Michael Darragh Macauley is determined to win back his place on the Dublin team.

The former Footballer of the Year was dropped for last Sunday's All-Ireland SFC quarter-final win over Fermanagh, but did see action as a second half substitute.

Speaking at yesterday's launch of the new licensed GAA MD match ball in Croke Park, Macauley suggested that losing his place was maybe the "wake up call" he needed. 

"I think initially, at the start of the year, because I missed the whole league campaign and the O'Byrne Cup, I was lacking a bit of fitness," the Ballyboden St. Enda's midfielder is quoted in the Irish Examiner.

"And I went after the fitness thing very hard and I got fitter than I've ever been. But, in that, I probably sacrificed a bit of ball work. So I need to get my hands on a ball more often and get a bit of game time. I'm blessed now we have a four-week period and I can really hone in on that.

"Maybe it's a bit of a wake up call, if it was possibly needed. It's definitely given me a bit of a kick I didn't think I needed but maybe I did. So I have a particularly big four weeks ahead of me going into the All-Ireland semi-finals.

"I'm definitely going to do everything possibly to get that jersey back. But we'll see, it should be interesting," added Macauley, who faces competition from Denis Bastick and newcomer Brian Fenton for his place in the Dublin midfield.

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