There was a time when Dessie Farrell’s only big concern in the world of GAA was about leading the Dublin footballers, writes An Fear Rua …

That was back in 1998, ’99 and 2000 when he captained the capital’s senior football team. Not with a great deal of success on the playing field, it has to be said. Now, however, he has moved on to bigger challenges of leadership. Farrell has become something of a leader for footballers in many other counties, albeit if that leadership is not yet completely recognised by everyone, least of all the senior officials and officers of Dis Great Assssoooossheayshun Of Ours.

Farrell has been Chief Executive of the Gaelic Players’ Association since its foundation. While he normally pronounces publicly on controversial issues – like the rewards for players – his comments on Sunday’s clash between Dublin and Kerry in the All Ireland senior football final might almost be taken as those of a neutral players’ ‘leader’.

He has more than earned his right to comment – an All Ireland senior medal with the Dubs in ’95, six Leinster senior medals, a League medal and a tally of three goals and fifty eight points scored while wearing the distinctive navy-and-sky-blue colours.

The form book in Munster doesn’t tell us much about this game, particularly after Cork dished out a hammering to Dublin’s more usual betes noires, the men from Royal Meath. Farrell believes Kerry didn’t really show their full hand in Munster and there could be a good game in them yet.

‘From a Dublin perspective it’s all to play for’, says Dessie.

The big gain he sees in Dublin’s performance this year is the level of consistency in their performances – being able to do it week in, week out: ‘They’ve shown that three Leinster titles is not just a statistic. Ciarán Whelan has been very consistent this year as has Mark Vaughan. I think you need that, particularly from a free taker. You need a free taker that’s slotting the frees and scoring from general play as well, because it can be quite disheartening for forwards if they’re shipping heavy tackles, winning frees, putting themselves about winning frees and they’re not being converted. So, it can kind of ebb away the confidence a little. So, it’s great to see the forwards’ hard work being rewarded.’

Asked if there was greater depth in Dublin’s panel this year, Farrell said he believed this was something they’d looked at: ‘They need to keep things fresh. They need to keep introducing new faces. I think that’s the key to success and consistency year after year. Long may that continue from a Dublin perspective.’

He may be leader for hundreds of players from diverse counties.. But, at heart, Dessie Farrell is still a true Dub.