Kick early and often: How Dublin harness power of King Con O'Callaghan

Con O'Callaghan comes into Dublin’s 2024 Leinster football championship opener on Sunday playing closer to goal and off the back of his most prolific league campaign yet.

The Cuala forward scored 3-34 in total over the league, top scoring for Dublin and setting a new personal league record too. He scored 2-18 from play or marks, with 2-12 or 75% of that being converted from within the opposition 21-metre line. He also slotted five frees in there, all of which he won himself.

Whereas most top modern forwards favour coming out on the loop, within that 'Con danger zone' the Dublin attacker is at his most comfortable and presents the biggest threat. Meath beware, O'Callaghan already has 2-15 from play across his six league and championship starts against the Royals. So if he continues to be deployed and retained closer to goal, the three-time All-Star is set to carry some best-yet form into this championship.

It took the reigning champions until the third game of the league to start effectively utilising him. But given the opportunity, he turned their campaign around and Dessie Farrell’s team ultimately scored more in 2024 (13-142) than in any previous league campaign he, Jim Gavin or Pat Gilroy have been at the helm for.

In the first game of the league against Monaghan, the six-time All-Ireland winner had just three possessions inside the opposition 21, and just one more in the subsequent game against Mayo. They lost both matches.

The percentage of his in-play possessions occurring within the opposition 21 then rose from 15% in the opening two games, with no shots from play, to 2-12 and 45% in the remaining six games as Dublin won five in a row and reached the league final.

Against Roscommon he had 12 involvements inside the 21,