“If Cormac Costello was dropped in the morning, there would be outrage – you have to give him his opportunity.”
There have been few players more patient than Cormac Costello. The Dublin forward would probably be the marquee player at any other county, but with the huge depth in the Dublin squad, he’s had to settle for a part-time role in recent years.
The Whitehall Colmcille man has been given his chance early this season, filling in for the absent Dean Rock, and he is grasping his chance with both hands, kicking huge scores in the opening three games and looking formidable on free-kick taking duties.
Does this mean Dublin will have a new starter in their already fierce forward line? Speaking on the GAA Hour, Colm Parkinson believes that it would be hard to deny Costello his starting spot.
“I’m starting to think that Dean Rock will be looking at this and thinking that Cormac Costello is linking up well with Con and Kilkenny. They would know each other terribly well, and that full-forward line is looking very, very dangerous.”
Former Dublin forward Alan Brogan knows how hard it is to both keep a starting place and to take one off someone else, as he too had to fight for his starting position in the latter years of his career.
“Con and Ciarán are nailed on starters,” said the All-Ireland winner. “The interesting part of that for me is Cormac Costello vs Dean Rock – can you have the two of them in the same team?
“It’s probably unlikely, so all Cormac can do now is put his hand up and do as much as he can to make it difficult for the manager not to pick him. To be fair to him, that’s what he has been doing.
“I think he got 1-12 the first day, 2-3 the last day and five from play yesterday and a few frees. So he’s doing his job, he’s putting his hand up for selection and a part of me would think when Dean comes back, will they trust Cormac to play ahead of him?
“If he does start, he will always be looking over his shoulder. Would he be better off relinquishing the frees all together? It’s a difficult one for Cormac because obviously Dean is so experienced, he’s so good under pressure and in the big games.
“I think what will probably happen is, Cormac will start in the Championship and then it’s up to himself to see if he can keep the form going, but he would be under pressure because all he needs is one bad half hour, or a couple of missed frees and he will be subbed. He’s not as solid as Dean on the frees, he’s a decent free-taker but then who is as solid as Dean?”
Colm Cavanagh was also on the show and he believes that you have to reward good form in a player, regardless of who is coming back into the fold.
“I think he has to start,” admitted the Tyrone man. “Knowing how teams operate, based on the league performances to date, he has to start in the Championship.
“It will be in the back of his head that if I’m poor here, I will be the first man hooked off, but he’s in a good position. At the end of the day, his position is in his own hands and sometimes when you’re playing well and your form is good, it’s very hard for others to get back in.
“Dean Rock is an exceptional player, he doesn’t miss frees, he’s got everything, but at the same time, if Cormac Costello was dropped in the morning, there would be outrage – you have to give him his opportunity.”
Listen to the full discussion on the GAA Hour now!
