From their Santry hotel base on Sunday night to Monday’s official homecoming at Smithfield Square to Tuesday’s singsong with Damien Dempsey in the Lord Edward pub, the party has barely stopped for the Dublin footballers.
Redemption has been sweet and Dessie Farrell’s crew have been drinking it all in, though it will shortly be time to pull back on the boots.
The Dublin senior football championship begins next Wednesday evening with a blockbuster double header at Parnell Park that will be headlined by the meeting of Ballyboden St Enda’s and Ballymun Kickhams.
Dean Rock, due to get married to former Dublin ladies footballer Niamh McEvoy next Friday, indicated that he will be back from his stag party in Marbella, so could feature. All-Ireland winning Dublin captain James McCarthy, the Small brothers and Dubs reserve goalkeeper Evan Comerford are all clubmates so will be expected to be involved too. The presence of those players alone should ensure a decent crowd.
Yet the only player to have featured in every single game for Dublin this year, all 19 matches from the start of the O’Byrne Cup on January 4th in drizzly Baltinglass, to last weekend’s Croke Park win over Kerry, will be playing for opponents Ballyboden – Colm Basquel.
Among all the tales of Dublin comebacks, personal triumphs and last hurrahs, Basquel’s rise to prominence this year was compelling.
For a player who didn’t play a minute of last year’s National League or Championship campaigns to be currently fifth favourite for the Footballer of the Year award is some turnaround.
Basquel returned 6-25 from those 19 games across the 2023 season, with 5-18 of that delivered in a Championship campaign in which he started seven of Dublin’s nine outings.
At 27, a career that has simmered and stewed for the best part of five years has suddenly come bubbling to the boil.
“There were no promises, no guarantees,” said Dublin selector Mick Galvin regarding the terms of Basquel’s recall at the beginning of the year.
“I think he went travelling [last year], came back this year and, as I said, no guarantees. In November, he worked really hard in a development squad and he was just fantastic.
“By the time we got to Portugal for our training camp after the National League he was just flying, the lads loved him, he was in the middle of everything. It was just confidence, his talent was never in doubt and he just grew into the group this year and his performances were fantastic.”
It wasn’t so long ago that Basquel was being linked with a switch to Mayo, the county of his father, Noel. As was Colm’s elder brother, Ryan, who was on the bench for Dublin last weekend along with ‘Boden clubmate Ross McGarry.
Now, in light of Colm’s stunning campaign, and his impressive performance on his first ever All-Ireland senior final start, Farrell must view the younger Basquel brother as a key figure in his attack for 2024.
“Obnoxiously talented,” smiled Galvin. “I’ve never seen someone with a sidestep like him. For me, the goal he scored against Sligo, up in Cavan, that was the real kick-off for him. Someone told me that he was the top scorer in the Championship from play. I’m delighted for him.”
Galvin was correctly informed. Basquel’s two crucial second-half points in last weekend’s decider elevated him two clear of David Clifford in the overall top scorer from play ranks, 5-17 for Basquel to Clifford’s 3-21.
Perhaps the most exciting part from Dublin’s perspective is that if Colm can suddenly find this sort of form, then why not Ryan? Watching his little brother ignite as he has over the last nine months or so will surely give Ryan increased motivation for 2024.
His only appearance for Dublin this year was as a substitute against Meath in the National League, but when Seán Bugler dropped out of the matchday squad last weekend through injury, the older Basquel was the player Farrell reached for to wear number 17.
Retirements are likely in the coming weeks and months so opportunities will surely emerge.
“The depth that we have and the quality that we have, even guys that weren’t togged out last weekend, it’s huge,” said Ryan. “We have some great players there, the likes of Craig Dias, Greg McEneaney, there’s 10 other lads backing the thing up. The whole squad effort has been phenomenal.”
Whatever happens from here, for the two Basquels to win All-Ireland gold together last weekend was a standout family moment.
“Yeah, an unbelievable feeling,” nodded Ryan. “We had Brian O’Regan coaching and Ross McGarry there from the club as well. I’m just delighted for the lads.”
