Kerrie Finnegan steps back to help Dubs move forward

You would not have seen as many double-takes had Aisling Maher rocked up for Dublin's opening Very League outing of the year in Oulart wearing a gorilla suit, tutu and high heels.

The former All-Star full-forward, the Blues’ primary attacking option for the best part of a decade, had 14 imprinted on her back but was lining up at centre-back against Wexford.

We know now how well the relocation has worked and should not have been surprised by that, really. A player of Maher’s skill, intelligence, craft and vision is always likely to flourish with a blank canvas in front of her.

As a quarter-back who can read the game, she has the opportunity now to impact games in a more holistic manner than heretofore. Think Anne Dalton or Gemma O’Connor.

It isn’t the only switch Bill McCormack and his brains trust made. Indeed there has been a whole lot of alterations and to a large extent, they have worked with the Dubs promoted to Division 1A of the League as Division 1B champions, feeling like they left a Leinster title behind them when leaving it late to take off the shackles against Kilkenny in the final.

Now they're putting themselves in a position where they are a win against Group 2 basement dwellers Down away from reaching the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior quarter-final.

Kerrie Finnegan is another poacher-turned-gamekeeper. The third year TUD optometry student is more comfortable with her position at wing-back now, after learning to balance the defensive mindset while still using her attacking instincts to good effect.

"Forwards are a bit more selfish but I think I've got the hang of it now."

"I would never have seen the backs until this year," says Finnegan. "The management decided to do a few positional changes for a couple of