Con O’Callaghan: I couldn’t watch Dean Rock’s winning free
Around 90 minutes earlier, the young centre-forward had set Dublin on their way with a brilliant solo goal in his first All-Ireland senior final start.
He was subbed off after 68 minutes and couldn’t bare to look up as Rock, with the scores tied, went through his pre-shot routine and booted that famous 76th minute free.
“I wasn’t watching the match at that stage, to be honest,” said O’Callaghan. “I had my head in my hands, looking at my feet. But even though I wasn’t watching I backed Dean. The lads beside me eventually jumped up, so I knew he’d got it.”
David Clarke fired the subsequent kick-out over the sideline and Dublin held onto possession for the next 70 seconds until full time was sounded. By that stage, they’d been forced to retreat all the way back down the field and across their own goals.
“We probably thought that it might get blown up a little earlier. When we started going into the corner we were lucky enough not to get turned over,” said O’Callaghan. “But we got it in the end, thankfully the ref blew the whistle.”
Even though it was O’Callaghan’s first All-Ireland senior win as a player with Dublin, you couldn’t say for certain that it was his sweetest success. The 21-year-old has come through a remarkable 12 months which has yielded an U21 All-Ireland medal and one with the Cuala club hurlers.
“They’re both incredible,” said O’Callaghan of the senior wins with club and county. “They’re both things that you dream of, the one with the club in particular is special because you’re with your brothers, your cousins, lads you grew up.
“But then being able to represent your club by playing for the county is also incredible. It probably hasn’t sunk in that I’ve just won an All-Ireland there as well.”
