Howard on the desire that still drives Dubs

If Brian Howard's words are anything to go by, inter-county football squads around the country can't forget any notion that Dublin players' desire to accumulate All-Ireland medals is going to diminish any time soon.

Players in other counties are happy to depart the inter-county stage having reached the Sam Maguire summit just once.

But the Dubs just keep on keeping on even though influential performers such as Michael Darragh MacAuley, Philly McMahon, Diarmuid Connolly, Paddy Andrews, Kevin McManamon and latterly Dean Rock have had to be replaced in recent years.

Their already historic 2019 five-in-a-row became six a year later and while they were beaten at the All-Ireland semi-final stage in 2021 and 2022, Stephen Cluxton, Mick Fitzsimons and James McCarthy became the all-time record holders with nine winners' medals when Dessie Farrell's side saw off David Clifford and Co last July.

A quarter-final against Galway at Croke Park on Saturday is next up for the Dubs as they aim for yet more success in this year's championship.

Brogan and Flynn 'were like machines'

For his part, Raheny club-man Howard has a 'mere' five All-Ireland senior medals so is determined to experience that moment "of walking up the steps" at Croke Park again.

Howard says the example of people like Bernard Brogan and Paul Flynn in the latter stages of their Dublin careers, just as he was beginning his in 2017, was instructive in terms of how he should approach inter-county football.

"When I came into the team, they were going for a three in a row in 2017," recalled the 27-year-old at last week's launch of the All-Ireland SFC knockout rounds in Maghera.

"The likes of Bernard Brogan and Paul Flynn, they just wanted to keep winning and they were machines. That was sort of passed down to me.

"I came in in 2017 and got a small glimpse of what it looked like on the pitch on being a part of it. I was on the bench the day of the final.

"The following year that was all I wanted to do. Play a part in terms of actually being on the pitch and thankfully I did in 2018.

"It’s such an amazing feeling. You can’t really even describe it until you’ve been in it and trying to chase that again is something that you look for."

Four more All-Ireland medals later, Howard says the sheer thrill of the achievement is hugely enhanced by the joy that it brings family, friends and club.

"It’s more I love making my family proud and my girlfriend Eimear, all my friends , the club……it’s more other people is the main joy of it and the force behind me of wanting to achieve success."

All those loved ones know that playing for the Dubs means certain christenings and weddings and stag weekends are not going to happen for Brian.

"The circle that you have around you, they know exactly what’s required.

"And it’s not just Dublin, all counties, there are huge sacrifices and commitment to be representing your county.

"It’s a lifestyle, you do have to sacrifice a lot but there is time for your social life and to go back to your club.

"But when you’re in the high performance environment, you just want to be successful, you do whatever it takes."

Band of brothers element

Howard admits the band of brothers element is inevitably a huge part of the mix.

"The feeling of winning an All-Ireland is something I don’t think you can ever replicate.

"And when you have that agenda in you, it’s just raw emotion and to share with lads that you’ve been through the trenches with. You’ve had those dark nights in early December or whenever it is."

And while the competition for places in the Dublin team has been fierce during Howard's career, he says that has never impacted on the collective.

"That was a huge thing for me when I came in. These lads [experienced players like Bernard Brogan] had every right in their own head to be angry about not playing or not starting in the 15 when what they had done for Dublin football was generational and had changed the way Dublin played football.

"The likes of Bernard, Paul Flynn, Kevin McManamon and Mick Macauley. To see how they handled themselves in terms of their professionalism.

"Just say I was up against Paul Flynn [for a starting place], he wanted nothing more than for me to play well on the pitch even if that meant he was still on the sideline or Bernard Brogan or Diarmuid Connolly or whoever it was, they would always encourage you and they’d want what’s better for the team.

"You put your ego aside and concentrate on what’s best for the team. And if that’s you putting an arm around the shoulder at half-time in a game or that’s you kicking the winning score, everybody plays a role."

Howard's involvement in the GAA is not just confined to playing for club and county because his day job has him in the role of the Gaelic Players Association's educational manager whose duties include helping inter-county players fulfil their academic potential.

"I know from being a player myself, the commitment that goes into that, you can be tunnel visioned and you might neglect your studies or your work life and career.

"And when you get to the later end and you are thinking about retirement, that you might have regrets.

"It’s trying to build them up off the pitch so that when they leave [inter-county football] they can still perform at the highest level in their careers."

Mayo game equaliser 'off the cuff'

No doubt a certain fixture on Saturday has been coming up in conversation during the course of the current working week.

Cormac Costello's last-gasp point which snatched the 0-17 to 0-17 draw against Mayo in Roscommon meant a weekend off for the Dubs before they learnt their quarter-final opposition on Monday morning.

Costello's equaliser typified the composure Dublin have shown time and time since they regained the All-Ireland title for the first time in 16 years back in 2011.

Ryan O'Donoghue's point seemed to have ensure Mayo's direct progression to the last eight only for Ciaran Kilkenny to win the subsequent long kickout from Cluxton before Jack McCaffrey's charge set up Costello to level.

"Stephen [Cluxton] obviously one of the all-time greats, his execution of the kick, Ciaran being the man he is, able to get up…….it was just completely off the cuff.

"You have principles in place that you’d like this to happen but if we tried to do that 10 more times in a game, it probably wouldn’t come off.

"Ryan O’Donoghue kicked an amazing point to put Mayo one up. In that moment, it would have been very easy to go into ourselves and say ‘we came out on the wrong side’."

But that's not Dublin.