MICHAEL FITZSIMONS WAS aware for a long time of Con O’Callaghan’s football talent before they started sharing a Dublin senior dressing-room.
Both Cuala club men, Fitzsimons knew why this year’s All-Ireland U21 winning joint captain was flagged as a player of promise
“Our mothers are best friends so we would have always been over at their house.
“We (Fitzsimons and his brother) went to CBC Monkstown and their house is around the corner so we used to go there after school with our mum and we’d play soccer in the back garden with the two young lads, Cian and Con.
“They were both incredible talents back then – they were noted even back when they were doing the Cuala summer camps so it’s great to see them coming through.
“It’s a nice thing now as you get older to play with lads you coached, it’s great. It’s great to have another Cuala lad on the team.”
Fitzsimons wasn’t on the pitch for the greatest day in Cuala’s club history on St Patrick’s Day last but he savoured the win and relished the days around the historic occasion.
The defender played hurling up until U21 level before playing football with UCD brought him to the attention of Dave Billings and he was soon recruited by the Dublin setup.
“It was incredible – the dream. When you’re playing club hurling and football, to play in a final on St Patrick’s Day is the whole occasion.
“I went down to Dalkey early and got a DART in and really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the atmosphere and seeing the work those lads put in, the lads I grew up playing with, and knowing what they had just achieved was incredible.
“After each game the atmosphere grew and grew. There was more bunting up, more local business getting involved, Benito’s, an Italian restaurant, had Forza Cuala in the window.
“There were murals, paintings of players around the town – it really was surreal. I enjoyed hurling and I was probably similar enough at both, but they found a niche for me in football.”
He has toasted plenty Dublin senior success in recent years and another campaign begins on Saturday with a Leinster outing against Carlow.
But Fitzsimons is keen to credit a junior campaign in 2008 in helping propel him into the senior spotlight.
“That was massive. It was great because we went out to Parnell Park and did trials, there was Mick Deegan (manager), Jack Sheedy, Mick Galvin and a big deal was made about it.
“It was a step-up in level, it was a chance to represent Dublin, which I didn’t think I’d get a chance to do, and to go on and win an All-Ireland was huge.
“It was in Portlaoise, there was a big crowd, it was a great occasion.
“I really enjoyed it and I suppose with U21 getting dropped down to U20 next year, it could be used that way. I though it was great, but it does require a lot of hard work and the lads brought a lot of energy – Mick Deegan and all took it seriously.
“Their expertise and hearing their stories were great. We got Denis Bastick, Eoghan O’Gara and Darren Daly (out of that team). We got to play in Croke Park twice as well. That was a huge bonus.”
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
