HOW WE’LL MISS PAT
Rock admits Gilroy departure leaves big void in Blues set-up
DEAN ROCK says losing Pat Gilroy’s straight shooting style will leave “a massive void” in the Dublin set-up.
The 2011 All-ireland winning boss joined Dessie Farrell’s management team last year and helped the Blues regain the Sam Maguire after a two-year hiatus.
But the St Vincent’s man won’t be involved this year, leaving more of the burden of dealing with players to Farrell.
“There’s no hiding away from the impact Pat has had on a generation of Dublin footballers from his time as manager and then when he came in with us as a selector,” said Rock.
“He’s very much to the point and he’s able to get the most out of individuals and players.
“It was maybe by riling them up the right way or just speaking really honestly and being open and transparent about what’s expected. Perhaps that was what we needed last year.
“Maybe it just rocked the boat a little bit after two years of not getting over the line. He gave it to us between the eyes and lads responded really well to that.”
Areas like shot selection and managing games had slipped in 2021 and 2022 but Dublin were back at it again last year.
“Without him this year, there is a massive void to fill, absolutely,” said 33-year-old Rock. “Just his presence in general is massively important.
“I think Dessie would have got a lot from him as well because he could divvy out some of the work or some of the management of players to Pat as well.”
Gilroy dropped Rock back in 2012, with the dead ball ace going back to his club Ballymun and winning Dublin and Leinster Championships before earning a recall in 2013.
But eight-time All-ireland winner Rock believes he had begun to transform his game already before he was let go.
He said: “I probably didn’t need another kick up the arse but I ended up getting one. It certainly did not do me any harm but I feel that potentially if I had been around in 2012 I could have had an impact.
“But who knows if I would have had the career I did have?”
With Rock seeing minimal game time last year the free-taking fell to Cormac Costello, with Paul Mannion hitting left-footed efforts and Stephen Cluxton on longer ones.
Costello didn’t disappoint, particularly in the All-ireland semi-final against Monaghan when he converted seven of seven shots from play and dead balls.
But Rock can see other potential options there as well, including Con O’callaghan.
“Cormac has probably built up a good bit of experience kicking over the last couple of years in Croke Park and throughout his whole career,” he said.
“He’s certainly the man to step into my shoes and take the responsibility for the team. But then you’ve also got the likes of Con O’callaghan, who’s a very good free-taker as well.
“You’ve also got Paul Mannion and the lads in goal who are well able to kick frees so I don’t think it’s going to be a massive issue.”
Rock has his eyes on coaching and potentially an involvement with Dublin seniors in the years to come.
“I think it’s a route I will go down, whether it’s with Ballymun underage teams or Dublin underage teams and then eventually, hopefully, get involved with the Dublin senior team,” he said.