In August 2014, Jim Gavin’s Dubs seemed unstoppable. They were playing football at a level not seen in years – overwhelming opposition and seemingly growing stronger with every game.
Nobody saw it coming: Donegal’s beautifully timed semi-final ambush. The Ulstermen laid bare a chink in the Sky Blues’ armour; a tactical hole which Gavin immediately set about filling.
Dublin would not lose a championship game again for 2,540 days …
Eric Haughan deep-dives into Dublin's seven years in footballing nirvana, an era of dominance and drama in which Gaelic football changed forever.
Reviewing crucial matches and speaking to players and backroom staff, he pieces together the story of arguably the greatest side the game has ever seen … and the teams who tried to catch them.
Foreword by John O’Leary 9
Chapter One. Day Zero: 2014 17
Chapter Two. Back on Top: 2015 26
Chapter Three. Mayo Mayhem: 2016 50
Chapter Four. The 60-Second Kickout: 2017 73
Chapter Five. Twelve Minutes: 2018 104
Chapter Six. So Long, Jim. And Thanks: 2019 132
Chapter Seven. Oh, The Weather Outside Is Frightful: 2020 166
Chapter Eight. Hell or Connaught: The 2,540th Day: 2021 184
Chapter Nine. Reflections 205
Chapter Ten. Where to Now? 2022–2024 212
Chapter Eleven. Best of the Best: Dubs v Rest of World 233
Chapter Twelve. Lies, Damned Lies, And … 240
Chapter Thirteen. The Games: (About) A Decade of the Dubs 246
Index 289
Acknowledgements 299