Murphy: Brennan fuss hasn't distracted Laois

Laois selector Dermot Murphy says that his players haven't got carried away in the fuss surrounding the omission of key forward Donie Brennan from the O'Moore squad for Sunday week's Leinster SFC clash with Louth at Parnell Park.

Murphy told Midlands 103 that dropping Brennan for the game hasn't distracted the squad from the task at hand.

"We have been getting on with the job. You could have allowed it to be a distraction but with only one week to go to the Championship we couldn't afford that to be a distraction.

"Players have been keeping their heads down and working really hard and we are pleased about that."

Pint-sized forward Brennan was dropped from the panel prior to a recent training weekend in Clare, which included a game against the Banner County.

Murphy says that apart from an injury to defender Pauric McMahon in a challenge game against Offaly, preparations are on track ahead of the Leinster SFC quarter-final against the Wee County.

"I have to say that the preparations are going very well. We had a serious hic-cup with Pauric McMahon breaking his arm. Pauric was in the form of his life so we were disappointed with his injury. That would have been seen as a massive hic-cup in our camp, but other than that things have been going well.

"Training has been going exceptionally well with the players. There is a mixture of youth and experience. The experienced players would have been bringing on the young lads and the training would have been first class - I have to say that. So it's been good."

Murphy along with manager Sean Dempsey and fellow selector Eamon Delaney witnessed Louth's victory over Carlow in the preliminary round.

Laois may go in as favourites against Louth but the Portarlington native says that his side can't take the opposition for granted.

"You can't discount the fact that they have a match under the belts. I attended that game with Sean and Eamon and have to say it was played in atrocious conditions and they were still able to grind out a win and still play some good football into the bargain. We know Louth are going to be a big challenge for us.

"I would have seen that Louth team play Dublin last year in the Championship and I remember watching it and thinking that they were very good and moving very well. They were very impressive and had a right good game plan.

"They lost their way in the second half because Dublin got on top in the middle of the field but I certainly came away with the impression last year that Louth were going places and having seen them against Carlow in those dreadful conditions they still ground out a win.

"They are young but yet they seem to have a real focus in players like (Colm) Judge and (Darren) Clarke and they have a young guy at half-forward (Ray) Finnegan and (Ronan) Carroll. The players that we really need to keep a very close eye on."