Brogan ‘due’ free against Kildare

BERNARD BROGAN has poured more salt into Kildare wounds by claiming he “was due” Sunday’s late dramatic free which won Dublin passage to the Leinster SFC final.

Writing in his Vodafone column on www.hill16.ie/thedubhub website yesterday, the 2010 Footballer of the Year stated that he felt the free against Andriú Mac Lochlainn was justified because the defender had fouled him several times before he was whistled by referee Cormac Reilly in injury-time.

“On a number of occasions before that, I felt I was being fouled and there was one incident just before where I was being fouled and the referee decided to play an advantage and I was falling over taking a shot and got no advantage — so I felt I was due a free,” remarked Brogan.

“I was just running for a ball and the defender got too close to me and my feet and his got caught up and tangled and I couldn’t run freely and my way was being impeded.

“We were one-on-one going for a ball and my way was impeded, and that’s a free in my book. Fair play to the referee as he showed courage to make the call.”

Brogan appreciates he is getting more attention after his super 2010 season. However, he thinks some of the tackles being made on him go above and beyond what’s permissible.

“There’s been a lot of talk about it because of the time of the game where it happened — but if it had happened 10 minutes earlier, it would still be a free and there would have been nothing made of it.

“I was held back and was fouled four times for scoreable frees on the day.

“That’s it over with and it’s not something I’m going to dwell on.

“As Footballer of the Year, I’m getting more attention off defenders and I have to accept that. The Kildare defence did well and I didn’t get many opportunities on the ball.”