Proud Bernard Brogan dismisses ‘financial doping’ gripes

Bernard Brogan has wasted no time in teasing his father and brother about the fact that he now possesses more All-Ireland medals than either of them.

And he has no intention of calling it quits just yet.

The 32-year-old earned a fourth Celtic Cross off the bench last Sunday with the defeat of Mayo, taking him one ahead of Bernard Snr and Alan, and he is looking to win back his number 15 jersey and another All-Ireland come 2017.

“I’m an ultra competitive guy and that’s probably how I got into the team in the first place. So next year will be no different. I’ll be going out there to get into that first 15 and if I don’t get in it will be because someone else is performing better than me.”

Brogan has also brushed aside the criticisms of him by Pat Spillane who claimed, somewhat bizarrely, that the player needed to cut out the public appearances and other commitments and concentrate on hitting form after the drawn decider.

“I didn’t read much about them, but we were talking about them since the game, the bits and pieces that were said. I heard he was on about opening shops and bits and pieces. I just laugh. They have to say something.

“The Dublin team, as ye know, hadn’t talked to a bit of media in two months or hadn’t done any sort of openings or anything like that. That is something that is water off the duck’s back for me at this stage.”

The evolution of this Dublin team was underlined again midweek when stalwarts such as Brogan, Paul Flynn and Michael Darragh Macauley weren’t among the 11 All-Star nominations earned this year.

The future is certainly bright, but too bright according to those who believe the money pumped into the capital by the GAA has amounted to nothing less than financial doping. Brogan, predictably, thinks differently.

He points instead to structures and to Dublin sides from U13 onwards that are benefiting from the experience of former greats including Jason Sherlock, David Henry, Declan Lilly, Paul Casey, Colin Moran, Ciaran Whelan and Paddy Christie.

“I know Jayo’s team because Declan Lally is good pals with me from home. They carry 60-80 kids a week, training or upskilling them,” said Brogan. “Like, every county can do that.

“Every county can, instead of bringing 15 lads on one team, bring loads of lads in and try and bring them all the way up and use their heroes of the game, inter-county players.”

Meanwhile, Mayo star Lee Keegan paid tribute to Dublin in an emotional Twitter post about his All-Ireland final disappointment. Keegan was black-carded in the first half, having first scored a goal, but acknowledged Dublin were worthy champions.

“Dublin GAA are a supreme outfit and deservedly All-Ireland winners.”

But Keegan accepted it will take some time to truly get over another bitter final blow.

“Sadness and regret fill me. We lost but I have the honour and privilege of running into battle with legends that I will respect for life.

“The customary tweet or message is to say we will fight on and we will but it will be a tough couple of months soul-searching. “