Brennan injury gives Gilroy a defensive headache
DUBLIN footballers will launch their National League campaign facing a further defensive headache following the ankle ligament injury shipped by Ger Brennan against Meath on Saturday night.
The exploits of Kilmacud Crokes mean that manager Pat Gilroy is deprived a handful of potential defensive starters for next Saturday's trip to the Armagh Athletic Grounds -- notably the O'Carroll brothers, Kevin Nolan and Cian O'Sullivan. But now Brennan could be facing three weeks out of action, casting a major doubt over his fitness for Dublin's second Division One outing against All-Ireland champions Cork on February 19. The St Vincent's clubman vied with O'Sullivan for the No6 jersey last season, leaving Dublin currently shy of options in this pivotal position.
Full-back is another potential worry, given that first-choice Rory O'Carroll won't be available until April and Paul Brogan is currently ruled out through injury. However, Gilroy has pronounced himself satisfied with the contribution of converted full-back Sean Murray while revealing that Brogan "should be able to commence full pitch training the week after next".
"It was a really strange thing because it was a broken bone on his leg, and it seemed to reoccur after it had healed," the Dublin boss explained. "He got this kind of stress type of fracture, so he's had to be very careful to make sure that it's fully mended this time."
Murray won an All-Ireland U21 medal at midfield last year but has been deputising at No3 in recent weeks. "I think Sean is acquitting himself well," said Gilroy. "Full-backs rely a hell of a lot on what's happening out the field, and at times (against Meath) we didn't put enough pressure on out the field, so at times he was left quite exposed ... but he's improving every game and Sean has a great attitude, so he has a big future ahead of him -- somewhere on the pitch."
- Frank Roche
