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Sad to hear he is retiring but time waits for no man, a class player with nerves of steel, hope he enjoys his retirement and continues to contribute to help the next generation of players, a great role model for any young player to follow.
Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3029 - 16/01/2024 15:07:48
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A Dublin GAA legend from a legendary Dublin GAA family.
Criminally underrated from play on the biggest days. His tallies from play in All-Ireland Finals and All-Ireland Semi-Finals are very good but often got labelled as "just a feeetaker". Luckily for Dublin other teams seemed to buy into that as he was rarely targeted or double up on which allowed him to make hay. Between 2016 and 2020 he was as good as anyone from play on the biggest days and in many ways the Dublin attack was actually built around Rock rather than anyone else through those years.
To be fair to those who labelled him just a freetaker he was pretty excellent at that!
The tiny village (if you can even call it a village more a pub and a church!) of Ballymadun has produced to legendary Dublin footballers which is pretty amazing. A few pints in the Foxes in Ballymadun at some stage in order to celebrate the brilliant Rock Family!
MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13779 - 16/01/2024 15:15:21
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Replying To Royalblufill: "Congratulations to Dean on an outstanding career! He was a truly great servant to Dublin GAA and never took playing for the Dubs for granted. He and his wife Niamh have 13 All Ireland medals between them - an incredible haul! Best of luck to them both in GAA retirement - I'm sure we will be seeing them on our screens and elsewhere before too long!! True blues both!
The big question is - will their kids play for Kickhams or Syls!!! Haha!!" Syls might get that one!
BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3118 - 16/01/2024 15:35:33
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Replying To gahfan: "I prefer the Mayo players myself, not a fan of the dubs" he will be gutted to hear that, thats his career legacy ruined
Stmunnsriver (Wexford) - Posts: 2891 - 16/01/2024 17:01:46
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A class act. Best of luck in your retirement Dean.
GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7651 - 16/01/2024 17:05:35
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Replying To MesAmis: "A Dublin GAA legend from a legendary Dublin GAA family.
Criminally underrated from play on the biggest days. His tallies from play in All-Ireland Finals and All-Ireland Semi-Finals are very good but often got labelled as "just a feeetaker". Luckily for Dublin other teams seemed to buy into that as he was rarely targeted or double up on which allowed him to make hay. Between 2016 and 2020 he was as good as anyone from play on the biggest days and in many ways the Dublin attack was actually built around Rock rather than anyone else through those years.
To be fair to those who labelled him just a freetaker he was pretty excellent at that!
The tiny village (if you can even call it a village more a pub and a church!) of Ballymadun has produced to legendary Dublin footballers which is pretty amazing. A few pints in the Foxes in Ballymadun at some stage in order to celebrate the brilliant Rock Family!" Never heard him described as just a free taker or under rated? Not once in all my discussions with people from various counties.
TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8155 - 16/01/2024 17:42:49
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Dean retiring makes me feel old! I remember seeing his dad playing minor for Dublin and now he's actually retiring! 2 great servants of Dublin football.
Any sign of another pebble stepping up?
St.Conleth (Kildare) - Posts: 1701 - 16/01/2024 17:54:37
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Replying To TheUsername: "Sad news, he will be missed, what a career, what a collection of honours and thoroughly respected throughout the game.
All the above even more incredible when you consider he only really began to break through from 13 -15, Absolute ice cold veined free taker and you knew if a team just pulled down Dublin players which was the case - he would punish.
A credit to himself and his level of determination to achieve, that he was considered surplus between 11-13 and had to break into what proved the most successful forward line of the era - plenty of other players tried and failed. Was far more then a set piece taker, he developed into a really good, clever corner forward and often was the maker and taker of some great and really important goals. He had great decision making, he was brave enogh to take a shot on and clever enough to know if someone had a better one and pass it.
The man you want over the ball in a clutch moment - how many times have we seen with a medal on the line. Always an indication of a great player. To finish as Dublin All time leading goal scorer is an inedible achievement, considering the era he played in and success he achieved.
Many will remember the GPS point to win the All Ireland final. But for me his and one of the greatest performances of any Dublin player over this incredible Dublin era, was the first final game VS Kerry for the 5 in a row in 2019. The game was going against Dublin, ball wasn't sticking and points were hard to come by and the pressure was building, step forward Deano, he led the team that day, set the tone, caught airplanes and simply refused for Dublin to be beaten that day - for me its perhaps one of the greatest and most influential individual performances by a Dublin player ive seen, id have to check but i think he hit double figures also that day . We weren't winning the five in a row without that performance that day.
Owes Dublin nothing, but thanks for everything Deano, absolute Dublin legend.
You will be missed, but always revered wherever the Dubs are." He was brilliant in the drawn final in 2019. 10 points (6 frees, 4 from play). Dublin's only forward who fired that day.
Cluxton, McCaffrey and Rock kept the 5 in a row alive that day.
MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13779 - 16/01/2024 18:44:35
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Ahh best of luck to my fellow Meath man in his retirement
royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 16/01/2024 19:28:17
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Replying To royaldunne: "Ahh best of luck to my fellow Meath man in his retirement" Ah now RD - Ballymadun is just inside the Dub border! It is in the parish of Garristown! The Foxes does a great pint and the big fire makes a it a trip to Dublin worthwhile!
Deans dad, Barney, finished out his playing days with their parish team, Garristown! Won a junior championship with them in his 40s - top scored in the final!
Dean is a Dub! End of story!!
Royalblufill (Meath) - Posts: 511 - 16/01/2024 21:29:02
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Replying To Royalblufill: "Ah now RD - Ballymadun is just inside the Dub border! It is in the parish of Garristown! The Foxes does a great pint and the big fire makes a it a trip to Dublin worthwhile!
Deans dad, Barney, finished out his playing days with their parish team, Garristown! Won a junior championship with them in his 40s - top scored in the final!
Dean is a Dub! End of story!!" Isn't the far goal at Wild Geese in Oldtown in Meath? Or perhaps i exaggerate :-)
BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3118 - 17/01/2024 08:58:19
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I think there will always an asterix against these players wins - playing at home the majority of the time and all the familiarity that brings, the financial support, the bias from refs, being able to have the likes of Pat Gill as a waterboy, having the resources to have such formidable backroom teams, not having far to travel etc etc. How many points per game do we need to deduct for all the above? Let's say 2 points per match? Changes the picture doesn't it.
gahfan (Wexford) - Posts: 639 - 17/01/2024 09:35:55
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Replying To gahfan: "I think there will always an asterix against these players wins - playing at home the majority of the time and all the familiarity that brings, the financial support, the bias from refs, being able to have the likes of Pat Gill as a waterboy, having the resources to have such formidable backroom teams, not having far to travel etc etc. How many points per game do we need to deduct for all the above? Let's say 2 points per match? Changes the picture doesn't it." Obviously some Dublin lad snogged your Mrs in Coppers ! Very salty about the Dubs aren't you ?
DUBJOHN (Dublin) - Posts: 937 - 17/01/2024 10:00:42
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Replying To gahfan: "I think there will always an asterix against these players wins - playing at home the majority of the time and all the familiarity that brings, the financial support, the bias from refs, being able to have the likes of Pat Gill as a waterboy, having the resources to have such formidable backroom teams, not having far to travel etc etc. How many points per game do we need to deduct for all the above? Let's say 2 points per match? Changes the picture doesn't it." No it doesn't. Class footballers who played as a team and could get it done on the big day. Some of them aren't done yet.
GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7651 - 17/01/2024 10:26:26
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I never remember him missing a free that was the losing of a game, a member of a great GAA family. Wishing him all the best in retirement.
tireoghainabu (Tyrone) - Posts: 338 - 17/01/2024 11:35:04
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Replying To tireoghainabu: "I never remember him missing a free that was the losing of a game, a member of a great GAA family. Wishing him all the best in retirement." V St Brigids, v Kerry in a League Final?
Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 1952 - 17/01/2024 12:08:30
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Replying To Royalblufill: "Ah now RD - Ballymadun is just inside the Dub border! It is in the parish of Garristown! The Foxes does a great pint and the big fire makes a it a trip to Dublin worthwhile!
Deans dad, Barney, finished out his playing days with their parish team, Garristown! Won a junior championship with them in his 40s - top scored in the final!
Dean is a Dub! End of story!!" Ahh come on it was clearly a pee take. I have often said it to dubs. Look he's more dub than Larry Giles was a Westmeath man, he was Born raised and even built his own house in Meath. But sure you have to have a bit of gas with these dubs. Otherwise what's the point ?
royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 17/01/2024 13:17:07
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Always a question mark against him as he rarely if ever produced at club level but that could be a result of coming at the end of a long inter county campaign.. that said it never seems to effect someone like Clifford who turns it on regardless… He had some good years with Dublin but the last 3/4 have been far from great
ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3027 - 17/01/2024 13:33:07
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Replying To ForeverBlue2: "Always a question mark against him as he rarely if ever produced at club level but that could be a result of coming at the end of a long inter county campaign.. that said it never seems to effect someone like Clifford who turns it on regardless… He had some good years with Dublin but the last 3/4 have been far from great" Won 2 Dublin Senior Championships and a Senior Leinster Championship with a relatively small club.
Many would take that to be fair.
MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13779 - 17/01/2024 16:53:55
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Replying To ForeverBlue2: "Always a question mark against him as he rarely if ever produced at club level but that could be a result of coming at the end of a long inter county campaign.. that said it never seems to effect someone like Clifford who turns it on regardless… He had some good years with Dublin but the last 3/4 have been far from great" Cop on will you - massive difference in playing Senior Club Football in Dublin to Junior football in kerry. Intermediate this year....
Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 3975 - 17/01/2024 17:08:18
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