More game-time could have tempted Bryan Cullen to stay on at Dublin

All-Ireland winning Dublin captain Bryan Cullen has admitted he may have prolonged his county career if he’d been a regular starter.

The 2011 Sam Maguire winning skipper retired last month having been reduced to the role of impact sub for the past two seasons.

The Skerries man, just 30, said that becoming a fringe player wasn’t the only reason he quit but admitted it was a contributing factor.

Cullen started every game for Dublin in the successful 2011 season and again in 2012 under former boss Pat Gilroy but got just one Championship start from 11 games under Jim Gavin’s reign.

That sole appearance was the 2013 All-Ireland quarter-final against Cork, when he was the first player to be taken off, and he appeared just twice as a sub in last year’s Leinster campaign.

“It wasn’t the sole reason I decided to walk away, absolutely it was a contributing factor,” said Cullen.

“I suppose, had I been more involved, it definitely would have been harder to walk away.

“But the way things had gone for me in the last two years, and also with getting a bit busier in work as well, I just felt it was the right thing to do.”

Manager Gavin stated after Cullen’s announcement last month that he felt the versatile half-forward could have played on.

“I’m sure he could have,” said Gavin. “I mean, physically, he was in great condition. Mentally, he’s strong as well and he has all the technical attributes that you’d want in a senior footballer.”

But two-time All-Ireland medallist Cullen, who is a strength and conditioning coach with Leinster’s rugby academy, said he’s happy with his decision.

“It was a very difficult decision, probably a lot of toing and froing, mentally, but I think it was the right call,” said Cullen.

“Looking back now, I’m happy with my decision. In an ideal world, everyone wants to go out on a high.

“But, in reality, it doesn’t happen for most athletes. Most footballers, generally, finish up on the bench. That’s what happened me.

“But I had 10 or 12 years playing for Dublin. I’m lucky enough to walk away with a bunch of provincial medals, national league titles and All-Ireland medals.”

Cullen was the star of an online video that went viral last August, showing him kicking a rugby ball beautifully during a ‘crossbar challenge’ with Leinster colleagues and he struck the bar.

Asked if he’d consider switching codes for the remainder of his playing days, he rejected the idea out of hand. “That was just me kicking a ball, there’s a big difference between doing that and actually playing,” he said.

“I haven’t played rugby since I was a schoolboy and all my focus now is on playing with the club and doing well with Skerries.”

As for transferring his coaching skills to Dublin GAA at some point in the future, Cullen similarly kicked to touch.

“I don’t know to be honest, I’ve only finished up as a player a few weeks,” he said. “If I was to become involved with Dublin in the future I think it would be well down the line.”