It was great experience for younger players: Dessie Farrell

Mon, 3rd February 2020

Dublin football manager Dessie Farrell said that some of the young players will have gained valuable, positive senior experience in Saturday night's FL Division 1 victory over Mayo in Castlebar.

Dan O'Brien, a Dublin minor in 2016 and U21 All-Ireland winner in 2017, made his first FL start while Aaron Byrne, also on U21 side in 2017, was influential off the bench with Liam Flatman, a minor in 2017, and Cillian O'Shea (U21 2017) also adding to their experience when introduced as second half substitutes.

In total seven players who featured in the 2017 All-Ireland winning final played some part against Mayo in MacHale Park on Saturday night - Evan Comerford, Eoin Murchan, Brian Howard, Dan O'Brien, Cillian O'Shea, Aaron Byrne and Paddy Small. Con O'Callaghan (currently injured) and Seán Bugler (an unused sub on Saturday) were also part of the U21 panel in 2017.

Flatman played in the FL victory over Galway last year but subsequently suffered a serious hamstring injury which ruled him out of last year's U20FC for Dublin, who won Leinster before being eventually beaten by Cork in the All-Ireland final.

"The atmosphere was great out there and it was great for some of our younger players to experience that," said Dessie.

"It was a little bit of a baptism of fire for him in the first half," said Dessie of Dan O'Brien, "but I thought he played extremely well in the second half."

The Dublin boss also had praise for Rory O'Carroll, enjoying something of a 'second coming' in the county colours.

"Rory did very well too. It's great to see Rory back - he's been a great servant for Dublin over the years," added Dessie.