Dublin ace Brogan edging closer to full return

Dublin football manager Jim Gavin will have a better idea today as to when he can expect Bernard Brogan back on the pitch in a blue jersey.

The former footballer of the year has yet to feature for the All-Ireland champions due to a groin injury which restricted his impact last summer, but he has been back on the training pitch this last fortnight and was due to undergo a fitness test last night.

Brogan returned to the basics of kicking a ball last week – for the first time since the All-Ireland final – and is still hoping to play some part in a league campaign which Dublin continue this weekend with a Croke Park clash against Mayo.

“It might be a case of playing some football with the club this weekend and playing with Dublin next weekend,” said the St Plunketts/Eoghan Ruadh clubman. “I’m mad to get back, dying to get back out there.”

Should Dublin make the play-offs then an appearance for the semi-final on April 13 may be plausible. Or the final, should they take part.

Brogan’s input on the pitch may have been nil thus far this season but he has at least been able to use his experiences of injury in a positive way by advising long-term cruciate ligament absentees Kevin O’Brien and Ciarán Kilkenny.

“It’s important for the young lads: it’s not the end of the road for them at all and I’m sure they’re very disappointed, but I actually rang the two lads after each of their news, just to give them my experience of it.

“I did mine when I was 20, the two lads are young and they have loads of years ahead of them. What I learned is you try and focus on another part of your game you can develop or build.”

Gavin & Co. have tipped along nicely enough without their forward talisman but their hurling counterparts have fared less well with their record of two wins and three losses diverting them into a league relegation decider in Waterford this Sunday.

Yet Joey Boland didn’t sound alarmed yesterday by the prospect of a drop. Wexford and Limerick were bigged up. Laois and Offaly too. After all, Galway, Clare and Cork have all enjoyed long summers on the back of relegation dogfights.

The omens don’t look great for Dublin this week. They haven’t beaten Waterford in their own patch in six attempts stretching back to 2003 and the Dubs tend to win twice as many games inside the M50 as beyond it.

“It’s hard to put your finger on it,” said Boland, “but home advantage makes a huge difference. Especially at this time of the year. I’m sure if you look around at most counties, they probably win more at their own patch at this time of the year anyway.

“We love playing in Parnell Park. We love playing in Croke Park just as much. We’re very used to the pitch and a lot of teams kind of fear us coming up. Hopefully we can keep that up over the next couple of years.”