Hannah Tyrrell has seamlessly filled a void for Dublin that was left by Noelle Healy, according to Cora Staunton.
Ireland rugby international Tyrrell has had an outstanding summer for the five-in-a-row chasing Girls in Blue, hitting 3-48 in nine games in her first season back in the panel.
Although she did play with Round Towers in her youth, and was part of the Dubs panel as a substitute goalkeeper as recently as 2014, her main focus for nearly a decade has been on the oval ball as she played both 7s and 15s rugby for her country.
With the Rugby World Cup pushed back until next year owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, Tyrrell elected to train with Na Fianna, helping them to make the semi-finals of the Dublin Championship.
It eventually led to her attracting the interest of county manager Mick Bohan, who called her into the panel ahead of this year's Lidl National League campaign.
Healy meanwhile retired at the end of last season having won five All-Irelands and four All-Star awards in her career. On paper her departure left Bohan with a massive hole to fill but Staunton tells the RTÉ GAA Podcast that Tyrrell has stepped up the mark.
"I can't say enough about her," said the former Mayo star.
"When I'm in Australia even trying to adapt back to club football here, and then when I go back over to and adapt to AFL again, it takes times. It more so takes time to adapt back to my unnatural sport.
Cora Staunton has been hugely impressed by Hannah Tyrrell's return to Gaelic football with Dublin after years concentrating on rugby.
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"She's done a phenomenal job for Dublin. In most of her games since she's come back in she's been player of the match in the majority of the games. That's a huge feat when you're coming into a star-studded Dublin team.
"She's filled a void that Dublin had with Noelle Healy retiring. With the players that Mick has brought through, and especially Hannah, we haven't really seen the lost of Healy - a footballer of the year who won numerous All-Stars.
"She blended into the Dublin forward line but it's not just her scoring prowess. If you watch her she's one of these players who can play inside, out in the half-forward line, as a tracker or working as a wing-forward.
"She has has a number of different things to offer on match day."
Follow the All-Ireland Ladies Football final between Dublin and Meath (4.15pm, Sunday) via our live blog on rte.ie/sport or listen live on RTÉ Radio 1's Sunday Sport. Highlights on The Sunday Game, RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from 9.30pm.
