King Con is the main reason why many fancy Cuala to give All-Ireland a shot
“He always had that ruthless streak to take on defenders; where other lads would kick the handy point, Con is very quick to assess there’s something more there, to drive hard and create a goalscoring opportunity'' - Dessie Farrell
It's not even three weeks since Cuala won their first ever senior Dublin football title. On Saturday, they will play in the Leinster club championship for the first time, taking on Naas in the quarter-finals in Newbridge.
Yet, even though they are in uncharted territory, Cuala are third favourites to go all the way and win the All-Ireland.
That's partly due to the track record of Dublin champions - they tend to go deep into the competition. But it's also due to the impact of Con O'Callaghan, who can play against Naas after his red card from the county final win over Kilmacud Croke was overturned.
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O'Callaghan is a serial winner, and one of the few forwards who can win games on his own.
O’Callaghan’s power on and off the ball, coupled with his willingness to seize opportunities when they arise are two of his outstanding attributes, according to former Dublin centre-back Johnny Magee. And he feels that the way modern defending has changed is also a factor.
"For me, outside the top 10 defenders in the game, one on one defending in today’s game is quite poor,'' he said.
"A lot more defenders are comfortable when there is an extra man sitting in front of them and this is something that Con has identified."
There are days when he has fisted points, days when he has passed to a teammate in a better position, but O'Callaghan has that habit of the greats. Think green flag first, and then make the call.
"I was always told to go for goal, whenever I got the chance,' he once explained.
"If it is on, go for it. If it is not, take your point. That's what you should do as a forward.
"My first instinct is to go for goal. That's the way I always have been.''
The sporting genes always gave O'Callaghan a chance. His father, Maurice, came on as a sub for Joe McNally in Dublin's 1984 All-Ireland final defeat to Kerry.
His mother, Rionach, was one of the most celebrated hockey players in the capital. She played in goals for Ireland at the 1986 World Cup.
As for O'Callaghan, they always said that he could turn his hand to anything.
Remember what Kilkenny great Tommy Walsh said about him a few years ago?
He declared that O'Callaghan was the best hurler in Ireland - even though he has never played a senior intercounty game.
There's a reason why TG4 often make a beeline for O'Callaghan after they've broadcast Dublin matches.
It's not just that he may well have won the man-of-the-match award. O'Callaghan is a fluent Irish speaker, having attended Coláiste Eoin in Booterstown.
Dublin manager Dessie Farrell worked with O’Callaghan at underage level too and has talked of how the talk that it all came to him naturally doesn’t stack up.
“He definitely wasn’t the finished article,” he said. “He was a potent forward but you can see since he’s spent time on becoming more proficient in his kicking.
“He always had that ruthless streak to take on defenders; where other lads would kick the handy point, Con is very quick to assess there’s something more there, to drive hard and create a goalscoring opportunity.
“He has that killer instinct and now his finishing is more polished.”
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