String of early setbacks sorely tested Dean Rock's resolve

Dean Rock admits the thought of stepping away from consideration for Dublin did cross his mind briefly early on in his career amid injuries and non-selection before his fortunes turned decisively towards a golden era that saw him win eight All-Ireland medals.

The 33-year-old called time on his inter-county career earlier this week, bringing the curtain down on an ultra-successful trajectory that saw him play a pivotal part in many of Dublin's successes over the past decade-and-a-half.

But it wasn't always so easy for Rock as he recalled on RTÉ's Sunday Sport whilst at Croke Park.

"Everyone has their own unique story but certainly mine was quite challenging," he said.

"I was on the bench here when Dublin lost by 17 points to Kerry in 2009 as a 19-year-old.

"I was on the bench that day and I didn't feature in a championship game again until 2013, so it was a long journey.

"I suppose I probably, under Pat Gilroy, didn't fit into his style of play, and I found that quite difficult to break in there and just had to show a lot of perseverance and resilience to come back and eventually get back in there in 2013 when Jim [Gavin] came in really."

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The successive setbacks between 2009 and his first All-Ireland medal four years later did test Rock's resolve.

"It certainly would have crossed your mind," he said of potentially walking awya from the Dublin setup.

"I would have been dropped off the panel in 2010 and then tore my hamstring off the bone in 2011, so I was gone for nine