We didn’t even have a tag for ‘Dean Rock’ in our WordPress, nobody had ever written about him.
He’s there, he’s always been there, and he’s always been scoring but not deemed noteworthy enough apparently.
It’s easy, in a forward line of Brogans, Connollys, Flynns and the like, to slip under the radar and the Ballymun attacker had been doing just that for Dublin.
In the county’s backline alone, three of his club mates man the defence and, up top, there are more superstars and All-Stars than any one team should ever have. So Rock just carried on doing what he was doing quietly and reservedly and, suddenly, that led to 12 points in an All-Ireland semi-final.
12 points. Against Kerry. In one of the most keenly contested battles for a decade.
There was very little room for error on Sunday and, whilst Bernard Brogan was kept on the periphery, with Ciaran Kilkenny’s and Paul Flynn’s attacking instincts curbed, Jim Gavin was left to thank his lucky stars that the champions had at least one constant and they had it in Dean Rock. They had an everpresent outlet in the number 13 and an unwavering source of joy of off his right boot.
12 points. Eight from frees, two from 45’s, two from play.
Every time a Kerry man fouled a Dublin forward you could see the angst in their faces, the despair at the inevitable. Rock came strutting over, left or right, close or far and he just whipped the O’Neill’s ball between the posts every single time without breaking sweat. It was so automatic and so assured. It was like nothing was left to chance or human error, more like there was a tractor beam between his foot and the target drawing the piece of leather in like a magnet.
When Dublin were floundering, it was left to Rock to drag them back from the brink as he relentlessly chipped away at the Kerry lead as if there was no occasion in it at all. As if there was no pressure on him and as if he was only kicking around after training.
Time and again, he stepped up to the plate and every single time his county needed the score. Time and again, he delivered. And with that steadied hand and measured right boot, Dean Rock guided them back to the light in what must’ve been his finest performance in the Dublin jersey yet.
When the chips were down, it was Rock. When the equaliser was there to be kicked, it was Rock. It was always Rock. It was always rock-like.
His effect was felt right through the Kingdom and his name was sang from the rooftops of the capital.
And yet somehow, he was omitted from The Sunday Game’s man of the match nominations when he probably should’ve walked home with the title.
@TheSundayGame dean rock not even nominated for man or the match is a joke lads.his free taking alone was top notch
— billy o connor (@yuup67) August 28, 2016
Ara lads… No mvp nomination for Dean Rock? Harsh #sundaygame
— D Clerkin (@clerkin_d) August 28, 2016
No Dean Rock in the three @TheSundayGame Man of the Match nominations? Laughable decision, to be honest #DUBvKER #SundayGame
— Peter McNamara (@PeterMcNamara_) August 28, 2016
@TheSundayGame don't agree Dean rock not even nominated. Kept Dublin in it
— No Bother (@_Bazwaldo) August 28, 2016
Dean Rock not even nominated for man of the match. #DUBvKER. Crazy. #SundayGame. Not taking anything away from McManaman.
— Anthony Lawless (@ALGALWAY) August 28, 2016
Surely Dean Rock should've been nominated for MOTM @TheSundayGame @sportsdes?
— Eamonn McGurk (@McGurkEamonn) August 28, 2016
He’s a hero on Hill 16 though.
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