Fergal Whitley: Diversity and depth are key for Dublin hurlers 

Fergal Whitley in action for Dublin in the Leinster hurling championship. Pic: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile.

This is no typical Dublin team that has reached a Leinster final and Fergal Whitley doesn’t deny it.

Exhibit A: His Kilmacud Crokes club-mate Brian Hayes who was man of the match in the recent win over Kilkenny. A player who didn’t feature for either of the county’s minors and U20 panels. Who couldn’t initially make it onto his club’s senior squad.

“It's testament to the work he's put in in the last few years,” says Whitely “A massive part of our game-plan. He’s a great inspiration for lads that you don't have to do it in a certain way going through development squads.”

Exhibit B: John Hetherton. The St Vincent’s man who turns 34 this year and made his first championship start last year, eight years after his previous SHC appearance for Dublin.

“Anyone who knows the Dublin club championship knows Hedgo's been a brilliant player for Vincent's for a number of years,” Whitely points out.

“Now, he has been around Dublin set-ups in the past. I think actually when I made my debut, he came on as well that day too against Galway, in 2017.

“I think there's probably been, maybe the last few years, more of an emphasis put on the big man in the square. Look at other teams, how they've used it.

“I say that, but Hedgo's able to, you saw the last day, he can take balls hit into the corner as well. He's not just a big man in the square. He's got unbelievable hands.

“So look, it's great for him. He really deserves it. He's got a family full of Dublin GAA tradition. And he's been brilliant.”

Hayes and Hetherton are the ying and yang. For a team with players like Hayes who have speed to burn, Croke Park would appear an ideal venue but as they showed against Kilkenny in Parnell Park they can go direct via the likes of Hetherton too.

“If you look at the players we have around the middle, they're made for Croke Park,” Whitely highlights.

“But I think too, one of the reasons we've gotten positive performance over the last few weeks is that we can do it in different ways. We have big lads inside, but then we have runners through the middle, and then we have shooters too from long range.

“And we've found a really good balance of different ways of scoring. And I think that's the same, whether it's here (Parnell Park) or in Croke Park.”

Galway are one team that can match them for legs, Whitely feels.

“They’re a team that are going to relish playing in Croke Park with their young players and the legs that they have. So, we're under no illusions.

“We're going to have to bring the work rate to another level. I suppose in Parnell Park it's tight and congested. It's probably conducive to tackles whereas we're going to have to work that bit harder in Croke Park on a big pitch.”

Whitely himself is playing the best hurling of his career and he suggests it’s because he has had to. “At times maybe I didn't perform, and then someone else comes in and they do, and they take your spot.

“I know the nature of this, it's a high-performance sport, and I think, for me, the last two or three years, this is the strongest Dublin panel I've ever been involved with.

“You see the strength of the Dublin club championship, it's so competitive. As well, we've had a few injuries the last few weeks, and you maybe wouldn't have noticed it as much as maybe other years, because lads have just come in and it's next man up mentality.”

Saturday’s Leinster final marks the first of two Croke Park visits in three days for Fergal Whitely. On Monday, he brings his Scoil St Treasa team from Mount Merrion there for the Cumann na mBunscol final. 

Team-mate Dara Purcell is also helping out. Combined with the provincial final, it’s a heady time for the students.

“It is really important because I know when I was growing up, I would have followed the Dublin team that would have won the league final in 2011 and won Leinster in 2013. So I know the value in it and having role models and looking up to lads playing with Dublin and winning with Dublin too.”