Brogan turns down senate opportunity to focus on the Dubs

DUBLIN footballer Alan Brogan turned down the opportunity to be nominated by the Taoiseach for a Seanad seat.

The two-time All Star forward was contacted about putting his name forward to be included in Enda Kenny’s list last month.

Brogan revealed last night: “There was speculation at the time that I might make myself available for the Taoiseach’s choice. I contemplated it but I decided against doing it. In the end, I wasn’t approached by the Taoiseach.”

The Brogan family have strong links with Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan.

It was through the Fine Gael TD and former Kerry footballer that Brogan’s father Bernard met his wife Maria, who hails from Listowel.

Brogan, who works with The Printed Image in Lucan, has an interest in politics but expressed his wish to concentrate firmly on football for the time being.

His Oliver St Plunketts Eoghan Ruadh club-mate Seaghan Kearney ran in the 2009 local elections for Fianna Fáil.

Meanwhile, Brogan’s team-mate Philip McMahon is out of Dublin’s Leinster SFC semi-final against Kildare in Croke Park on Sunday week. The corner-back damaged medial ligaments in his right knee during the county’s quarter-final win over Laois.

McMahon will be forced to rest the knee for at least another month and will face a race against time to be ready for the provincial final should Dublin beat the Lilywhites.

In good news for Dublin’s hurlers, Anthony Daly has declared Tomas Brady fit for Saturday’s Leinster SHC semi-final against Galway on Saturday. However, Joey Boland isn’t expected to recover in time from his shoulder injury for the game in Tullamore.

Meanwhile Dublin hurlers have followed the example of their footballers in staging early morning training sessions ahead of their crunch game against Galway.