By John Harrington

Dublin hurling manager Ger Cunningham says he’d love to be able to have a player like Con O’Callaghan in his panel.

Dual-star O’Callaghan scored 6-10 from play in three matches for his club Cuala in their successful Leinster championship campaign, but for now at least is committed to playing county senior football rather than hurling in 2017.

“It goes without saying I'd love to have a player like Con available to us,” says Cunningham.

“The time he was in with us around 15 months ago, he had just come out of minor. He always said to us that football was his first love.

“You'd love to have him there. We wish him the best, but at the same time he knows the door is always open to us if he wants to play hurling. I think his focus is going to be on football for the next while.”

O’Callaghan might be focusing on football, but Dublin have no shortage of talented young hurlers coming up through the ranks. 

Six graduates of last year’s Leinster championship winning Dublin minor team have already graduated onto the senior panel, and have impressed in their two Walsh Cup wins to date over Carlow and UCD.

“I watched them a few times during the year with the minors, they all performed very well,” says Cunningham.

“Six is a huge number, but I suppose the Cuala scenario has forced our hand to push them forward that bit sooner than we had planned.

“They have all been excellent, their attitude is really, really good. It takes time for young guys to settle in a senior set-up, it is a big step up to come from minor into a senior set-up, but I couldn't be happier with their attitude and the way they have bought into what we are trying to do.

“Again we have to be careful because it is a busy time for them.

“These guys are all in College, some of them are doing Leaving Cert as well so we have to balance it with what is expected because the level of training is something they wouldn't have before. We have to make sure they aren't overdoing it.”

Of all the young newcomers, corner-forward Donal Burke has impressed the most so far after hitting a combined 1-16 in Dublin’s opening two matches of the season.

Fast, skilful, and a clinical finisher, Cunningham also believes the teenager already has the physical strength necessary to make it in the senior grade.

“He is physically well developed, I know he had a couple of injuries which maybe helped him to concentrate on his development a bit more.

“He had time to do it, but in the two games he has played so far he has shown up really well. Not just him, but all of the lads. 

“We look to be in a situation where probably this is the result of the development squads from the last couple of years. Guys coming in at 18 or 19 are fairly well developed, they've had access to different programmes on the way up along.”

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