Eight To Watch In The Super 8s

Now that the Super 8's is about to take off over the next month, we know all the major superstars on each team, but here are some of the more obscure talents who are about to announce their talents on the national stage after doing it over the last number of weeks. Can we look beyond the usual suspects from Kerry and Dublin? Who are the Roscommon and Kildare players that might hit the headlines?

 

Sean Andy O'Ceallaigh (Galway) It's hard to beat a savage for a full-back and Galway manager Kevin Walsh has one in the Connemara man. Was called up for senior duty at the start of this year after impressing in the role for the under-21 side last year as they lost the final to Dublin. However, his handling of Con O'Callaghan in that game, holding him to a score from play, was the measure of his potential. Loves to play out in front of his man and his aggression has already been checked by referees, he is a huge asset for Galway this season.

 

Gavin White (Kerry) Playing wing back for Dr Crokes for just two and a half seasons now, White has had a sharp footballing education that put him in plenty of testing situations such as county finals, Munster and All-Ireland finals. He backed it up with a man of the match performance in the Kerry county final last October against South Kerry, at one point flinging himself on a Bryan Sheehan shot. It's known that his club Colm Cooper - who, let's face it is a tough enough judge to please for any defender - rates him very highly and believes he is ready for his first senior start. It should come throughout this series of games.

 

Frank Burns (Tyrone) Centre-back has been a problem position for Tyrone for years. Just when it looked like they had it sussed with a Joe McMahon or a Conor Gormley, that player was needed elsewhere. Pomeroy man Burns is the latest to be entrusted with the position but he has nailed it down in the Red Hands' run through the back door. As a sweeper for the Under-21 team that won the 2015 All-Ireland title, he is used to a deep-lying role, but has added scoring power to his game, as witnessed in Brewster Park and Portlaoise in recent weeks.

 

Cathal Compton (Roscommon) Hey, it might be seen as something of a Hipster's Choice, but there is good reason for this. His talent had been signposted for years but he remained on the periphery before becoming crucial during this season. Improves Roscommon's midfield immeasurably when he is on the field as shown by his contribution against Armagh with two monstrous catches, despite carrying an injury.

 

Eoghan Bán Gallagher (Donegal) It's tempting to say that Donegal have re-invented the role of the corner back this season with the attacking verve shown by both Paddy McGrath and Eoghan Bán Gallagher, both who have ventured forward to devastating effect. Gallagher however, has shown himself to be a footballer of serious quality and appears to be Karl Lacey's heir apparent. Manager Declan Bonner picked him as his Under-21 Ulster-winning captain last year and will in time build a defence around him.

 

Daniel Flynn (Kildare) It's far from a rookie that Flynn is, and he is actually one of the more high-profile members of the Lilywhites squad given his time in the Australian Rules Football League with Port Adelaide. However, he is still only 23 and the weight of expectation since his return from Down Under may have rested heavily. In the backdoor run, his form has been sensational, his physical gifts captured by his direct ball-running that strikes fear into any defence, and his technical ability to grab his goal against Fermanagh a lesson to any forward.

 

David Garland (Monaghan) Earlier this year, despite the fact his club were in underage competition, Monaghan manager Malachy O'Rourke gave his young forward plenty of action in the Dr McKenna Cup to give him a soft launch into county football. Having scored two goals against Tyrone in the 2014 minor Championship as a 16-year-old, he was carried on the matchday panels all through the summer. With victory over Waterford assured in Dungarvan, O'Rourke finally gave Garland his first Championship action and he scored with his first touch of the ball. With a bit of squad rotation, we could be seeing a lot more of him.

 

Brian Howard (Dublin) Nobody really comes onto the Dublin team like a comet, unless of course you are Con O'Callaghan, but even then you are taught some fairly rudimentary lessons on the art of waiting for the opportunity and knowing when the time is right. Showed his strength of character by putting Dublin before his colleges' football earlier this year, and DIT were left short-handed against Tralee IT. That shows a resilience and a desperation to not sacrifice his toe-hold in the forward ranks. Keeping Paul Flynn and Kevin McManamon out of the starting line-up is no mean feat, but Howard has managed it so far. Let's see what he is made of when they tests get stiffer.