Ballymun Kickhams manager Brendan Hackett believes the number of players which the club contributes to the county team has hurt their competitiveness in the Dublin SFC.
It's now eight years since Ballymun won the county championship. They also lost two finals in that time.
The club has reached the quarter-finals of this year's competition where they will face Na Fianna. Their north Dublin rivals defeated them in the championship last year.
On Saturday, Ballymun beat last year's finalists Thomas Davis by 16 points to make in three wins from three in their group. The Ballymun team featured county players Evan Comerford, Philly McMahon, John Small, James McCarthy, David Byrne, Paddy Small and Dean Rock.
Take a look back at the highlights from this evening’s #DSFC1 game between @BallymunGAA & @tomasdaibhis: pic.twitter.com/szcSYNPkPW
— Dublin GAA (@DubGAAOfficial) August 15, 2020
"We're happy with the score and particularly with only conceding eight [points]," Hackett told Dubs TV.
"Everybody will look at the 3-15 but I'm really happy with the eight as well.
"In fairness, Thomas Davis had to win this game and they were really up for it in the first half. They had us under a lot of pressure. They squeezed us. We just fell into that trap a little bit. In the second half, we opened it out. One you get those scores and get ahead, the game seems to open up then because they have to chase it. It's very pleasing in the second half.
"It's fine saying in the first half that they put us under pressure but you have to find a way around that. That's what I like about them, the players find a way around. They're not looking for management to give them solutions."
On RTÉ, Ballymun captain James McCarthy said it was the first time in seven or eight years that the senior panel had two months solid training together. Hackett added it was great to have all Ballymun's county players immersed in club action right now.
"There's a lot of self-belief there," said Hackett.
"In the last number of years, Ballymun have probably struggled because of the contribution they make to the county team. The amount of All-Ireland medals in Ballymun is phenomenal for a small club.
"You look at the big clubs in Dublin with 3,000 - 4,000 members, Ballymun have 300 members and they're able to make... It's a real testament to the people who work in the club."
Pictures: Sportsfile
