Gilroy names Dubs starting 15

Dublin Senior football manager Pat Gilroy has named his inaugural Championship starting 15 for Sunday's Leinster SFC derby encounter with Meath at Croke Park.

Gilroy has handed championship debuts to a trio of players with defenders Denis Bastick and Alan Hubbard along with Kilmacud Crokes forward Mark Davoren making their Championship bows.

Just seven of the side which started last August's All-Ireland quarter-final tie with Tyrone will line-out against the Royals this weekend.

Stephen Cluxton, David Henry, Paul Griffin and Barry Cahill return to defence, with Ross McConnell slotting into a new-look midfield partnership with Darren Magee.

Just two of the forwards are back in the frame with Conal Keaney and Alan Brogan lining out in attack. Keaney and Bernard Brogan will alternate the free-taking duties this weekend.

Gilroy says that while there is a big change in personnel, the core of the team have had league experience under their belts this season.

“The basic shape of that team played in a couple of games towards the end of the league,” he said. “Most of them were there. It has been very difficult to pick the team alright, because there are so many guys in contention – which is what we set out to do at the start of the year”.

The St Vincent's clubman welcomes the strength in depth which his squad possesses.

“It's been good that that competition is there,” he said. “If any of the guys aren't performing we have serious options on the line which is the way we want to have it.”

There's an interesting look to the Dublin defence with an equal mix of experience (David Henry, Paul Griffin and Barry Cahill) and inexperience (debutants Denis Bastick and Alan Hubbard and Leinster SFC first-time starter Ger Brennan).

Gilroy says this 50-50 mix is just pure coincidence and that the players have been chosen because of their current positive form.

“The guys have been picked on the way they have been playing,” he said. “Denis and Alan have played most of the games during the league and have been playing well in friendlies and in training and the same with Gerry.

“I think that's the way it has fallen out, it's nothing to do with trying to balance it. The guys have been picked on form but they are being pushed hard by other guys which is again a good thing.

Gilroy concedes that the composition of the starting 15 was a hard task and that it takes into account not only Dublin's strength's at present but also the best set of players to help combat a physically strong Meath outfit.

“It's a mixture of both,” he said. “You have got to take into account the opposition but it is basically a team that is picked on the way people are playing in training and in the last numbers of games we have played.

“We haven't picked guys who are carrying knocks and have missed some key parts of the training because we've had the options to put in guys who are 100% fit and that's the way we have gone with it.”

Jason Sherlock, Bryan Cullen, Shane Ryan and Ciaran Whelan are just four of the seasoned campaigners who are not included in Sunday's starting 15.

Gilroy believes that while it is a hard task leaving out any player, it is just part-and-parcel of his role as Dublin boss.

“Guys like that never want to be left out of a team ever, but that's part of your job,” he said. “You have got to manage those situations. It's different reasons for different guys and the squad – everybody has been very positive around the whole thing and just want to get on with the job of beating Meath so there has been nobody moaning or hanging their heads.

“They have just been getting on with things. I have to say all of those Senior guys who aren't playing, they have been just totally positive and encouraging the guys who are playing.”

Gilroy will name his substitutes list later in the week, but the Metropolitans have a host of players who are carrying long-term injuries and are not available for selection.

Kilmacud Crokes trio Mark Vaughan, Liam Og O hEineachain and Kevin Nolan have all been ruled out of Sunday's clash with the Royals.

Back injuries are causing problems for both Vaughan and O' hEineachain with the duo expected to be ruled out of action for a number of weeks.

Vaughan is suffering from a back injury which is causing the ace forward severe pain and stiffness in his lower spine.

He has been put on a course of physiotherapy and prehabilitation which will take several weeks before positive results are obtained.

O hEineachain's back problem is the source of hamstring injuries he has been suffering for several months. He has been put on a course of physiotherapy and prehabililitation to remedy the situation.

Meanwhile Nolan is suffering from a hip injury and he is to undergo an operation to resolve the problem.

Other players on the treatment table include Dermot Connolly (Groin), Ciaran Whelan and Pat Burke (calf injuries) and Cian O'Sullivan (hamstring).

However there is good news for key forward Tomas Quinn, with the St Vincent's clubman having recovered from an ankle injury which he sustained last week.

DUBLIN (v Meath): S Cluxton; D Henry, D Bastick, A Hubbard; P Griffin, G Brennan, B Cahill; R McConnell, D Magee; P Flynn, P Andrews, B Brogan; C Keaney, M Davoren, A Brogan.