1. Jim Gavin shines in his debut campaign
With a fine inter-county playing career, that featured the 1995 All-Ireland triumph as the highlight, behind him and a pair of All-Ireland U21 titles recently collected as a manager, Jim Gavin was the obvious choice to step into the breach when Pat Gilroy departed as Dublin bainisteoir last year.
Despite his excellent credentials, he assumed a role that carried great expectations. Yet he coped with those challenges and thrived in a pressurised environment. Gavin drafted in young players and put an eye-catching, offensive style of football into action.
Picking up titles in the national football league, Leinster senior championship and the All-Ireland senior championship is a testament to his superb stewardship in his debut season.
Pic: INPHO/Donall Farmer
2. The impact of Bernard Brogan
Three years ago Bernard Brogan was the standout footballer in the land. Despite Dublin not reaching the September decider that year, the glittering collection of displays that Brogan had accumulated made him the automatic choice for Footballer of the Year.
Three years on Brogan endured a season that featured choppy waters at stages. In Leinster, he was substituted in Dublin’s three games and was particularly quiet in the provincial final against Meath. But once he moved into the All-Ireland series he thrived.
Against Cork there were signs that he was impacting more and he stepped it up again in the semi-final against Kerry with a scintillating scoring display. Then there was yesterday in Croke Park when he stood tall on the biggest stage and weighed in with 2-3.
When Dublin needed their marquee forward most, he delivered in style. The Sunday Game man-of-the-match award last night was recognition of that.
Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy
3. Dublin’s youth stepping up to senior
Dublin’s challenge was greatly enhanced this year by the additions of products from last year’s All-Ireland U21 winning side. Jack McCaffrey torched teams with his marauding runs from the back and grabbed a brilliant goal against Cork in the quarter-final.
Ciaran Kilkenny’s playmaking was critical as he returned from Australia and lived up to the demands of life as a senior attacker. While Paul Mannion went from being a substitute in an U21 final in May 2012 to a starter in a senior final in September 2013.
The trio injected a great burst of energy into Dublin’s side and have promising future careers. And yet there are still challenges to be faced. Their influence on games waned in the All-Ireland series and life against Kerry and Mayo illustrated that there is still development to be done at senior level.
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie
4. The increased resolve of Dublin
During that 16-year drought that Dublin endured without Sam Maguire after 1995, there were charges frequently levelled at them that they were unable to deal with hype and they crumbled when the pressure increased on summer days in Croke Park.
This current side had to absorb some of those painful lessons like the 2009 hammering against Kerry and the 2010 defeat to Cork. But they learned and improved. 2011 was reflective of that, 2013 reinforced it.
Consider that yesterday they did not hit full speed in their performance, saw key figures not dominating the game and injuries afflicting them to the extent that they only had 13 fit bodies on the pitch at the finish.
Yet they coped with the adversity that they faced, held their nerve – like they have done all summer – and got their reward. Claiming a second All-Ireland title in three years is a serious feat.
Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan
5. The road ahead for Dublin
The age profile of this Dublin team would suggest that the capacity is there for them now to kick on and claim further All-Ireland titles. They were the best team in the country in 2013 and should have the confidence to build on this.
But they will face the obstacles that afflict every All-Ireland winning side. Hunger is a live issue, injuries are another and then there are opponents who will reorganise and improve. Kerry are the only team since 1990 to do two-in-a-row and that is the trend Dublin will try to reverse.
