Dublin star Cian O'Sullivan hopes that he and his Dublin teammates can deliver for Blues fans in what has been a 'challenging' year.
The experienced defender, 32, has opened up on his Covid-19 experience as the Boys in Blue prepare to take on Meath in the Leinster final on Saturday night.
And ahead of the clash, the Kilmacud Crokes ace says that Dubs players are motivated to succeed for their fans who can't be there in a behind-closed-doors Championship.
“The Dublin fans are incredible," the Supervalu GAA Ambassador said.
"Hill 16 – the noise, the fanfare, the colour; it is special. Every time you’re in Croke Park running out onto the pitch and seeing that and being met with that warmth. Doing your warmup in front of that noise and that support. This year we’re not going to have that. We still know that support is out there.
“It’s not just coming to the game on the big game day and cheering us on. It’s the colour; it’s the fanfare; it’s the car bumper stickers; it’s the flags; it’s wearing your jersey; it’s all these things that add in and drive the team along.
“It’s been a challenging year for people. It’s been a challenging year for Dublin people, and we know you’re there, we know you’re supporting us in whatever way you can, and hopefully we can do you proud.”
After the Championship was postponed back in Spring, O'Sullivan claims that he was confident an inter-county campaign would go ahead as the months went on and the club championships were played.
He added: “[It was] Definitely a challenging year. I didn’t know whether a Championship was coming or going. I guess for me, I had a welcoming distraction of a baby girl coming along in April. I think football wasn’t really too much on my mind at that point anyway.
“There’s no point sitting at home joining these zoom sessions, or gym sessions, or whatever it was with your club if you had a doubt that the competition was going to go ahead. Because then you’re not going to get the most out of yourself.
“I always had this belief that there was going to be a club campaign, there was going to be an inter-county campaign. You have to have that mentality going into it, or else you’re only fooling yourself and you’re only going to go half-hearted. My teammates and that group – it’s a massive part of my life; it’s a massive part of what defines me and has defined me for a number of years.”
