Con O'Callaghan has revealed how Bernard Brogan helped him to rediscover his form for the All-Ireland final replay.
On the whole, O’Callaghan has arguably enjoyed his finest season yet with Dublin and is a strong contender for Footballer of the Year but, by his own high standards, he was somewhat peripheral in the drawn All-Ireland final with Kerry.
He made a blistering start to the replay, however, and finished with 0-4 from play.
He explained: “I had a chat with Bernard Brogan before it, and some of the older lads. He would have a very wise head on him and would see things; kind of little nuggets of wisdom like, and just get their advice and some other lads who were in a similar position or someone who you might be marking.
“I could be marking John Small or Fitzy [Michael Fitzsimons] and get their opinions and what they think I could have done better. I would chat with them and try and improve for the next day.”
Although Brogan has fallen down the pecking order in recent seasons he was still competing for a position with O’Callaghan, though there was never any question of the 35-year-old not imparting any advice that he could.
O’Callaghan continued: “He got dropped for the '16 replay and I just remember, I was only a young lad, but I just remember his response, it was so positive, like, other people might have been annoyed that they weren't starting or whatever.
“His response was so positive going out on the pitch, his body language, his whole enthusiasm, it was so positive after getting that news that he's not starting an All-Ireland final replay. Like, he's been so successful but his attitude is so positive.
“He'd talk about it, that he's only there to add value to the team, so he'll do it in any way he can.
PwC GAA/GPA Player of the Month for August, footballer Con O’Callaghan (Dublin) and September Player of the Month, footballer Sean O’Shea (Kerry), were at PwC offices in Dublin today to pick up their respective awards.
The players were joined by PwC Managing Partner, Feargal O’Rourke, Uachtarán Chumann Lúthcleas, John Horan, and GPA Chief Executive, Paul Flynn.
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