COLM ON DOWN

Farrell urges his young stars to seize their chance like Basquel

DESSIE FARRELL says the opportunity is there for some of his O’byrne Cup rookies to emulate Colm Basquel’s remarkable 2023 campaign.

Basquel was the only Dubliner who featured in every game last year – from the start of the O’byrne Cup on January 4 to July’s All-ireland final win over Kerry.

The Ballyboden attacker was rewarded with an All Star for his standout season. Dara Newcombe, Ross Mcgarry, Sean Macmahon and Killian O’gara were the other four that graduated from last year’s O’byrne Cup to start a Championship match.

Dublin boss Farrell (right), who has lost Dean Rock and Basquel’s brother Ryan to retirement, wants to bring “five or six” more fringe men through this year. He’s already used 26 different players in the march to Saturday’s O’byrne Cup decider against Longford in Portlaoise.

Sean Lowry struck a hat-trick of goals against Wexford last weekend and Luke Breathnach stood out too with 1-4. Defender Liam

Smith was man of the match while midfielder Ethan

Dunne and half-forward

Killian Mcginnis have also impressed.

Asked if some of them could emulate Basquel’s breakthrough year, Farrell nodded: “Potentially, yeah, potentially. Collie had been around the system before and it just hadn’t worked out for him or whatever. You might not be comparing like with like there but it’s all on performance and what you’re seeing so if some fella is putting up his hand and if he continues to do that, that won’t be ignored.”

Two-time All-ireland winning manager Farrell will draw up a National League panel after Saturday’s O’byrne Cup decider.

In all, 10 players who featured in last year’s O’byrne Cup went on to feature in the League.

Farrell said: “We’ll definitely keep a few of them. We’ll let the O’byrne Cup go through, finish that out and then we’ll make a call on it. I’d be expecting five or six of them to step up.”

St Vincent’s man

Lowry played three times in last year’s Division 2 league campaign, starting against Clare at Croke Park.

As for Breathnach, he played in last year’s O’byrne Cup before focusing on the under-20 Championship. He was later named in the top 20 players from the under-20 Championship.

Farrell said: “You always have to keep an eye on the future. When the stuff starts with the main fellas, it’s all about the here and now.”

Farrell will come up against former Dublin captain and colleague Paddy Christie on Saturday.

The Ballymun man is in charge of Longford who are bidding to retain the title for the first time ever.

Farrell said: “The result isn’t important. It’s about getting look at these lads and giving them experience.”