Insomnia ambassador and Dublin footballer Paddy Small pictured at the launch of Insomnia’s five-year partnership with the GAA/GPA at Croke Park. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
By Cian O’Connell
Seven years later, several players from the Dublin U21 team in 2017 continue to deliver in the sky blue jersey.
The last All-Ireland U21 Championship concluded with a Dublin win over Galway in Tullamore. Evan Comerford, Seán McMahon, Eoin Murchan, Cian Murphy, Brian Howard, Colm Basquel, Con O'Callaghan, and Paddy Small all featured in that decider, and Dessie Farrell was the manager.
Other panel members have also contributed at the highest level for Dublin too. It is a remarkable feat that so many came through from the group.
Did Small sense that there was something special about that crop of players? “To be honest - yes,” the Ballymun Kickhams clubman replies.
“Getting the exposure, you were with them every day in training, understanding the talent that was there. You had Brian Howard, Eoin Murchan, Con O'Callaghan, and even after that Evan Comerford, Seán Bugler, I was definitely aware of the actual talent I was playing with.
“Just mainly due to how competitive the trainings were, but you get an insight into people's attitudes and how dedicated they are too, which of course is so, so important. We knew there was a very talented crop there, but we as well as that, we knew we had a great group of lads with a phenomenal attitude. They were very ambitious to make it to that Dublin senior football level too.”
For some the journey into the senior ranks wasn’t smooth. Patience and perseverance was required. “In my experience anyway, setbacks are inevitable,” Small says.
“Whether it be team selection, injuries, external stuff - whatever form that might take. Making sure you're resilient in those moments always stands to you in the long term. Having that, especially as a young player, is so, so important.”
Paddy Small in Leinster SFC action for Dublin against Meath. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Hamstring issues disturbed Small’s progress at various stages. “On a personal level, injuries would have been something that plagued me a lot, underage and then throughout my career so far with Dublin and the tenure that I've had there,” he adds.
“From our side, it's an incredibly privileged position to be able to put on the Dublin jersey. The competition is so ferocious that any time you get the chance you really do cherish it, especially in those league games, those Championship games, when you get the opportunity to perform in front of an audience. That's probably I suppose a small bit of background with where I found myself.
“I've accumulated 15, 20-plus hamstring tears over the last five or so years. Trying to manage that as best I can. There's a couple of Grade 3s in there as well.
"That's certainly been the injury that has plagued me most, especially when it becomes chronic it can be quite challenging as a player.
“But again, it's a responsibility on us to make sure that when we do come back, we're coming back in even better shape, that we've worked on something that we mightn't have had the opportunity to work on when we were on the pitch. And again, just making sure you're really resilient in those moments, that's super important.”
Now Dublin’s thoughts have shifted to another Leinster SFC Final against Louth at Croke Park on May 12. Former Dublin star Ger Brennan has made an impact already with Louth. “A brilliant footballer and a great footballing mind, so we know there’s going to be a massive challenge there in two weeks’ time at Croke Park, so it’s something we are very much looking forward to,” Small says.
“Ger was very much a stalwart at centre back for St. Vincent's and Ger and Vincent’s would have prevented us from winning a lot of championships.
“So, Ger was an absolutely brilliant player I would have faced a lot of times, very smart and very intelligent. And of course, I know Ger well on a personal level and he’s a great person too.”