Brennan has no concerns over ‘dodgy’ full-backs

He likes to insulate himself from the media approaching big games, but if Ger Brennan scanned this week’s papers he would see plenty of critical commentary on Dublin’s defence.

Most of it has been directed at the line behind the experienced centre-back, specifically the two corner-backs. Jimmy Keaveney, a clubmate of Brennan’s at St Vincent’s,described the pair as “a wee bit dodgy”.

Another Vinnies man, Mickey Whelan — Brennan’s coach when Dublin won the All-Ireland two years ago, predicted that Kerry will target those two corner-backs on Sunday.

Brennan is unlikely to deny the Dublin defence experienced somenervous moments against Cork and were left particularly isolated in the first half of the Leinster final against Meath. But he is a player mostinterested in the bottom line and makes a pretty cutting analysis of the present situation. “Well, those last two teams [Cork and Meath], they’re not in the championship, are they?” retorted Brennan. “Touché, yeah. They can kick it in as much as they want. Not being smart and all due respects to their efforts.

“I’ve heard the stuff, ‘the full-back line is struggling under the high ball’. But results have shown we’re winning matches. For me, in the half-back line and the midfield, you just try and come in and support your full-backs as best you can. That’s something we’ve continually worked on since January.”

The reasons why Dublin’s defence has been questioned so much this week are perhaps twofold; becauseevery other part of their team has been working so well and, also, because they are about to come up against arguably the best forward unit in the country.

On the issue of Kerry’s forward prowess, Brennan won’t attempt to contest that one.

“They get the ball up quite cleverly to the inside forwards,” he noted. “They have the option of a high ball in or playing it in low as well. That’sworrying as a defence because, quite often, a team might just have one tactic and stick with it. I know the last day Cork hit in a lot of high ball and didn’t seem to change it too much. But I don’t think Kerry will do that. They’ll mix it up and keep us on our toes.”

Going by the numbers, Brennan will be pitted against Colm Cooper on Sunday, Kerry’s gifted playmaker who has been making hay in the No 11 jersey.

“Watching Colm over this particular season, he seems to have a new lease of life,” claimed Brennan. “From the times when he was playing inside, you were hoping to just push him back or get him to pass the ball off because you knew you weren’t going to get it off him really, that there was going to be a score. But, with Kerry, they have such a strong forward line and they’re all such skilful players that I’d say they might mix it around, move the positions around.

“They may inter-change, which they’ve done before as well. So we’ll just prepare for every eventuality as best as possible. But we won’t get overly caught up with them either.”

Kerry will naturally use the 2011 final defeat to Dublin as motivation. For Dublin, those players still involved from the 2009 quarter-final humbling will source their own appetite for Kingdom destruction from that day.

“I was in the stand watching it, I had a nice Cornetto that day because I was suspended,” said Brennan of the 17-point loss. “We came in as favourites. Personally, I wouldn’t read media in the lead up to games as you can get distracted. But, looking back now and over previous seasons,particularly when ‘Pillar’ [Caffrey] was manager, Dublin were the ‘next best thing’ and I think lads got quite caught up with that within the squad. And that affected their performances.

“We duly received those lessons but it took us a long time to learn from them. It was up until Pat [Gilroy] came in, to be honest with you.”