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Published 10:10 2 Aug 2023 BST
Updated 10:12 2 Aug 2023 BST
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Howard last week explained that the get-away was something he 'always wanted to do,' while he made it his business to come back fit and up to date as regards tactics. Still though, nothing was guaranteed.
"I had a conversation with Dessie," he said, "and said if there was a risk of not being able to get back in the squad then I wouldn’t go, I would have sacrificed the travelling," he said.
"I have played with Dublin since development squads at under-13, so I haven’t had an opportunity to go away and it was something I had always wanted to do.
“I thought it was the right time, it was a huge risk to take but I enjoyed it, the hunger never left."
As it turned out, the risk paid off.
Howard got his break in the Leinster final, playing the full game against Louth and he has started every game since. Now, despite being left out of The Sunday Game team of the year, he's right there in the conversation for a third All-Star.
"The harshest omission is Brian Howard, he goes to wherever Dublin need him, in midfield or defence," said Sean Cavanagh on The Sunday Game.
"Brian Howard will make the All-Star team," added Tomás Ó Sé.
Speaking on Monday's GAA Hour, Marc Ó Sé hailed Howards' contribution in the final.
[caption id="attachment_291070" align="alignnone" width="1000"]
30 July 2023; Brian Howard of Dublin during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship final match between Dublin and Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile[/caption]
"The kick-outs Cluxton got to Howard were incredible," said Ó Sé on The GAA Hour.
"Howard was hugely influential in that game.
"I think Dublin had watched the Derry game, and they'd seen how effective Odhran Lynch was going up the field. Dublin knew Cluxton was never going to do that, but if they had a go-t0-guy in the full back line, where they could start their attacks, it was him.
"And I thought Kerry should have pushed up more, and they didn't. Because Howard had such a huge influence."
The stats certainly back up that opinion, as a brilliant video from the GAA performance podcast shows.
https://twitter.com/gaaperformpod/status/1686061686233481248
Howard is seen as something of a quarterback on the Dublin team and he played this role to perfection on Sunday. Skipping from the left wing to the right wing, or else ghosting down the middle, the Raheny man was an ever-willing option for Cluxton from kick-outs and he won eight of them, equating to 35% of all Dublin kick-outs.
To go along with this, he was on the ball an amazing 35 times, despite being subbed in the 63rd minute of the game. He also made a goal-line block from Paul Geaney, won a mark and kicked a point.
Talk about a tour-de-force.
From southeast Asia to here, it's not been a bad year.
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