Eoghan O’Gara ready to make a lasting impact for Dublin

The first impression off the field is every bit as assassin-like as on it. Purposely stone-faced, and deadly serious. No wonder Eoghan O’Gara is one of the most feared inside forwards in the game.

O'Gara is no stranger to the scene – part of the Dublin football team now since 2008 – but his shooting role this spring has never been more conspicuous, or indeed accurate: he's scored three goals and five points and set up at least as much again as Dublin moved ever ominously towards the defence of their Allianz Football League title.

On Sunday comes the final showdown against Derry, and O’Gara, peaking in Croke Park yesterday, demonstrated the sort of cool confidence that would instil fear in any opposition.

If anything the second-half steamrolling of Cork in their semi-final has further tempered the durability of the All-Ireland champions.

Character
"There really is great character and belief in the team now," he says. "In the last number of years, since we won our last All-Ireland, that's something we have had, and produced.

“We produced it in a few games towards the end of the league when the chips were down. It gives us great confidence, that we can have it in the bag when the chips are down.

“We go right to the end of a game. The final whistle. It’s nice to know we have that.

“And it probably comes down to a combination of things. The confidence and the faith put in us by management, and the strength of character that we have amongst the players.

“It’s a great mix of older, experienced guys ... everybody on the whole squad nearly has an All-Ireland medal and the underage lads have numerous under-21 All-Irelands. There is great trust and belief there. And I think that’s what you see in those games. That’s what comes through.”

It apparently gets to their opponents too, this notion that Dublin aren't dead or buried until the final whistle: Mayo certainly discovered that, in the penultimate round of the league, thanks to O'Gara's late shooting spree.

'Very little doubt'
"If it affects other teams, well, then great," says O'Gara. "For us, it is a strength, and we're very aware that we have it. Going into the final parts of games, there is very little doubt or negativity in our heads."

That attitude never changes, says O’Gara, not even when they trailed Cork by eight points at half-time in that semi-final last Sunday week.

"No, there wasn't any huge difference at all," says O'Gara, when asked what exactly manager Jim Gavin said to them at half-time.

“We are well used to the half- time environment and the emphasis is always about staying calm and taking a few minutes to regroup in our different lines and talk calmly about what we are doing wrong and what we need to do better.

“We just knew how poor we had been. We knew ourselves what was going wrong, what had to go right and that’s what we talked about.

“We had key targets for the second half and lucky enough we were able to implement them. I don’t know, maybe Cork started to tire a bit but the game stated to go in our favour.”

O’Gara’s own role has slowly evolved from impact substitute to making an impact from the start, although he admits no one on the Dublin team is sure of their starting place, least of all in the forward line.

“Well individually, it’s just basic targets of win your own ball, and try to do the simple things right. If the opening is there, you back yourself and go for it. It’s about being positive in your own mind-set and take the chance when you are given it.

“And this has been the most game time I have got in a league since I started playing with Dublin. But then there are probably 12 forwards there, at least two for every position for us, and there are for positions all over the park.

“But I think particularly in the forwards, and it is frightening competition . . . you really don’t know if you will start, and if you are not picked you are getting yourself right to come and make an impact from the line if called upon.

“That competition is unbelievable throughout our team.”

One of the teams that got the better of Dublin this spring happen to be Derry, who beat them 1-16 to 0-13 in Celtic Park last month. The feeling O’Gara presents is that Dublin want to make amends on Sunday.

“We never really got going, never really got into the game. They were very effective. Trying to frustrate us and restrict our time on the ball.

“And Mark Lynch is probably the form player for them in the country. He dictates things for them and they’re experienced throughout.

“They seem to be really getting things right in this league. It’s going to be a very difficult game on Sunday. But then Croke Park is a big pitch, that might change the game a small bit.”

What is certain is O’Gara has changed some impressions of him, answering those critics who felt he couldn’t quite cut it as a Dublin forward:

“That’s not something I think about, to be honest. I’m just focused on my performances each time I go out. I don’t read much into the critics. I really don’t know much about what’s being said about me.”