Kerry still the team to beat, says Brogan

DUBLIN captain Alan Brogan believes Kerry’s Munster final defeat will work in the Kingdom’s favour as they bid for a third consecutive All-Ireland title.

The Leinster champions have been rated as second favourites to claim the Sam Maguire this September but Brogan believes they may still have to beat Kerry if they are to claim the national title.

“Kerry were exceptional in the first half and then just took the foot off the pedal. It just shows when a team gets a roll on you how hard it is to stop them, even when you have lads like Darragh Ó Sé and Colm Cooper on your team.

“If the tide goes against you, you’re under pressure and Kerry couldn’t cope with that.

“But I’m sure Kerry are a wounded animal and they’ll come back with a big say in where Sam Maguire goes in September. It might give them a few extra games to iron out a few problems so it might actually work in their favour.”

Dublin face into their own provincial final on Sunday week against Wexford and it looks like they will be without two key players – Bernard Brogan is struggling with a hamstring injury while Colin Moran is suspended.

The former has returned to light training but his brother and skipper is unsure about his availability.

“We’ll have to leave that to him and the medical team to make a decision but, if he is under a bit of pressure, I don’t think he’ll be risked because it could rule him out for the rest of the season. Things are looking better now than they did at the time he did it.

“We were worried it was a tear, but on closer inspection it turned out to be a pull or a strain.”

Moran’s situation is just as uncertain with the player still in the process of appealing the one-match ban he picked up after his challenge on Westmeath’s Dermot Bannon.

Brogan admits the unavailability of such an experienced and versatile player would present Dublin with problems but believes the squad is bettered prepared to handle such a loss than it would have been in years past.

“One man’s pain is another man’s gain. It happened before the Louth game when we had four players suspended and that gave four other lads a chance. It’ll be the same if Collie is out. We have lads capable of filling the void.”

Brogan was speaking at the Good Counsel club in Drimnagh where a seven-a-side charity tournament will be held on Sunday, August 3 in aid of the Console and Aware charities.

The tournament is being held in memory of former Dublin senior footballer Tom Mulligan who tragically passed away last year.

“We would have played together for three years under Tommy Lyons and we played in a couple of big games. It’s a wonderful tribute to a lovely person and hopefully it helps his family with the grieving process.”