Lockdown could hit brilliant Dublin the hardest of all I believe

inter-county level and Rory O’carroll and Diarmuid Connolly will almost certainly be joining them.

That amounts to a big chunk of heavy artillery that Dublin must do without.

Then look at the leadership group that remains, the likes of Stephen Cluxton, James Mccarthy, Michael Darragh Macauley, Mick Fitzsimons, Philly Mcmahon and Dean Rock.

They’re not getting any younger and have so many miles on the clock. They have all been magnificent for Dublin but, with no football for a year, 2021 may the last hurrah for many of them.

This break has given time for many of these great Dublin servants to reflect on and savour their remarkable achievements. I sincerely hope they have done just that.

In a strange way, many of them may actually have embraced the break. There seems to have been an easing of restrictions by the new management, they seem to have more freedom with the media on what they can and can’t say.

The shackles are off a bit and when that happens sometimes a bit of natural complacency can seep through.

It’s just human nature. But

This lay-off will not have helped Dessie

sometimes having too much time to think or to reflect isn’t the best thing for champions.

Dublin have been extraordinary in terms of their attitude since 2011, magnificent in their application and dedicated to the cause like few before them.

But whenever we come out of this awful pandemic, it is a clean start for everyone and it is savage hunger and sheer raw ambition that will help to determine who wins next year’s All-ireland.

Dublin may well prevail once more but l have a hunch that Dessie Farrell and his team will not be helped by this lay-off.

Time will tell if they will remain football’s greatest force but that awesome momentum they had built up is now broken and their rivals will look to take advantage.

Mayo Tyrone