Latest news with #NIALLSCULLY
The Irish Sun
16-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Niall Scully gives definitive answer to whether he considered joining Dublin panel exodus over winter
NIALL SCULLY gave no consideration to joining the winter exodus from the Dublin panel. When the Sky Blues Brian Fenton, James McCarthy, Paul Mannion, Mick Fitzsimons and Jack McCaffrey — who all started the one-point loss to Pádraic Joyce's men in the 2024 quarter-final — have stepped away. But Scully, who recently turned 31, said: 'I could understand why anyone would but I had a couple of years on the panel where I wasn't making it. 'It wouldn't have felt right for me. 'I worked incredibly hard to get to where I am. I wouldn't be able to give it up this season.' Read More On GAA Scully played alongside Fenton, Mannion and McCaffrey on the Dublin team that won the All-Ireland Under-21 title back in 2014. But he had to bide his time before establishing himself at senior level, with the Templeogue Synge Street man eventually making his Championship debut against Carlow in 2017. He added: 'The biggest factor was when I sat down to think about it, you work so hard to get yourself into that position and it just wouldn't have felt comfortable to just walk away.' The number of key players who exited the set-up in one fell swoop left a gaping hole in the Dublin team. Most read in GAA Football And that was exposed by Meath in last month's stunning semi-final win that ruined the Dubs' hopes of a 15th Leinster title on the bounce. The setback has also forced Dessie Farrell's side to survive a daunting group that also includes Derry and Armagh if they are to remain Sam Maguire contenders. Gardai investigating as GAA fans engage in brawl in shop Yet Scully did not feel an added sense of duty to return for another season of inter-county football after seeing so many of his former team-mates opting out. The 2020 All-Star wing-forward said: 'Not really, to be honest. 'I haven't been to that stage where I felt like I wanted to walk away and could potentially feel guilty about doing so. 'I didn't have anything like that. 'Again, I'd be hoping to play for three or four seasons, or more, if I can. I'm fortunate enough that I haven't had to think in terms of that.' Scully admits that his role has changed now that he is one of the elder statesmen in the Dublin team. On the side that was stunned by the Royals, the five-time All-Ireland winner was the third-oldest outfield player behind John Small and Ciarán Kilkenny. He said: 'Previously you would have fitted into the squad and gone along with everything. 1 Scully never really considered calling time on his inter-county career 'Now there are lads on the panel who were born in 2002 and 2003 and it's just, 'What?' and in terms of my own, absolutely. 'There's a group of eight or nine of us that are senior and the senior part of the group. 'We like to think that we're in a position to lead by example by sharing the knowledge that we have. 'You're looking for these younger lads to fit into it and set their own tempo and identity on the squad as well.'
The 42
01-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Dublin's Niall Scully: 'You can't just go on blindly and hope that you figure it out'
NIALL SCULLY DIDN'T waste any time. After years of being a serial Leinster and All-Ireland winner, an early provincial championship exit last Sunday was a jolt to the system. But his video analysis routine of Dublin games didn't alter because they were toppled by Meath in Portlaoise. 'I would've went home and not watched it and then woke up on Monday and had a watch. You're just trying to look for learnings. I'd be more than be happy to park it but I do think you have to address that and you can't just go on blindly and hope that you figure it out. 'Just throw it on and go through it. Now in fairness, I'd be more so looking at my own individual performance before I'd be looking elsewhere. 'I don't think, as a team and as a collective, you can't have any complaints from the performances of both sides on the day. Meath are a good side. 'They came with a game plan and they executed it. Down the last 10 minutes, we'd a lot of unforced turnovers and our execution was off. Against Kerry down there (in the league), all them opportunities that we had came off and the execution was correct. It's probably a fine balance between the two.' Advertisement Scully was yesterday in Cork as SuperValu announced a five-year renewal of their All-Ireland football sponsorship announcement. He spoke in advance of the lunchtime group stage draw that revealed Dublin were drawn against the Connacht champions, the Ulster runner-up, and Derry. But the prospect of meeting highly-rated sides was never an issue. 'You're gonna have to play these teams eventually. That's an exciting prospect. A provincial winner at home in their venue is quite exciting.' Still of the belief that Dublin have the capacity to win the All-Ireland this year? 'Absolutely, yeah.' That confidence is matched by an appreciation that they have areas to target for improvement. Possession retention from kickouts cropped up as a problem on Sunday. 'Previously when we were playing Meath, you would know that you're playing them. They were always a big, physical group, so I definitely felt that at the weekend and they obviously targeted our kickouts and got a good bit of joy out of it. 'If you're not winning your kickouts, you have less of the ball and less plays for us to attack. I think the rules do suit the way that we're trying to play. But again, at the weekend, you'd a huge wind and us kicking against the wind and a press coming on…and we just couldn't figure out how to get our hands on the ball. The kickouts are probably a lot more crucial to what they would have been previously. 'And it's no different, we go after everybody else's kickouts no different to how somebody would come after ours.' Related Reads The key talking points after All-Ireland senior football group stage draw Dublin pitted against Connacht champions, Ulster runners-up, and Derry in All-Ireland SFC draw Here's this week's GAA inter-county schedule and TV coverage Using injuries and the lack of a Croke Park advantage as reasons for their defeat, are batted away by Scully. 'I've played a fair few seasons and we have gone through the Super 8s and the new system where you are playing games outside Croke Park and for us and the supporters it is a huge experience. 'It is something that we kind of look forward to. I know my family love coming together and travelling to games like that. I don't see that as something that we buy into, no. 'I don't think the injuries have been a fair reflection on why we lost – I have the belief that the squad that took to the pitch on the day is good enough to get over the line.' Amidst the disappointment over their performance and the setback they suffered, there is a belief in Dublin's ability to recover. 'It's more being disappointed in the performance knowing how we could have played But, the setbacks that we already had, we've been relegated to Division 2 and won an All-Ireland from Division 2. We'll treat this no differently than we would have treated that. We need to regroup.'
