EVERY GAME IS SPECIAL
Ban showed Fenton how lucky he is to play for the Dubs
BRIAN Fenton says missing the recent Leinster Championship victory over Meath brought home how precious playing for Dublin is.
Fenton is back from suspension for tomorrow’s provincial semi-final with Offaly at Croke Park, after an appeal against his red card against Derry in the League final was rejected.
In his 10th season, and still with just two Championship defeats to his name, the double footballer of the year and seventime All-Ireland winner decided not to go to the game.
“I always said, look when I started wouldn’t it be amazing to get 10 seasons, so we are here now and then you are kind of like, ‘Jesus that’s done — what’s next?’,” he says.
“It’s definitely a privilege to be part of it, so all of that plays on your mind.
“It’s very much play away and see how I am getting on and if I am starting and enjoying it, it will probably always be kind of the first thing, the priority in my life.”
The day of the League final against Derry, Fenton was at home in front of the TV.
“Liverpool were playing at the time so I was flicking between that,” he says.
“It’s weird. It’s just a normal Sunday, Sky Sports.
“I wouldn’t be a massive golf fan but I think everyone watches the Masters just for the occasion and just the aesthetics of it.
“I just chilled out, got a takeaway, like a normal person.
“I suppose the dog got plenty of walks. But it was grand, all things considered.”
Fenton (31) says he found no part of missing out on the game appealing.
“I think the big thing coming out of it is how precious it is.
“How special it is. In my 10th season you could fall into the trap of being very used to this. That this is normal life.
Lucky
“But if anything, the silver lining on the suspension is that it gives you a real appreciation of what we do and how lucky we are to be a part of it.
“I trained all week with the lads. You try to add a bit of value and you try to chat to the lads who are named.
“You do your homework on Meath and you do your homework on their keeper and their kick-outs and their movement and everything like that.
“You’re trying to just have those conversations with the lads and be a good team-mate.
“Match day was different. “I watched it from home, Marty (Morrissey) and Éamonn Fitzmaurice on the box and Ciarán Whelan in the studio.
“It’s mad. It’s probably like a window into retirement in many ways. Like, Jesus, this is what it’s all about, I used to be out there and that kind of stuff.
“When I retire, I’ll definitely go to Hill 16, I’d say.
“But it is weird. You watch it in a very analytical kind of way. It’s like reviewing a match afterwards.
“We don’t watch it to enjoy it. We watch it to analyse it and break it down tactically.
“You’re watching how things are going for us and for your opponents, kick-outs and all that kind of stuff.”
Fenton continued: “I suppose commentators maybe play things down or build things up a lot.
“The Stephen Cluxton kick-outs maybe and Dublin malfunctioning. “You take all of that with a different view because we knew Stephen was just back and it’s obviously an area for us to work on.”
Dublin haven’t lost in the Leinster Championship since 2010. Losing tomorrow would be a massive shock.
“When structures and competitions and things come up, you’ve heard this answer before, but whoever we’re playing, we’ll analyse them.
“Whoever we’re playing, we’ll spot their strengths and spot their weaknesses. Well, we’ll try to.
Plan
“We’ll try to make a plan around that. It doesn’t change for us.
“Whoever is in front of us, it doesn’t matter who that is, whether that be Kerry, Derry or whoever else.
“On the flipside, I know some of the guys (other teams) got good, competitive games so you’d wonder what the solution is. I certainly don’t have it.
“But from our point of view it’s just about who’s up next. It’s Offaly and it’s literally one game at a time.
“I know that’s very clichéd. For myself, I’m looking to perform well, having been suspended for the first game.”