Scully had to bide his time before getting Dublin chance
March 11, 2021
Dublin's Niall Scully. ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy.
Four-time All-Ireland SFC medallist and current All-Star Niall Scully had to bide his time to become a Dublin senior footballer.
The industrious Templeogue Synge Street wing forward, so often the unsung hero for the Dubs, remarkably, still hasn't lost a championship match since his debut four years ago.
It was only in 2016, when Scully, an All-Ireland minor and U21 winner, was playing with the McBride's club in Chicago after being overlooked by then Dublin manager Jim Gavin, having also spent the previous summer over there.
"[The decision to go travelling] that was just down to not being on the squad more than anything,” Scully explained to RTÉ Sport. "My first intention would have been to hopefully be on the squad but for particular reasons, it didn’t work out. So I travelled abroad instead for the summer again. No regrets, they were great summers that I had and it’s probably why I’m in a healthy mental mindset in terms of my career so far."
When a chance did arise in the 2017 O'Byrne Cup, the 26-year-old grabbed it with both hands as he made a seamless transition into Gavin's starting team for the championship that year.
"Coming into the 2017 season and playing in that O’Byrne Cup, probably mentally I knew, not knew it was my last opportunity, but knew it was time to give it a good crack and do my best to get on the panel."
"That was the main focus, just get on the panel, never mind getting on starting teams or playing in All-Ireland finals."
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