Baile Átha Cliath v Loch Garman LSFC 13/06/2010

[Hound]

robbed from hoganstand, who robbed it from the Star

Paul Bealin has questioned Pat Gilroy's decision to omit Alan Brogan from his starting line-up for Sunday's Leinster SFC quarter-final against Wexford.

The St. Oliver Plunkett's/Eoghan Ruadh attacker has been struggling with a hamstring problem of late, but Bealin believes he is too good a player for the Dublin manager to leave out.

"Why is Alan Brogan on the bench?" the former Dublin midfielder asks in his Irish Daily Star column.

"The official line is that Brogan isn't fully fit and that he'll be used at some stage. But if he is fit enough to come on, he is fit enough to start.

"He has been playing on the B team in training in recent sessions and helped to inspire them to beat the A's on a few occasions. Alan Brogan has to start for Dublin and I don't care if he is playing poorly in training coming up to the championship.

"He is a man for the big day and he has always done it for the Dubs. He is ahead of Niall Corkery by a mile and brings so much."

Bealin, who played alongside Gilroy and also had a spell as Wexford manager, added: "I believe that Pat is trying to show that he is building a new team after last year's 17-point All-Ireland quarter-final mauling by Kerry.

"Much of the same group of players had been beaten by 12 points by Tyrone the previous year, so he had to do something. But this team hasn't played together collectively before so he is taking a major gamble."

Ciaran Whelan's article from the Herald
CIARAN WHELAN has called on Dublin boss Pat Gilroy to coax Shane Ryan back into the Sky Blue football fold.

The retired midfielder believes that his former partner Ryan -- who quit Gilroy's squad to join Anthony Daly's hurling revolution this season -- still has plenty to offer the capital's big ball cause, even in a dual capacity.

"Shane is in good shape and he should never have been let walk away from the Dublin football team," writes Whelan in today's Evening Herald.

"At 31 he still has plenty to offer and would have all the attributes to play in the defensive system being implemented under the current regime."

The Dubs launch their Leinster SFC defence against Wexford in Croke Park this Sunday but they must do so without the midfield pairing that propelled them to Leinster domination during the Paul Caffrey era.

Two-time All Star Whelan announced his retirement last autumn and his departure was followed by Ryan's defection to the hurling camp. Ryan was reduced to a peripheral role during Gilroy's first campaign -- he went from being an All Star midfielder in 2008 to not starting a single league or championship game in '09.

Now Whelan has called on management to make a fresh approach to Ryan, citing a lack of midfield options if the first-choice duo of Eamonn Fennell and Ross McConnell succumbs to injury or loss of form.

"Michael Darragh MacAuley is unlucky to have missed out following an impressive league campaign, but he will provide back-up to the midfield and half-forward line," the Evening Herald columnist writes.

"I cannot but think of a certain fit 31-year-old who sat on the bench for most of the day for the Dublin hurlers last week in Nowlan Park - Shane Ryan.

"There would be no better man to launch counter-attacks with pace from defence, break the tackle and link with the forward line. Efforts should be made to get Shane to return to the football set-up (even in a dual role) which I think would benefit all involved."

[Zulu]

Hurlers on the ditch who have all the answers I see. Bealin must be having a laugh if he thinks a guy is fit to start if he can play some bit of the game. Gilroy is seriously hampered by injuries and if Brogan isn't 100% then he shouldn't be starting, if he is then he should.

[heffo]

Hurlers on the ditch who have all the answers I see. Bealin must be having a laugh if he thinks a guy is fit to start if he can play some bit of the game. Gilroy is seriously hampered by injuries and if Brogan isn't 100% then he shouldn't be starting, if he is then he should.

Brogan is fit to start Zulu - unfortunatly one of the best forwards over the last decade who averages 3/4 points a game regardless of opposition is not an automatic starter.

[Dinny Breen]

Dubs look nervous..

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Are the Dubs all watching the Ghana - Serbia match 

[armaghniac]

Dublin are desperate, Louth must be fancy their chances in Leinster!
On the bigger picture is there any hope of anyone coming forward to stop Kerry?

[Bud Wiser]

Dubs one single point from play is a poor return for almost thirty minutes of play !!!    Come on Laois for Leinster !!

[highorlow]

The Dubs look worse than us (Mayo). The 7 / 1 on Wexford looks a big price now!

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Wexford need to push their advantage and bury Dublin.

[Schkite]

Go on the wexicans!

Playing some stuff, dominating the dubs for the whole half, need to keep this advantage at least til half-time and weather the inevitable storm at the start of the second half. They've a great chance the way they're playing.

[Dinny Breen]

Can anyone enlighten me as to what tactical approach Dublin are playing to, they look like a team that have never played together..

[Dinny Breen]

I actually got Wexford at 10/1, must lay it off now..

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

This Dublin team was hammered by Mayo in a challenge game about a fortnight ago, seeing how bad Mayo is its hardly surprising Dublin are so bad (even taking challenge games with a pinch of salt).

[Dinny Breen]

Dubs booed off at HT 

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

You know what the indifference shown to the Mayo team by Mayo fans up in Sligo, I would take it over being booed by your own fans like coming off the Hill.