BRIAN HOWARD HAS played down the half-time brawl between Dublin and Tyrone during last Saturday’s league game in Omagh.
Fists were flying when players and backroom team members from both sides clashed, making for ugly scenes as they headed down the tunnel.
It was difficult to identify who exactly was involved from the TV footage. Padraig Hampsey’s black card before the start of the second-half was the only punishment handed out by referee Cormac Reilly.
“Thankfully I wasn’t involved,” Howard told The42. “I was already in the dressing room at the time. So I don’t actually know what went on. I haven’t even looked at it back.
“There wasn’t much chat about it in the dressing room because at half-time we needed to put the first-half behind us, take the positives and work on the negatives for the second-half.
“So we were talking about that and then after the game we obviously weren’t happy with the performance or the result. We were more focused on that rather than anything else.”
Howard rejected the idea that the tight confines of the Healy Park tunnel led to the melee.
“There hasn’t been an issue, especially when I’ve been playing. Stuff like that doesn’t happen regularly so I wouldn’t say it’s a huge issue.”
A little over two years into his Dublin career, Howard is firmly established as one of the leading lights in the team. Along with Brian Fenton, Ciaran Kilkenny and James McCarthy, they make the All-Ireland champions tick and dictate the tempo from the middle third.
Dessie Farrell is clearly a fan of the Raheny clubman’s versatility, having used him at half-forward, midfield and half-back so far this season.
“I think that’s extremely important for any player now that you have to be adaptable,” said Howard.
“Whether it’s wing-forward, wing-back or midfield, with the new rules and players going off you might have to sit into different positions for a period of the game. You have to be fluid and need to be able to play in different positions.”
It’s striking how quickly Howard took to senior inter-county football after being handed his chance by Jim Gavin, similar to clubmate Fenton.
Fenton arrived on the scene in 2015. At 27, he has yet to lose a championship game for Dublin. He’s the owner of five Celtic Crosses, four All-Stars and the 2018 Footballer of the Year prize.
Howard is four years Fenton’s junior. He didn’t make his debut until 2018, but has won an All-Star and All-Ireland in each of his first two full seasons.
“I had lads I was close to, the likes of Brian Fenton from my club. He told me what was expected. It’s obviously a big deal coming into such a successful team.
“I used to be going to all the matches,” he recalled. “I know watching in 2011 from the Davin Stand, I said to my dad, ‘I want to be there.’ He always had faith in me that I was going to be representing Dublin and wear the jersey. How many games, he obviously didn’t know but it was something I always wanted to do. I know I didn’t want to stop until I did.
“When I got the opportunity, then you just get hungrier for other things. You want to make sure that jersey is never taken away from you so you’ve to develop and get better and better. You can’t rest on your laurels.”
His progress was quick. Six years after Stephen Cluxton kicked the winner in 2011, Diarmuid Connolly was name-checking him as one to watch during an interview.
“I remember people saying it to me, ‘Oh Diarmuid Connolly was talking about you’,” laughed Howard.
“Diarmuid Connolly was someone that I admired and looked up to, along with a lot of other players. But he was someone that was regarded as one of the best footballers to ever play the game.
“Hearing someone like that saying something positive about you was extremely helpful for me and gave me another boost of confidence to go on. The following year thankfully I got the opportunity from Jim and kept building and building and had a good year that year.
“I joined the squad at the end of 2017, during that championship. I came in after the U21 success. Going into the dressing room it was obviously daunting at first when they were so successful and going for three-in-a-row that year.
“It was something I always wanted to be a part of and get the opportunity. It was daunting but they welcomed me with open arms and made me feel confident and comfortable off the pitch, which correlated on the pitch and made it easier for me to perform when you’re comfortable off it.”
Howard praised Gavin’s man-management in nurturing his talent when he first joined the squad.
“The one-to-one chats were very big for me to develop. He just told me the stuff I needed to work on and things I did well. He kept reiterating the points of the stuff I was doing well because that’s why I got to this stage.
“Kept building me up, building me up, building my confidence up and that correlated onto the pitch.
“When you’re performing well it’s obviously a lot easier but when you’re not performing well then it was just communication of them saying, ‘Keep working on this or that. It will come, it will come.’ And when the opportunity does come you put the wrongs right.”
Gavin and Farrell are the two managers he’s worked with most since he first starting playing with Dublin at underage level, so it’s little surprise he’s developed into one of the best players in the country.
And Howard says the transition from the former to the latter has been seamless, because it’s a player-driven environment. It’s a phrase we often hear in reference to the Dubs, but what does ‘player-driven’ actually mean?
“Player-driven, and I presume all the other counties are the exact same, (means that) it’s completely up to the players on an individual level and collective level. The managers are there to facilitate.
“But if the players aren’t driving the standards then it’s going to be very difficult for a manager. They implement the gameplans and stuff like that but it’s up to you to manage yourselves in terms of off the pitch and on the pitch.
“If it’s player-driven it’s going to be easier for any manager to come in. I know from talking to Dessie he’s enjoying his experience so far and that it helps when the players are so driven as well.”
Fenton revealed a couple of weeks ago that Tadhg Kennelly once contacted him over an AFL trial and Howard said there was an option for him to go that route if he so desired.
“That opportunity potentially was there if you wanted,” he stated.
“It was something that you would love to experience but it would be a big commitment going to the other side of the world. My heart lied in Gaelic and it wasn’t something I was going to throw away for anything really.
“Gaelic was what I wanted. Obviously it would be nice to experience the sunshine and that type of lifestyle but no, I’m happy where I am now.”
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Is it just me or does anyone else think ROG & Keano would make great pals.
Their conversations would be nothing but, to quote Ronan, ‘pure, brutal honesty.’
That must have been like telling him that the sun was going to rise!
Some revelation – not!The world and his brother, sister, mother, father and dog would have known that. Why else would the AB’s speak about it so openly in front of Keano, when they’d have to assume he’d report it back to his fellow country- and countyman ROG at the first available chance – as of course he did.
Pity ye haven’t the same regard for our greatest ever no.10 as ye have for that friend of Prince Albert of Monaco whom ye adore in South Dublin. The man who got us over the line in our first slam for close to 70yrs is lambastes at ever chance. Well I love a straight talking rog whom despite his light stature never sheirked a tackle over a bono voiced boring South Dublin west Brit who will never offend anyone who will always stand on the fence.
Huh?
You’re a tool…. can’t they both be great ambassadors?
Philip, you are another flash. Pathetic.
Ah Phil don’t be like that, talking about your capital city in that manner.
ROG like Keane is a mouth piece!
Phil don’t be a bitter idiot. Where do these bitter fools come fm? Rog is from cork city and if he read this post by u he would be embarrassed . I bet you love in the sticks somewhere and just hate Dublin
Ah stop for the love of God. You’re an embarrassment to Munster fans, Philip.
Not sure about the West Brit ladyboy part, but Johnny is certainly a very attractive man
There was no slight to our, as you rightly say “our greatest ever 10″ intended at all. Cool your jets. All teams target whatever weakness they can find in the opposition’s armour. Tackling wasn’t RO’G's strongest suit – something he shares with a lot of outhalves; nothing wrong in that. Most Test players are good at some things, not so good at others. Only the odd exception is good at everything.
Keano was asked if he takes other sport’s coaching techniques on board when developing his skills, the anecdote clearly relates. It’s not as if he released a statement on it.
I’m getting fair sick of reading your crap at this stage
Too much sauce Philip. Too many chips on shoulder. ..shoulda had a kebab b4 posting
Are you talking about BOD from Clontarf in north Dublin?
Philip won’t ever let the truth get in the way of that large chip on his shoulder. Pity he doesn’t realise Rugby is a team spirt – O Gara kicked the score to win the slam, but he didn’t clear out the ruck just before it, or the one before it. Nor did he pass the ball to himself to kick it. The squad won that grand slam not any one player.
This comment goes out to Philip Ryan and Owen lydon, I like most others on this would really appreciate if ye would stop commenting on issues ye have 0 amount of knowledge on like rugby, thank you in advance
Yours,
Vast majority of “the score.ie” users
David, nice one. I was saying it this morning how boring P.Ryan and his rants were getting.
I’m guessing he’s a munster man like myself Gary, but he hasn’t a clue!! Especially when it comes to bod who has probably been the greatest rugby player to don the green jersey of Ireland
If only I had a time machine in order to get those last 30 seconds of my life back. Chewing gum for the soul stuff.
“He can’t’ tackle.” Been saying that for years, cant wait for Flash etc to come back with “Sure what do the All Blacks know about Rugby? What have they won? Munster ARE rugby”
ROG a great kicker, unfortunately rugby, especially playing fly half is more than just kicking.
ROG pales compared to Jonny Wilkinson, even Eric Elwood.
I think it was pretty much acknowledged by everyone (including himself) that tackling or physicality wasn’t his strong point, but as a tactician and game manager he was a grand master with few equals.
In fairness to Roy he said it up front, Other sporting books recently out could learn,
Lol this is a very funny article.
Would love to have been at that dinner