Dublin selector, Mick Galvin, has shed light on how Micheal Fitzsimons succeeded in neutralising Kerry's David Clifford during last weekend's All-Ireland Final showdown.
Clifford, who is widely regarded as the best footballer in the country, had an off day and only managed to score 4 points in the game last weekend. This was partly due to a poor game and Fitzsimons' stellar performance.
The talk leading up to the game all week was about which Dublin defender would try and tame the Kerry starlet.
Galvin explained that without hesitation Fitzsimons offered to do it.
“He was the first guy to put his hand up,” said Galvin to GAA.IE. “And we'd listen to players. We make decisions on who we'd like on match-ups, and often we'd consult the players, and Mick Fitz put his hand up straight away and said 'I have this one'."
“Somehow he's never got goal chances against Mick, which is hugely important. Listen, Clifford is going to score."
.@DubGAAOfficial selector, Mick Galvin, knew that plenty of people doubted Dessie Farrell and his management team before last Sunday's All-Ireland win, but he never had any doubts himself in what they were doing. #GAABelong
— The GAA (@officialgaa) August 3, 2023
Clifford would struggle throughout the afternoon, and after a number of wides in the tie, it was Fitzsimons who came out happier of the two in the end. His display meant that Dublin won their first Sam Maguire since 2020, and that he personally won his 9th All-Ireland medal.
Galvin commended the 34-year-old for his display as he knows that not many people in the country would offer to mark someone as talented as Clifford, especially in the All-Ireland final with so much at stake.
“His first score from play, Mick was all over him, and yet he still got a shot away into the hill. But, no, Mick is just an amazing, amazing man. He wanted Clifford from Day One, and that could have backfired. It's a brave thing to do, put your hand up and say you want to mark probably the best we've ever seen."
“The week before, his head was stuck in the laptop matching Clifford's movement. Then he'd go out on the pitch, and he's pulling guys over to him and replicating it at the end of training, saying 'this is what Clifford does, I want you to do it for me'."
“So, for the last two or three weeks, the homework was done. And sometimes it backfires on the day, but the detail was there. The devil was in the detail, and Mick was ready to go. And, touch wood, he got the performance.”
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