By Paul Keane
Meath defender Ciaran Caulfield is chasing down a dream All-Ireland double to cap a breakthrough year.
The Trim talent has already tucked one All-Ireland medal away having captained DCU to Sigerson Cup success in February.
Caulfield is Meath鈥檚 vice-captain and is just two steps from heaven on that front now too after advancing to Sunday week鈥檚 All-Ireland semi-final against Donegal.
It鈥檚 been a long year for the 21-year-old, who started all six of DCU鈥檚 Sigerson Cup games, as well as Meath鈥檚 15 National League and Championship games to date.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a long year so far alright but a great year,鈥 said wing-back Caulfield.
鈥淭o be honest, if you鈥檇 said at the start of the year that we鈥檇 be in an All-Ireland semi-final, I probably wouldn鈥檛 really have believed it.
鈥淎s we鈥檝e kind of gone through the year, that belief slowly builds and now that we鈥檙e here, it鈥檚 not really as big of a shock for us as it maybe is for the rest of the country.
鈥淲inning the Dublin game was probably the big one, from the belief side, as in you knew then that you could compete at this level.
鈥淥nce we got over that, we kind of just took every challenge as it came and we鈥檙e into an All-Ireland semi-final now.鈥
Meath鈥檚 high-energy approach under new manager Robbie Brennan, ability to pick off vital two-pointers and commitment to a kick-passing game has allowed them to exploit the new rules.
Caulfield was among the last players to experience the 2024 rules as they remained in place for the Sigerson Cup.
鈥淲ith the threats we have up front, we thought straight away that the new rules would suit us,鈥 he said.
鈥淲e like to try to move the ball as quickly as we can up the pitch and to give lads inside as much time as possible on the ball.
鈥淥n the flipside of that, all the other teams have good players as well so you鈥檙e trying to negate the amount of space they get as well.
鈥淏ut yeah, I do enjoy the rules so much. The games have been great.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e tough to play in, it鈥檚 constantly up and down the pitch, but from the enjoyment side of things, it鈥檚 brilliant fun.鈥
Meath manager Brennan said after Sunday鈥檚 one-point win that if they don鈥檛 win a number of All-Stars this year, the selectors won鈥檛 have done their jobs right. Jordan Morris is certainly in that conversation now after hitting Galway for 1-6.
鈥淲hen you really need him to stand up, he usually does in fairness to him,鈥 said Caulfield. 鈥淚鈥檓 just delighted that he鈥檚 playing with us.
鈥淭he way he plays, it鈥檚 how we want lads to play their football, going at their man, trying to get scores.
鈥淭hey don鈥檛 always come off for you. And yeah, it would be easy to put the head down at times but it鈥檚 not really the player that Jordy is.
鈥淗e鈥檒l go for the next ball, take his man on again, and keep going for the next score.鈥