It’s a massive honour to play for Dublin: Cian O’Sullivan

Wed, 5th October 2016

Dublin defensive lynchpin, Cian O'Sullivan, may be part of an elite group of footballers who have just won their fourth All-Ireland SFC in six years but there is no chance he is losing his focus.

For a player who experienced the harrowing defeat to Kerry in 2009, coming off the bench to replace Bryan Cullen (pictured below), he is determined to enjoy these great days for Dublin football.

"Playing for Dublin is such a massive honour, a privilege. There's days when we are winning silverware, what better place to be? I'm very conscious of the fact this is not going to last forever. Really relishing and cherishing these days.

"I started out in 2009 and we got hammered by Kerry in a quarter-final and then two years later we were lifting Sam. Things can change in a very short space of time and that's something I am very aware and conscious of," says the Kilmacud Crokes man.

"Four All-Irelands with Dublin now, and if you were to ask me starting out my career in 2009, is that something I would have envisaged? Not a hope in hell. You really have to try and make the best of these days.

"Personally to be involved and to play in four All-Ireland finals and win four All-Ireland finals in Dublin, at that point in time, because I was a sub on the team, it's not somewhere I would have pictured myself."

Cian immediately is quelling any loose talk of an All-Ireland three-in-a-row.

"It's a distraction and you're getting into dangerous territory if you're putting that out there.

"A treble would be a massive achievement but it's something we’ re not going to focus on or think too much about as of now.

"For us, next year starts off with the O'Byrne Cup in January. Jim Gavin is very methodical and is process driven in the way he manages. He won't be letting the lads get carried away with talk of three-in-a-row in January."