Denis Bastick: I learned from criticism

Denis Bastick has won All-Irelands, Leinster titles and Allianz Leagues in his decade with Dublin, but the midfielder hasn’t forgotten the low of 2009 when a season’s stint at full-back triggered a cascade of criticism in the wake of their quarter-final defeat to Kerry.

Dublin had sauntered through Leinster again before facing a Kerry side that was well-beaten by Cork in Munster and one which had stuttered past Longford, Sligo and Antrim in the qualifiers. No-one expected what happened next: a 17-point win for the Kingdom.

The post-mortem was ruthless with Bastick’s stationing, and performance, at full-back one of the sticks used to beat the Dubs with after yet another frustrating end to their annual odyssey to reclaim Sam Maguire for the first time since 1995.