Fennell: Brogan will come good for Dubs

Dublin midfielder Eamon Fennell has insisted that Bernard Brogan’s off-colour performance against Wexford is not a cause for concern ahead of the team’s Leinster final against Meath.

The 2010 Footballer of the Year scored 2-5 against Louth in the provincial quarter-final in what was his first competitive game of the year but then endured a difficult afternoon in the provincial semi-final four weeks later.

“I don’t think he had one of his better games,” agreed Fennell, “but even at that, he still did a lot of good for the team. He set up the goal and he did contribute at a decent level. I think Bernard set the bar very high for himself and it is just hard to get up there.

“I don’t think he’s too worried. The main thing was to get the win.”

It will be fascinating to see how sharp and fit Brogan is, having missed the entire seven-game run in the Allianz League but Fennell has sat out the spring schedule once before and believes that the time off could stand to Dublin and their key forward.

“After missing the whole league last year I was mad to get back going. I am sure he is looking forward to all these games after missing a lot of the year.

“He is doing the work now and a lot of extra on the side as well and hopefully he’ll have a good final.”

Brogan’s importance to Dublin can hardly be overstated, which made the sight of him being substituted earlier this month all the more strange, but others have become accustomed to seeing their number displayed along the sideline. Fennell came off at half-time against Wexford despite a useful shift around the middle when he broke a good deal of ball but such are the perils for midfielders who owe their allegiance to the All-Ireland champions.

Michael Darragh MacAuley who slipped into Fennell’s seat last time out. The switch paid dividends with the new man punching through Wexford’s rearguard, as is his wont, and Fennell takes a philosophical approach to such realities.

“Mick is more attack-minded than me so we probably needed someone to break the line. For the team, it was the right substitution. I was a bit upset that I got taken off at half-time but I think it was the right decision for the team.”