STEP UP TO THE MARK It’s dirty work but somebody’s got to do it as Dublin & Tyrone ask their men of steel to keep tight rein on rivals’ top talent
JOHN SMALL isn’t a man to waste a hundred words when 10 will do.
On the eve of the All-ireland final he is on his guard, navigating the big issues of history and the four-in-a-row like a prizefighter ducking and diving to avoid a knock-out.
A place in the history books is close at hand but the Dublin defender insisted: “I never really thought about it. I still don’t think about it. I just think about the game and preparing for the game and just trying to perform for the team if I get the opportunity.”
Perhaps the powerful half-back is right to play to his defensive strengths – for his anticipated battle with Peter Harte will demand all his concentration.
Small edged that duel when they met in last year’s All-ireland semifinal and more recently in Omagh, holding the Red Hands star to a point from play each day.
Ask him about resuming that man-marking role and he is quickly on the defensive again, bobbing and weaving: “If I am given that role, I am happy to do it for the team. Just try to do my best and go out and perform and do my best and if I do well, great. That’s all.”
What about studying the players you’re going to be marking?
Small replied: “Well, no matter who you are, you study the opposition so it is no different no matter what role you have.
“You are going to look at the opposition and vice versa, they are always going to look at you.”
The Ballymun man is a throwback to Dublin defensive legends of old – strong, sturdy and hard to shake off. He appeared destined for senior stardom when he helped Dublin to the 2011 All-ireland minor final as the team’s commanding centreback.
The following January he was called up to Pat Gilroy’s All-ireland winning squad and played in the O’byrne Cup.
But he was then released and suffered a dip in form and confidence that cost him his place in the All-ireland winning Dublin U21 team of 2012 as well as his club, who reached the All-ireland final in early 2013.
Five years on, he’s stronger for the experience and not about to tempt fate by making wild statements about four-ina-row or future success. He said: “I think all of that is something you think about when you are finished playing. “We don’t think like that as a group. We just think about the task ahead in the each game and that’s Tyrone.” The win would be extra special for the Small family, given the rise of John’s brother Paddy, five years his junior at 20, to prominence with the seniors this season.
The forward made his Championship debut as a sub against Roscommon and even pinched a point.
Small said: “It’s great that Paddy has had the opportunity to be with the panel and hopefully he will do his best if he does get a chance with Dublin in the future.”
SOMEWHERE at Croke Park today a fire will have to be put out and Padraig Hampsey will be the player Tyrone ask to do it.
That’s his role for the Red Hands – chief firefighter with the responsibility of dousing the most explosive talents in the opposing team.
Already this summer he’s been assigned man marking duties on Michael Murphy, Brian Fenton and Conor Mcmanus.
He also marked Con O’callaghan when Tyrone and Dublin faced off in last year’s All-ireland semi-final.
The suspicion this time is that he could be detailed to shackle Dublin’s orchestrator-in-chief, Ciaran Kilkenny – a potentially gamebreaking challenge that Lee Keegan of Mayo was handed 12 months ago.
Hampsey, who only made his Championship debut in 2016, said: “The first year I marked a few boys and I felt out of my comfort zone.
“I never really got much game time, didn’t play a National League game that year and then came on twice in the Championship.
“That year was a big experience and you realised you were going to have to really put the work in to get to that level. Thankfully it paid off and I made my breakthrough in the second year.”
The Coalisland man’s high-water mark in 2017 was coming out on top in his Ulster semi-final battle with Murphy, when he actually outscored the Donegal captain.
They duelled again in the Super 8s recently, though today is easily his biggest assignment yet.
Even if boss Mickey Harte (inset) directs him to shackle Fenton or O’callaghan again rather than Kilkenny, it’ll be a monumental challenge.
The 24-year-old shrugged: “Since under-21s when I played full-back I’ve maybe been seen as a man marker. Whenever you’re asked to do a job you just have to put your head down and do it.
“You enjoy the role of marking the big players – and there are plenty of great players around the country. I don’t really see the pressure; any job you’re trained to do you just put the head down and work hard at it.”
Hampsey attended Tyrone’s three All-ireland final wins in the 2000s and it’s no surprise that a display of defensive inspiration from the 2003 final is his favourite moment. He explained: “My outstanding memory is Conor Gormley’s block. “Steven Mcdonnell was through on goal and putting the head down to shoot and when he lifted it Gormley was on his foot. “It was probably one of the greatest sporting moments I have ever seen, just his sheer desire to get down on Mcdonnell’s foot. It was unbelievable.”
A full 15 years on, Hampsey has the opportunity to make his own history in a Tyrone jersey as a defensive stalwart.
The first challenge is to make sure Tyrone are far more competitive than last year, when Dublin beat them by 12 points.
Hampsey said: “That was a hard one to take but we learned a lot from it. I think we have showed that over the last few months.”