Michael Fitzsimons is only getting better and better.
Of all the good things that Jim Gavin has done in his four and a half seasons at Dublin, it’s how he has bred the like of Michael Fitzsimons into genuine superstars is the most impressive.
He’s kept everyone in the squad hungry, he’s drawn a line of standards higher than any county has ever seen and he’s demanded that players exceed it. Fitzsimons has and he is flourishing.
Against Mayo on Saturday night, the 2016 final’s man of the match was frightening. He was prowling around the Dublin full back line like some sort of savage, licking his lips, lining up prey.
Andy Moran never stopped once but Fitzsimons was all over him with no mercy and no relent. A lot of it was down to the fact that Mayo never helped their inside line. In fact, they played right into Dublin’s hands.
Former Meath star Cian Ward knows all about the capital’s defenders and Fitzsimons in particular. On The GAA Hour, he explained why they’re so effective at the minute.
“Those defenders are superb playing in front because they’ve got serious pace – serious, serious pace,” Ward said.
“You need to have a little bit more subtlety in your inside forward line’s movement but that can only happen if your team are getting the ball far enough up the pitch to cause that threat, and quick enough before Dublin get all their players back.
“That’s the ideal scenario but it’s very, very difficult to do that.
“Andy Moran is just incredible. He kept showing for the ball. Mayo were so far behind, the game was dead, and he was still showing hard for ball, he was still trying to link the play – even when he was beaten to balls, he’d go again the next time.
“His appetite and hunger and leadership up there was incredible but he’s winning the ball in areas where he hasn’t a hope of getting a score. That’s the difference: when you play against Dublin, you’re getting the ball in areas where you can’t score. You can’t turn and get the shot away because you’re too far away from goals.
“That was the problem for Mayo, they couldn’t get in, they couldn’t penetrate.”
Of the current crop, Ward would’ve done battle with Fitzsimons the most. In 2010, the Royals got the better of their great rivals before the attacker went on and kicked four points in the Leinster final to clinch glory for Meath.
“Individually, those Dublin players are top class. Top, top class,” Ward emphasised.
“There was talk a couple of years ago that they have a weak full back line and all this, well they’ve put that idea firmly to bed.
“Fitzsimons is very, very quick. He’s very fast and very difficult to beat to a ball out in front. Defenders of that ilk, they are superb. They are just very aggressive in terms of going for the ball out in front. They always want to prevent you from getting on the ball.
“Subtlety of movement and the right angle of pass against any defender will leave them in trouble. But when you’re playing at Croke Park and your half back line are getting the ball 60 or 80 metres away and you know there’s only one place you can run and you know there’s only one place you can run, it’s just a foot race and that’s where they’re so, so strong.”
Listen to all his thoughts below.
