Gilroy confirms Griffin injury setback

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The Dublin boss will arrive at Páirc Uí Rinn tonight, for what was always going to be the most intimidating task of his team’s campaign, minus inspirational captain Paul Griffin.

Gilroy confirmed yesterday that his experienced half-back will undergo corrective surgery on Tuesday on a cruciate knee ligament injury sustained against Monaghan and will more than likely miss the season.

David Henry will lead the team out tonight as they seek to make it five wins from five.

Aside from the loss of Griffin the odds are stacked against Dublin preserving their 100% record. They haven’t won a league game in Cork since 1981 and while they’ve beaten Kerry and Mayo on the road this year their away form has been traditionally suspect.

For Gilroy, the stiff task is just what he wants as he seeks to build and embolden a new look team ahead of the championship. Just five men — Ger Brennan, Ross McConnell, Paul Flynn, Bernard Brogan and Henry — remain from last July’s Leinster final.

“Last year Cork were the most impressive team over the whole year so it’s a huge task for us,” said Gilroy. “Cork have been very impressive this year. They conceded three goals last week but probably played most of the good football in that match.

“They are a big strong team, they move the ball very quickly. It is going to be a huge challenge, particularly down in Cork. Even though they were conceding goals last week it didn’t seem to knock them off their stride and Tyrone only just caught up with them in the end. They are one of the strongest teams out there, there is no doubt about that.”

Gilroy convened his panel yesterday for the trip south by bus. They’ll remain in Cork after the game tonight and return home tomorrow, hoping at that stage to have one foot in the league final. Dublin currently have eight points and a win would take them up to 10 which, realistically, would leave them odds on to contest their first decider in 11 years.

“Who knows how many points we’ll need, I’m not Mystic Meg so I don’t know about those sort of things,” said Gilroy, who eventually conjured up the figures 10 or 11 points after gazing into his crystal ball.

“It looks like 10 or 11 points seems to have done it in the last couple of years but even nine did Derry last year.

“We are not thinking of it that way. It is still taking it one step at a time. We have to maintain that consistency.”

Gilroy has made three changes to the side that overcame a second-half deficit to beat Monaghan impressively last weekend.

In line with his rotation of goalkeepers Stephen Cluxton and Michael Savage, the latter comes in between the sticks while Hugh Gill and Paul Conlon replace James McCarthy and Rory O’Carroll who are with the U-21’s.

Gilroy admitted the loss of their team leader, Griffin, will hit the panel hard.

“Paul, apart from being a good player, is an outstanding leader and has been exceptional in that role since we took over,” said Gilroy. He leads by example all the time. It is a big loss and you hate that to happen to any player but you have to get on with it now.”