Brian Fenton backs Dublin to come back stronger after Mayo defeat bursts 'pressure balloon'

Brian Fenton believes Dublin will approach next season's Championship with a new sense of freedom after their 45-game unbeaten run in the competition was ended by Mayo in this year's semi-final.

It was a first Championship loss for Fenton, whose side had not lost a game before the semi-final since 31 August 2014, a match the midfielder missed through injury.

"It's disappointing but again in many ways the monkey's off your back, the pressure balloon has burst," he said.

"It's not a relief but that's it done now. For the team and for me certainly it's just a complete reset button and we'll go at it again.

"Thankfully that narrative around me and never having lost a Championship game will be gone now, and I'll never be asked about it."

Two-time Footballer of the Year Fenton was a key cog in the Dublin side that enjoyed unprecedented levels of success by winning six straight All-Irelands.

Their loss to Mayo came as a shock despite the fact that their form had, by their own lofty standards, been underwhelming up to that point.

The defeat at Croke Park came as a thunderous Mayo second half revival forced the game into extra-time, which the Connacht champions dominated having trailed by seven at the half.

"I don't know if I've fully processed it to be honest," admitted Fenton.

"It's different. Certainly a lot more introspection, just thinking of your own game and where we're at - and I think that's the case across the group.

"I haven't watched it back but that will happen in due course and we'll be good to go again."

Cluxton return remains uncertain

Dublin's 2021 Championship run was disrupted by the exit of legendary keeper Stephen Cluxton who stepped away from the panel in July.

The 39-year-old has lifted Sam Maguire eight times, seven as captain, in a career that redefined the role of the keeper within Gaelic football.

At the time, Dublin manager Dessie Farrell stressed that Cluxton had not signalled a desire to permanently retire and that his return was unclear.

Two months before the beginning of the 2022 league campaign that status appears to remain the same.

"I don't know, wouldn't it be great to have him back," said Fenton.

"But the fella is almost 40 now, I slag him that he'll be playing Masters next year.

"I reached out to him for pints and stuff. He's still there, still alive and still a friend but I just don't know is the truth of it.

"Looking at games back would you fault [Dublin keeper] Evan Comerford? I don't know if you would.

"He's not one to watch, you know of him. He is the most professional athlete you'll come across. And if Dublin were as good as the keepers were in the All-Ireland series, the likes of Niall Morgan etc, I'd say he'll be a numerous All Star going forward."

'All players want more games'

Next year the Championship will return to the format last played in 2017, with qualifiers and quarters finals.

This was decided at Special Congress when delegates rejected 'Proposal B', which would have overhauled the current structure and linked the league with the All-Ireland series, effectively downgrading the provincial championships.

If passed the motion would have seen all counties guaranteed at least seven Championship games, and was strongly backed by the Gaelic Players Association (GPA).

Despite the vote, the conversation around changing the existing structures in favour of a system that offers more games to counties that do not traditionally make it to the latter stages of the Championship appears set to continue.

"I don't know the intricacies of if too well but I just know there was a certain amount of guaranteed games for every team, win or lose and I think that would have stood to the teams more in the long run," said Fenton

"There would be a benefit to everyone. That came loud and clear from the GPA, almost every player that I heard or read about interviewed was looking for more games.

"I think that would be a benefit. Players just want more games. They want their family to get together on matchday, they want the club flags and the county flags around their villages.

"They want that hype throughout the summer and it's something that only comes with more games for every county.

"It's sort of different for me because I've been lucky to have plenty of games every year. We have national football league games, we've been lucky to have a nice run in the Championship and I would almost wish that on every team.

"There something special about going through the summer, playing consistent games, being together as a group, going on training camps, having your weekend camps, having your sessions after games win or lose.

"There's something special about that for a group of players and I would hate to be part of a team that played a Championship game and lost, pressure bubble is there to win the next game, lose again and you're out of the Championship."