Dublin hurler Danny Sutcliffe has been busy even if the inter-county championship season has been over for him since last July. The 2013 All-Star was back in the county hurling final last month, and at the weekend took part in the Dublin-Galway Super 11s exhibition in Boston.

At an announcement on Thursday Sutcliffe was awarded a GPA scholarship to undertake an MSc in finance in the DCU business school.

On the field he played for Dublin in Sunday’s defeat in Boston, but describes the event, attended by 28,000, as “massively positive”.

The Dublin final ended in disappointment, a comprehensive defeat by Cuala, who have gone on to reach the Leinster final, the first time in eight years that a club from the county has progressed this far.

Sutcliffe dismisses the perception that the Dublin champions are a bit soft, a view originating, he says, in their locality, the much stereotyped south county area of Dalkey.

“No, that’s just a preconceived idea about the area. It’s got nothing to do with the 15 lads who line out with Cuala.

“They’re not soft. I’ve played with them for years. It’s probably pinned on them because of the area they’re from, but I don’t know where that comes from.

Great shape

“Sure they beat us well in the county final, and we’re apparently known as being a small bit rough! They’re afraid of no one. They’re in great shape and they’ve blown everyone away, both physically and, more importantly, with their hurling. And I personally think they’re going to win.

"They said 'there's no excuse now' and there wasn't, and they won. They have everyone fit and they're enjoying their hurling. Someone different is doing it for them every day. I know in the final Mark Schutte was kept to a point; Seán Treacy got the goals. Then the last day Colm Cronin got 'man of the match'.

“So someone different is doing it for them every day. Usually with a club team at this stage of year they have one man or two men doing it for them.

Exceptional

“They have a lot of young guys there. They don’t have much experience of losing. They’ve won nearly the whole way up so it’s second nature to them. To beat Coolderry at this time of year in this weather and to comfortably beat them – and obviously, to come through a tight game the last day against Clara was exceptional.

“They beat us in the final but I honestly hope they go on and go all the way. It would be great for Dublin hurling.”

As well as Sutcliffe there were four other players awarded DCU business school/GPA scholarships: Down footballer Kalum King and former Dublin footballer Ross McConnell have been accepted for the MBA programme. Monaghan footballer Shane Carey will undertake an MSc in management (strategy).

Making history was Meath's Niamh Lister, the first woman to be awarded such a scholarship. She will undertake an MSc in business management.