Michael Verney was on Monday’s OTB AM to talk about the role of Chris Crummey in Dublin’s dramatic win over Galway.
“It was a massive chance to make a massive statement and they just took it.
“Chris Crummey like, what was he even doing up there? For the penalty and the goal. That’s just a leader saying ‘we’re going to need something special to make this happen,’ and he just took the bull by the horns,” Verney said.
Verney had strong words of praise for the Dubs’ captain, who scored one goal and created another by winning a penalty for the home side.
Crummey wasn’t the only Dublin man who impressed, with 36-year-old Conal Keaney also putting in a massive shift for his side.
“He’s been retired twice now at this stage. He just can’t be broken down. There was a ruck ball in amongst about twenty people and he just came out with it, totally defiant,” Verney said.
The Ballyboden St. Enda’s man made his senior Dublin debut 18 years ago and was showing no signs of age in his most recent outing.
“You can have all your youth, pace and everything, but it’s hard to beat someone like that. He has just continuously stood up under pressure for the last ten years. He left the most successful football team we’ve ever seen.
“When he left they went on to have outrageous success. He left to go back to his true love, which is hurling. While they haven’t won too much, they’ve got a league and a Leinster title, but it’s for nights like that why he went back,” Verney commented.
Galway woes
While it was jubilation for Dublin it was despair for Galway as the 2017 All-Ireland Champions found themselves dumped out of the competition in the provincial stage.
While few would’ve predicted the Tribesmen going out so early, Verney felt that the same issues from last year resulted in their early exit this year.
“They’re capable of doing this kind of blitz and then they just seem to switch off. They bring some trouble on themselves,” Verney said of Galway.
“They haven’t impressed really this year. I still think in the Kilkenny game they were hanging on.
“Even Joe Canning coming on, Jesus he must be the most frustrated man in Ireland. Rehab for 12 weeks, they probably rushed him back the other night and now his summer is over.”
Dublin go through to the preliminary quarter-finals where they will face either Laois or Westmeath while Galway have a long break ahead of them.
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