1. An All-Ireland winter driving us home for Christmas
In the canon of uplifting triumphs over grim adversity, the GAA’s herculean achievement in staring down Covid-19 merits the highest battle ribbon.
The thrill of the 2020 championship was that it was born at all, a two-month cavalcade of hope and joy and defiance that somehow survived every ambush an evil and cheerless pathogen could lay along the December road.
Those Saturdays and Sundays in front of the TV brought comfort, the oxygen of anticipation and an urgently required chink of normality, food for the soul in a year when so many were starved of the nutrients of human company.
SINGER Damien Dempsey admits he’s “thrilled” at the viral sensation caused by an electric video which of Dublin players celebrating their historic All-Ireland victory on Saturday.
Dubs fan Damien has heaped praise on the team members for paying homage to one of his songs during their after-match high jinks.
In an exclusive interview with SundayWorld.com Damien said the session reminded kindled memories going all the way back to the Gaelic League from the 19
th century.
A number of Dublin players initially start ceili dancing to the music of Damien’s ‘Apple of My Eye’, before they are joined by several more in a sing song.
Gaelic football team of the year: Peter Canavan selects his standout XV for 2020 Dublin lead the way with nine representatives on the team. Mayo have three players on the side, two Cavan players are included, with one from Munster champions Tipperary making up the XV. Peter Canavan also selects his Footballer of the Year for 2020.
Last Updated: 22/12/20 11:51am Brian Fenton and Con O Callaghan are two of the first names on the team-sheet
Sky Sports pundit Peter Canavan selects his team of the year, after Dublin retained their All-Ireland title.
1. Raymond Galligan (Cavan)
There was a choice of three goalkeepers here. David Clarke came into the reckoning. Barring his kick-outs in the second-half of the semi-final win over Tipperary, he had a stellar year; making some eye-catching saves against the Premier and delivering from restarts in the decider, finding his targets 18/22 times.
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Con O Callaghan: I am blessed to be playing with so many good players, lads that I looked up to
Another All-Ireland win and another key goal in a big game for the Cuala player. By Fintan O Toole Monday 21 Dec 2020, 10:49 AM Dec 21st 2020, 10:49 AM 6,039 Views 6 Comments
Con O Callaghan celebrates Dublin s win over Mayo.
Image: Morgan Treacy/INPHO
Image: Morgan Treacy/INPHO
FIVE ALL-IRELAND senior medals in the pocket now for Con O’Callaghan and his influence on Dublin’s run of success shows no signs of abating.
Saturday saw him once again hit the net in a critical game for Dublin, slapping in the second goal of their win against Mayo.
Blessed O Callaghan finds his flow state
Updated / Monday, 21 Dec 2020
08:08
RTÉ Sport Reporter
The word privileged was never too far from Con O Callaghan s lips in his post-match round of interviews.
The Cuala player now holds four All-Ireland medals and is part of the ever-expanding group of Dublin footballers who ve never experienced defeat in the championship. We re very, very much aware of the privileged position that we re in, O Callaghan told RTÉ Sport after the game. And it s something that we do talk about in our bunker in DCU where we train. I love playing and I m blessed to be playing with so many players that I looked up to. To be playing with Stephen Cluxton, James McCarthy, even Mick Fitz (Fitzsimons) from my own club.