“Physically the demands of the game over the last number of years had gone up and I felt I was not doing that,” the Dromore man reflects on his decision.

“I was at St Mary’s College so I was very lucky I was under Paddy Tally and I have been under a number of great trainers; Ryan Porter, the Monaghan trainer, was with my club Dromore. As I went along I felt the time was right when I was about 24.”

Niall Sludden (left) celebrates Tyrone’s 2010 All-Ireland minor title win with Padraig McNulty.Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

Still, he felt the catch in his throat as he explained his reasoning to Harte. He had to be careful not to leave an inter-county career behind him.

“I was young back then and speaking to Mickey Harte, you were very much in awe of the man and of what he had done.

“So when the phone call came I had to be very careful in making sure that when I was talking to him of not giving the impression I was coming across as saying ‘hold on now Mickey, I don’t want to be part of your squad and I don’t care about the Tyrone team.’

“I was saying I am not ready but if you give me the call and I keep playing well for my club, no doubt I will come back in. I was leaving a reminder and thankfully he made that call.”

Such is his confidence and long-sightedness though, that he remained confident he would come back into the frame.

“I was always of the belief that if I kept performing well for the club Mickey would give me the call,” he says.

“I suppose in the back of your mind you are thinking that he has forgotten about me because in Tyrone there is so much youth coming through from under-21 teams, you can start thinking that he is looking at those players.

“But, no, I always had the ambition I would be here and that one day I would be playing at the highest level so I was hoping Mickey would give me the call and I remember when he gave me that call it was a great feeling.”

Niall Sludden at Tyrone’s All-Ireland football media event.Source: Declan Roughan/INPHO

Only himself, Ronan O’Neill, Hugh Pat McGeary and Richie Donnelly survive from that minor crop in 2010.

“A lot of the team have had opportunities or been around this squad but there has been only a few that have been there,” he explains.

“Tyrone won the minor All-Ireland in 2008 as well and there is only Mattie Donnelly, Ronan McNabb and Peter Harte. But from that team you would have had players around the fringes of the squad as well.”

His progress was derailed with an awful leg break during a league match against Cookstown on a miserable wet night. Whatever you were doing on your 21st birthday it had to be better than Sludden who spent his on the operating slab of Altnagelvin Hospital.

When he came to, the nurses in the ward presented him with a birthday cake.

The doubts he held at that stage, he used as fuel and a tool for keeping his perspective.

“At that stage you are thinking if you will come back from it. It was definitely a key moment in my life,” he adds.

In 2016, he made his debut in the Dr McKenna Cup at 24. He retained his place for the Championship, debuting against Derry. Over the next two seasons he won two Ulster titles and was included on the nominations list for All-Stars.

This summer, they failed to collect a third consecutive Ulster title. The vultures surrounded this team and their manager. But here they are; Tyrone, back in an All-Ireland final and united behind their manager.

Niall Sludden celebrates Tyrone’s semi-final victory over Monaghan.Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

“Of course, the players are all behind Mickey. It is like everything else, sport is very fickle and being an Arsenal fan I know that best,” he says.

“Mickey is brilliant and when I was coming into the squad it was great to have a man of that experience there. You have to remember that he has been there and done that and the fact that we are in an All-Ireland final and we have been there before for our younger players that is a massive thing to have, to be imparting that knowledge.”

His goal against Monaghan, a loose ball planted into the roof of Rory Beggan’s net earned this Arsenal supporter the nickname ‘Bergkamp.’

What a finish from Tyrone's Niall Sludden! Rattles the net! pic.twitter.com/DQNgGUDPm0

— The GAA (@officialgaa) August 12, 2018

When they run out against Dublin this Sunday, he will have Eoin Murchan for company, just as he did in Omagh for their Super 8s game. He is at that level now, a player that must be curtailed.

“Teams look at certain players they want to stop and defect and they did a very good job that day. Hindsight is a wonderful thing as well and we have another opportunity now to come back,” he reflects.

“I look at that as a good thing as well because they are concentrating on me as a threat so they are worried about me. We’ve got plenty of other players that can step up too.”

If Tyrone can get their scampering attacker on the ball and lacing those outside of the boot efforts over the bar, they will be on the first step to victory.

Who would bet against him?

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Westmeath’s Connellan’s time with AFL club St Kilda comes to an end

WESTMEATH’S RAY CONNELLAN has not been offered a contract with AFL club St Kilda for the 2019 season.

Westmeath native Ray Connellan.Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

Connellan has spent the past two seasons with the Melbourne-based club after having joined them when he signed a two-year contract in July 2016.

The club has opted not to hand him a new contract but praised him for his contribution.

“Ray has given everything over the past two seasons to make the step from Gaelic football to the AFL,” stated the St Kilda general manager of football Simon Lethlean.

Connellan confirmed the news in an Instagram post, describing his time with St Kilda as ‘the most amazing experience’ of his life.

Connellan initially caught the eye at the AFL Europe Talent Combine trials in DCU in 2015 and moved over at the same time as Kilkenny’s Darragh Joyce to St Kilda. His progress was halted when he suffered a double leg break in action for Westmeath in the 2016 Leinster senior football semi-final against Dublin.

Connellan then recovered and lined out for St Kilda’s affiliate club Sandringham in the Victorian Football League, along with making his first-team debut in February in the pre-season AFLX tournament.

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Limerick’s Quaid steps aside from Christy Ring Cup champions after three seasons in charge

KILDARE ARE ON the look-out for a new senior hurling manager after Joe Quaid confirmed he will not be seeking a second term as boss.

Quaid was in charge of the Lilywhites for three seasons which culminated in the Christy Ring Cup victory over London at Croke Park in June. 

In a statement issued today, Kildare thanked Quaid for the effort the put in over the past few seasons.

“Joe and his management team have put in tremendous work and commitment over the last 3 years and won the Christy Ring Cup this year.

“We sincerely thank him for all that he brought to Kildare GAA during his time and wish him all the best for the future.”

Quaid has been linked with the vacant managerial roles in Westmeath and Laois in recent weeks. 

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‘This is the game he loves, this is the job he loves, this is the county he loves’

DUBLIN’S CONVINCING ALL-Ireland semi-final victory last August was seen by many as the death knell for Tyrone’s style of play. 12 months on though, they’re back in their first final in a decade with largely the same system.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

Some new faces have been introduced to the Tyrone starting 15 but they remain an outfit who defend in numbers and counter-attack at pace.

Between all the ex-Tyrone players doing media interviews this week, perhaps no man can provide a better insight into the mind of Mickey Harte than his son Mark.

The 39-year-old was an All-Ireland winner under his father in 2003 and 2005. Since his retirement, he has worked in the media as an analyst on TG4 and been involved in club management in Tyrone and Derry. 

Mark says his father started planning for the 2018 season shortly after the disheartening semi-final to Dublin in Croke Park. 

“Every time a campaign would end, whether it was a success or failure, he would get back to planning for the next year very, very soon,” he says.

“I don’t see a difference in that. I’ve seen him in years after winning the All-Ireland and within a very short space of time he’ll already look forward to the next year. 

“And I’ve seen him at times when the campaign has ended earlier than he would like and he’s planning right away. He’s measured in his approach. He doesn’t get too excited by the big wins or too defeated by the big losses.

Mickey Harte celebrates with his son Mark after the 2017 Ulster finalSource: Presseye/Andrew Paton/INPHO

“He sees it as a constant learning experience and every year he brings that learning into the next campaign. I’ve no doubt no matter what way Sunday goes he’ll apply the same philosophy.”

Harte says his father remains composed in the lead-up to All-Ireland finals. 

“I think he’s fully enjoying the experience. This is the game he loves, this is the job he loves, this is the county he loves. There has to be a natural element of nervousness, there has to be a natural element of excitement.

“But he’s very grounded, he’s been there for quite a while now. He’s fortunate to have experienced a few finals at this stage. But he has a life to live outside of football as well, that includes grandchildren, it involves working in the community and meeting people.

“So there’s plenty going in his life to keep him busy, but I suppose for the next week and a half or so, the football will take priority, there’s no doubt about that.”

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While he says getting back to the All-Ireland final was Mickey’s “ultimate goal”, there were plenty of landmines to be navigated before then.

“Because of the nature of the Ulster championship and because of the way Tyrone went about the backdoor this year – after the defeat to Monaghan that looked like quite a job to get that task. So you had to take it game by game.

“I suppose the ultimate goal for every county when you start off is there be two teams standing at the end of the year – be one of those teams. Tyrone are no different. Albeit they went quite a scenic route to get there but we’re all very glad that’s where they’ve got to.”
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Tyrone fell at the quarter-final hurdle in 2016 and were beaten in the semi-finals of 2015 and 2017. Had they lost out to Monaghan in the last four this year, there may have been question marks over the ability of this group to deliver in the business end of the All-Ireland series.

“I think it (beating Monaghan) was crucial. It was the next natural step. Another semi-final defeat might have let one or two doubts creep in the players’ minds. There didn’t seem to be any doubt from the start of the year that Tyrone meant business this year.

Mark Harte was speaking at the launch of the documentary Tír Eoghain: The Unbreakable BondSource: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

“Some of the performances were better than others but to go one step further and make a final I think is quite a good response from last year’s semi-final defeat and it’s bound to encourage and inspire the team to give it their best in the final.”

Mickey Harte has never been beaten on the showpiece day of Gaelic football, achieving victory on each of Tyrone’s All-Ireland senior final appearances in the noughties.

One interesting statistic from those victories is the Red Hand’s three Sam Maguire victories arrived against the reigning champions – Armagh in 2003 and Kerry in both 2005 and 2008.

That winning mindset will be of vital importance for Tyrone as they face the three-in-a-row champions who haven’t lost a championship game since 2014.

“There’s an appreciation when you pull on that jersey that it’s yours for 75 or 80 minutes and you’ve got to empty your heart and soul into it,” says Harte.

“As Tyrone fans all we ask is that the team give it their best and I don’t think we can argue with the result after that. There’s no magic formula it’s just a case of preparing as best as you can, turning up on the day, giving it your best performance.

“If it’s good enough, it’s good enough and if it’s not, it’s not.”

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‘It’d be great to see him get a few minutes but to even get back in the squad is a phenomenal achievement’

FOLLOWING DUBLIN’S FINAL Super 8s clash against Roscommon in Croke Park, there was one big talking point — Bernard Brogan’s return.

Less than six months after suffering a devastating cruciate injury, he made a cameo appearance in the Sky Blue jersey as the three in-a-row champions closed out a 4-24 to 2-16 win.

A serious turnaround considering how his career was left well and truly hanging in the balance in February as he sustained the dreaded injury in training.

34-year-old Brogan didn’t feature in the matchday 26 for Jim Gavin’s charges’ All-Ireland semi-final win over Galway though, casting doubt over whether or not he’ll make the bench for Sunday’s decider against Tyrone.

Reflecting on his brother’s injury and quick return, 2011 Footballer of the Year Alan Brogan remains optimistic of his chances.

“No doubt, what he did to get back in five or six months, at his age and this stage of his career is a phenomenal achievement,” he said at the launch of Family SportFest 2018 in Dublin today.

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“It was great to see him coming on against Roscommon. He wasn’t in the squad the last day, so he has another four weeks under his belt.

“I haven’t been talking to him much if I’m honest, I know he trained well last weekend so he is in the shake-up, same as anyone else.

“Look, I’d be delighted to see him get a few minutes, he won’t start at this stage. But I think for him to even get back at this stage, get back into the squad, at 34 years of age, six months after a cruciate operation is a phenomenal achievement.”

Looking to last year’s final showdown against Mayo, Diarmuid Connolly was called upon at half-time and was key to his side’s one-point win at the death.

Alan Brogan at today’s launch.

The St Vincent’s man played a huge impact on proceedings from his introduction and won that 76th-minute free which Dean Rock went on to nail.

When asked would his brother’s experience on the big day be an attractive prospect for Gavin, Brogan remarked: “Of course.

“It depends how the game goes, certain guys will suit if the game opens up a bit. Eoghan O’Gara’s been going well. If Dublin kick the ball in he’ll be well suited there causing havoc in the full-forward line, but if it’s a running game he’s probably not suited and you would have to look at somebody else.

“The likes of Kevin McManamon can come in a play a running game, so it really depends the way the game is going, and that’s the way Jim looks at it. I don’t think he decides on the subs beforehand, if the game opens up he uses different guys. If it stays tight he uses somebody else.

“Obviously he’s very experienced, he’s (Bernard) been there done that, he has the know-how. It’s difficult for any of us looking in from here, we don’t know how things are going in training, we don’t know who showed up well over the last few weeks.

“It would be great to see him get some game time, but like I said even to get back to that stage after 5 or 6 months is a great achievement for him.”

All-Ireland winning footballer Alan Brogan helped launch the second Family SportFest today. Family SportFest is being held at the Sport Ireland National Sports Campus on Sunday, 30 September 2018. Tickets are priced at €10 for a family ticket (two adults & up to three children), €5 per adult and €3 per child.

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Quiz: Can you recognise these Dublin and Tyrone footballers from All-Ireland final days?

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IT’S ALL-IRELAND football final week with Dublin taking on Tyrone, the first time the counties have clashed in a decider since 1995.

Dublin are bidding to claim Sam Maguire for the fourth year on the bounce, Tyrone are chasing a first title win since 2008.

But away from this Sunday’s leading performers, can you recognise some of the stars from those sides that previously featured in deciders?

Test your knowledge here.

************************************

Firstly, do you know who this Dublin player from the 1992 final against Donegal is?
INPHO

Keith Barr
Tommy Carr

Paul Curran
Mick Deegan

Which Tyrone player is this from the 2003 final against Armagh?
INPHO

Gavin Devlin
Kevin Hughes

Gerard Cavlan
Brian Dooher

Who is this player celebrating Dublin's All-Ireland final victory in 2011?
INPHO

Mossy Quinn
Paul Casey

Paul Griffin
David Henry

Can you name this Tyrone All-Ireland winning forward from 2008?
INPHO

Tommy McGuigan
Ryan Mellon

Martin Penrose
Conal McCullagh

Which Dublin player from the 1994 showdown with Down is pictured here?
INPHO

Jack Sheedy
Paul Bealin

Brian Stynes
Pat Gilroy

Any idea which Tyrone attacker is pictured here from the 1995 battle with Dublin?
INPHO

Pascal Canavan
Peter Canavan

Fergal Logan
Ciaran McBride

Can you identify this Dublin 2011 All-Ireland winner?
INPHO

Kevin Nolan
Barry Cahill

Ger Brennan
Rory O'Carroll

Who is this Tyrone footballer in action in 2005 against Kerry?
INPHO

David Harte
Sean Cavanagh

Enda McGinley
Brian McGuigan

Can you name this Dublin player in action in 1995 against Tyrone?
INPHO

Paul Clarke
Charlie Redmond

Mick Galvin
Dessie Farrell

Finally are you able to name this Tyrone defender from the 2003 decider with Armagh?
INPHO

Conor Gormley
Philip Jordan

Ciaran Gourley
Chris Lawn

Answer all the questions to see your result!

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All-Ireland club champions Carnacon to discover their fate tomorrow night

Updated Aug 29th 2018, 6:50 PM

CARNACON WILL DISCOVER the result of their appeal to the Connacht LGFA over their expulsion from the Mayo league and championship on Thursday night. 

The42 understands a Connacht Council appeals sub-committee will hear Carnacon’s case tomorrow and a decision will be made on the night. 

Depending on the result, either Carnacon or the Mayo Ladies county board will have five days to appeal the decision to the Connacht Council proper, with further appeals available to both parties if a satisfactory outcome is not reached.

At a county board meeting last week, Mayo clubs voted 26-2 in favour of banning the reigning county, provincial and All-Ireland club champions from the 2018 county senior league and championship.

The controversy first started when Carnacon withdrew all eight of their players from the Mayo inter-county panel in July, citing “player welfare issues”.

Club delegates penalised Carnacon for breaching Rule 288 of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association Official Guide by bringing the game into disrepute. The rule states that “any member of the Association found guilty of conduct calculated to bring the Association into disrepute shall be liable to expulsion or suspension by the committee, board or council concerned.”

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The decision was then taken to remove them from Mayo competitions and they were given five days to launch an appeal. Last Thursday, Carnacon confirmed they would appeal the decision. 

One possible avenue for Carnacon’s appeal could centre around the wording of Rule 288, as such a blanket sanction against an entire club would also impact individuals who have not breached any rules. By comparison, the corresponding provision in the GAA’s rulebook, Rule 7.2(e), makes a distinction between individuals and teams, allowing the GAA to sanction both if it wishes.

It is expected that the decision on Carnacon’s appeal will be announced on Friday.

Rule 7.2(e) from the GAA rulebook

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‘We were all there as players when you’re on your last legs and you’re not getting game time’

DECLAN DARCY HAS been Jim Gavin’s right-hand man since their U21 days when they delivered two All-Ireland titles to the capital. 

When Gavin took charge of the senior side in 2013, he brought Darcy on board as a selector and they’ve enjoyed some fruitful times since then. 

Sunday will mark their fifth All-Ireland senior final in the last six seasons but for Darcy it never gets old. 

The Dublin native, who spent a decade lining out with Leitrim – the birthplace of his parents – before he ever played with the Sky Blues, says there’s no sense of familiarity when preparing for an All-Ireland final.

“It all feels new,” he says. “But I suppose the subconsciousness of being there before helps a little bit in terms of how the team can act. 

“I don’t feel it (the routine) at the minute. It’s just a brilliant honour to be involved on the biggest sporting day of the year. We’re really looking forward to it and excited by the challenge ahead.

“That’s all I’m thinking about, really. Other years, the experience helps maybe. But we don’t dwell on it too much.

“Complacency? We’re just so excited about trying to get out and perform. We put an awful lot of focus on getting out and playing. 

“We’ve really, really good players. Really exciting players. Fun players like Jack McCaffrey! But it’s great. They’re energised and the camaraderie in the group is massive. They really enjoy going out and performing with each other and I think they’re excited about that. 

“I think that’s probably why they do what they do. They really like what they do and they really enjoy doing it with each other. That doesn’t get them to dwell on complacency or think behind at what they have or what they could get. 

“I think that’s a lot of it as well.”

If Dublin defeat Tyrone on Sunday, their levels of dominance will have matched that of the Kilkenny hurlers who completed the four-in-a-row in 2009.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

While Darcy doesn’t feel the Dublin management are quite as ruthless as Brian Cody in terms of handing out game minutes, he agrees that competition for places within the squad is key to sustained success at the top.

“The biggest thing for us as well is if fellas are not performing he knows there’s another young buck waiting, just mad-keen to get in. So that competition for places kind of keeps (complacency) a little bit of bay.

“We don’t see it as personal, if we see a dip they know we’ll make the move. We won’t labour on emotions or what he’s done. 

“If we look out and he’s not executing for whatever reason, then they know. I think Brian was harsher than us maybe, but it definitely created a tone within the group that they needed to perform and that was brought to training games as well.

“We expect that from them and, in fairness to the players themselves, they expect it of themselves. There’s a really driven culture in the group and if you’re not performing then you’ll be easily seen quickly and you don’t want to be there, it’s not a nice place to be there.

“But the consistency of performance is about players taking ownership for the team performance as well as the individual performance.

“They grab hold of that as the week progresses into game-time. It’s player-led, they drive it, it’s their game and their rewards at the end of the day to execute that performance.

“So them little accommodations probably eliminates that drop from performance and keeps their consistency. I suppose the trump one would be there’s another Con O’Callaghan or someone waiting to go in there. That’s as simple as it can be at the moment.”

One of most Gavin’s notable achievements has been in preventing the team growing older while they continue to win. In the 2015 final the average side was 26.7, while it dropped to 26.2 for this month’s semi-final win over Galway. 

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

John Small, Niall Scully, Con O’Callaghan and Brian Howard have all been added over the past few years as Dublin continue to refresh their squad with young blood.

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Darcy admits sometimes it can be difficult to pull aside an experienced play to inform him he’ll be starting a big game on the bench. 

“I think it’s very tough in that context but we were all there as players ourselves when you’re on your last legs and you’re not getting game time and you feel you’re being hard done by. 

“You can get very negative in your thought process so it’s a big challenge. Especially with some of the players who have won an awful lot in their careers. 

“The best way for us is to just be as honest as we can with them, call it as it is. We can obviously only give out 15 jerseys on the day and then another six when it comes to game-time. 

“So a lot of fellas were not happy with no game-time the last day. Fellas not even getting on the pitch. 

“It’s difficult (keeping everyone motivated). It’s not easy. As it comes to this part of the competition fellas begin to know what’s likely to happen and it’s difficult. If there’s a fella not getting game-time and him still having to push and drive. 

“We’ve had instances in previous games where fellas have made huge game-changers for us on All-Ireland final day. The likes of Alan Brogan, Darren Daly, fellas coming off the bench for a couple of minutes.

“We try to keep them as positive as we can and obviously that’s difficult because they all want to play. And we understand that, but at the same time we still have to pick what we feel is the team that will represent the group the best. 

“I think if we do that consistently enough they might understand it. They mightn’t like it, but they might be a little bit more understanding.”

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

Dublin have noticeably moved away from the all-out attack philosophy they adopted in the early Gavin years. These days they play a more possession-based game, which has been effective at breaking down the mass defences Dublin often face.

“It has changed and it has evolved very quickly. I like that thought process where you have to figure it out because you can’t just smash it, unfortunately, as much as you like to. We tried that against Donegal (in 2014).”

A key part of Dublin’s system now is allowing players think on their feet in-game, although Darcy says the players do not have a direct input into the style of play they employ.

“Probably more we create the pathways for them to think about offence and defence. And then they can evolve it. They can speak about it when we show a clip about what we think and then we can adjust how we think or act by what they’re saying. 

“We need to understand the group. As a coach if you go into a group and you start dominating and saying ‘This is the way we’re going to play’, I don’t think you’re going to succeed. You’re going to fall at some stage. 

“You need to get the players buying in, you need to listen to the players because how they think and act is how we can facilitate them to think and act and play the next game and share that experience. 

“But I do think that ownership piece is really important for them. Now, they can’t come in and start saying we’re going to start playing this kind of style. But they do have an emphasis on taking ownership. 

“Particularly when it happens, they’re able to see it, analyse, and figure it out for themselves and not to be looking over to the sideline to Jim and myself and wondering who’s going to figure this out for me. They have to be able to figure it out for themselves. 

“By their language during the week and having spoken about it they’ll have that ability and that confidence to deal with situations when it happens. We give them the total ownership to do that. 

“So far, so good.”

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‘Tyrone always believe, no matter how they’re going they always believe they can win’

DUBLIN’S POSITION AS favourites shows no sign of weakening but the identity of their opponents leaves Alan Brogan with a sense of caution before Sunday’s All-Ireland decider.

He suffered enough in the early part of his playing career to leave him convinced that Tyrone will not lack confidence when they arrive in Croke Park.  

“Tyrone always believe, no matter how they’re going they always believe they can win. They’ll be going in on Sunday thinking they can beat Dublin.

“I think that the game up in Omagh in the Super 8s there will only add to that. Bar they missed a free when there was two points in it, Ronan O’Neill missed a free, if that free had have went over, who knows what would have happened that day?

“Looking at it from the outside in, it’s hard for anyone to see anything other than a Dublin win. But knowing Tyrone, having played against them over the years, they have an amazing sense of self-belief that they will be able to produce a performance.

“With Mickey Harte in charge, he’s tried and tested in All-Ireland finals. It’s taken them a long time to get back since 2008, I’m sure privately that would have been his motivation over the last few years was to get Tyrone back to an All-Ireland final.”

Brogan is uncertain what tactical approach Tyrone will adopt but feels they cannot repeat their plan for last year’s All-Ireland semi-final.

“I think there’s a sense of the unknown with Tyrone. They played Dublin last year, they played very defensively. They obviously changed the way they’ve played a bit this year. They are a bit more offensive.

“We’re not really sure how they’re going to play against Dublin. They need to come out and try and be brave, they need to come out and go after Stephen Cluxton’s kick-outs. I think if they do that, they have a chance.

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Alan Brogan at the launch of the Second Family SportFest.

Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

“There’s no doubt they have really good stylish footballers that are suited to the wide spaces of Croke Park. Both on the bench as well, they’ve a couple of guys on the bench that have caused trouble over the course of the championship. I think that’s another string to their bow.

“I don’t think there’ll be any huge surprises, it’s just a little case of ‘we don’t know how Mickey Harte is going to set Tyrone up to play against Dublin’. Dublin have to prepare for both eventualities, and I hope they come out, look it won’t be gung-ho but I hope they’ll come out and be as brave as they can and have a good go at Dublin.

“I think even as a Dublin supporter, and Dublin supporters want to see a good, close All-Ireland final, obviously we want Dublin to win.

“But as a footballing man, as a footballing fan, football has had its fair share of critics over the last number of months when you put it up against the hurling, so hopefully it will be a good, close All-Ireland final that’s very competitive.”

As they chase their sixth All-Ireland title in eight campaigns, Brogan has no concerns about Dublin’s mental focus despite being widely expected to triumph.

“Particularly when playing against Tyrone, there’s probably been a little bit of needle there over the last number of years. Tyrone, in fairness to them, are in the All-Ireland final on merit, probably are the second best team in the country on paper at the moment. They’ll certainly be looking to knock Dublin off their perch.

“I think this particular Dublin team, they’re very self-motivated. They don’t need anything from the outside to motivate them. They’re a very professional group of footballers.

“They’ll know what’s on the line at the weekend – it’s four All-Irelands in a row, maybe a chance to go for a five-in-a-row, even though they won’t be thinking about that. I think any All-Ireland final you play in, if you need to get motivated, there’s something wrong.”

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