FINAL FRONTIER

Eric nailing down Blues shirt at long last after biding time

ERIC LOWNDES wants to be Dublin’s Mr Dependable and to win an All-Ireland as a regular in the team.

The 24-year-old already has four winners’ medals having been part of Jim Gavin’s panel since 2013.

But he’s played in just one final in that period and even that was a late cameo in the 2016 replay win over Mayo.

It looks like things are finally lifting off for Lowndes because he started four games in a row last summer and has been an ever present so far in this Championship.

He says being a key player in an All-Ireland winning team is a big driving force, nodding: “Absolutely, yeah. It’s high up on the radar to be involved the whole way through a campaign. I’ve played my part up to this point this summer but I can only really take it game by game.

“I just want to play well in every single now and hopefully do enough to hold onto the jersey.”

Lowndes was part of the same successful minor team in 2012 as David Byrne, Niall Scully and Cormac Costello. Yet despite being called into the senior squad just months later by new boss Gavin, he didn’t see a minute of SFC action until 2015.

And his first summer start wasn’t until the 2016 Leinster final – when he promptly became the first player to be taken off.

There was more frustration

I’d still say I havent had a full run through to a final or a full campaign

last summer when the son of two Meath natives started Dublin’s first four games before dropped and sitting out the final.

The school teacher said: “I’d say I still haven’t really had a full run through to a final or a through a whole campaign.

“Last year I obviously played most of the campaign until the semi-final and then there were a few changes. But it was still my best run I’ve had.

“In previous years with the U-21s and stuff, you’re coming in and out, you’re available for a game and then you’re unavailable for the next game. There was a lot of chopping and changing so it’s only the last couple of years

I’m really getting a clean run at it.”

Lowndes studied primary teaching in Maynooth and used his time there to make some new

Laois friends.

He played on the same Sigerson team as Laois

‘keeper Graham

Brody and was pals with O’Moore attacker Evan

O’Carroll.

That duo will need to be at their best today to deny Lowndes get- ting his hands on a sixth Leinster medal as the Dubs shoot for a record equalling eight provincial wins in a row.

Lowndes said: “Laois are a really good side. They’re going really well, playing nice football and have a good attacking halfback line. They’ve really, really good inside forwards. I saw Evan coming on the last day, he’s an incredible footballer.”