Dubs could call up Alan Brogan for final, says James McCarthy
Former footballer of the year Brogan scored four points in the challenge game in Skerries.
“He’s moving well,” McCarthy said of Brogan. “He was in training last week. He’s not too far off it now. I heard he did well yesterday (Sunday) so that is a big plus for us. He looks fit. I know he was playing away for the club. He’s a naturally fit guy anyway.
It’s a great boost for us with the experience that he has. He’s a great player. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he was involved at the weekend.”
Brogan turns 33 in November and McCarthy, after recovering from recent groin surgery, would love to enjoy as long a career as the three-time All Star: “I’m going to try and play as long as I can or until some fella kicks me out! But careers will be shortened just with the sheer volume of training. There’s not too many 35, 36 year olds playing any more.”
McCarthy faces Cork with memories of last year’s semi-final freshest in his mind after missing the opener against them in Páirc Uí Rinn in February.
Turning around an eight-point deficit at half-time was one to remember: “I thought we were in serious bother. I was thinking ‘how are we going to pull this one out of the bag?’ But we just sat down at half-time and we just had to start playing. We went off the cuff, threw a bit of caution to the wind and went for it.
“We got on a roll then. I know playing in games like that when the momentum is against you, it’s hard to swing it back. We just got on top of Cork. We really went after the kick-outs. I think we got a goal early on at the start of the second half and I think it just snowballed from there..”
A third consecutive league title is an incentive, McCarthy acknowledges.
“It would be a great achievement. I think we’d be the first Dublin team to do it. We’ll be going gung ho on Sunday to do it.”
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