LFC Final Senior/Minor

Senior
Brogan refusing to dwell on the past in quest for silverware
TEN years in the Dublin jersey without the ultimate happy ending for Alan Brogan, but the classy forward journeys on in the hope that his destiny includes an All-Ireland victory. Not that it keeps him up at night. Brogan, as he says himself, lives the life of a footballer. Win, lose or draw, the next match, the next challenge awaits and that's how his career has evolved, season by season, into a decade of service with the Dubs senior team.
Time does slip by, but at 29 and with the prospect of a seventh Leinster medal on offer against Wexford on Sunday, that's the limit of Brogan's musings on his football future. "Look, it's not something that's on my mind every day, an All-Ireland final," he says. "You keep going, you play the next match. I am not one that would be worrying about the past or worrying about the future -- 'if I don't play in an All-Ireland final what's going to happen?'. Just keep going.
"You take each game as it comes, train as hard as you can. I can't get to an All-Ireland final on Sunday, so what's the point in worrying about it?
"A provincial championship still holds something for teams. I certainly wouldn't mind saying I have seven Leinster medals as opposed to six. It's one were really want to win." Brogan has looked sharp and has been very effective for most of the year, and he and brother Bernard remain a potent threat to any opposition. However, there remains a tinge of regret that he couldn't join Bernard and another brother, Paul, in the Allianz Football League final against Cork because of suspension for a dismissal against Mayo. Another national title occasion, and one that slipped by Alan. It would have been his first National League final. He might well have made a difference in a forward line that became shot-shy late in the match, but what do you do? Next game, next challenge. "It certainly was a blow to miss it. I've never played in a league final, but you have to get on with that. I thought it was a harsh
decision at the time but there is nothing you can really do about it. Onwards and upwards. The league is a distant memory," he adds. Also fading into the memory is the time when forwards were forwards, defenders were defenders, and it was a man-to-man struggle for supremacy between them. Brogan covers the miles up and down the field, something he had to adjust to under Pat Gilroy's regime. "It took a while to buy into alright, like any change takes time to buy into," he says. "In fairness to Pat, when he asked me to do something, he showed us why we need to do it and what would happen if we did do it and that always makes it easier when you can see the results. Now, as we go on, we can see the results. "The big difference I notice is the way the team systems have changed from when I started. Teams have gone quite defensive, whereas in the first couple of years playing as an inside forward you would've had a lot more space. It is very rarely that you get a one-on-one with a man now." It's interesting to note that Brogan reckons Dublin and Wexford have much to discover about themselves and their capabilities on Sunday."They are a good team but I don't think they've really been tested yet. Probably the jury is still out on them, but the same could be said of us. "We have only done okay in the two games, but we haven't set the world alight, and we'll need to up our performance on Sunday. Wexford are a threat with the forwards they have and the scores they have clocked up. "Ben Brosnan, Redmond Barry, who I played with in UCD, is lightning quick, Ciaran Lyng is a great footballer, so they have guys there that can cause problems. "Shane Roche played in Dublin for a while with Sylvester's. He has pace as well. They will certainly have a threat and it's one we won't be disrespecting."

- Liam Kelly

Minor

MEATH minor football manager, Davy Dalton, is confident his team are coming into form just at the right time ahead of Sunday's Leinster MFC final against the Dubs in Croke Park. Former Kildare star Dalton and Dublin's Dessie Farrell, went shoulder-to-shoulder, hip-to-hip, on several occasions during their playing days, but this weekend they pit their managerial expertise against each other for the first time The Royals stand in the way of Dublin's 30th provincial crown at this level and Dalton's men have regrouped superbly to come through the qualifiers after a first-round loss to Louth back in April.
IMPRESSED
Momentum has been generated through successive, comprehensive wins over Carlow and Wexford before Louth were accounted for in Navan last week, and the manner of their progression has impressed manager Dalton."We've managed to improve in every game and at minor level especially, the more time you spend with the group, the more the lads learn and understand about what is required from them at this level."The Leinster Minor Football League was a great help in that respect as it allowed us to get to know the players better and our confidence levels have definitely increased as the campaign has gone on," added the former Kildare stalwart. Arguably, Meath's ability to bounce back from that Louth defeat has handed the Royal County a slight edge over a Dublin team that has advanced reasonably seamlessly since it's demolition of Westmeath in mid-April and hasn't been tested to the degree that Sunday's opponents have. However, Dalton is under no illusions as to the extent of the challenge that Dublin will present but doesn't appear too daunted in light of the Dubs' impressive semi-final performance against his native county."Dublin are a very strong team and I would imagine they'll be overwhelming favourites on Sunday."They have a number of match-winners, lads like Ciarán Kilkenny who's going very well at the moment.
"I have to say that they possess some very good footballers but so too did Louth and we managed to overcome that challenge," added the 1997 All Star.
Judging by Dalton's comments, one senses the Royal County will not be overawed by either their near neighbours or the occasion with their wily manager primarily concerned with getting the best from his team.
IMPORTANT
"To be honest, it's just another game for our lads. It's no more or no less important than any other game that we've played this year."We're going out to do our best on the day, as we do anytime we play and we'll do our best to win the game."We're a strong unit and we'll be happy if we perform to the best of our abilities on the day and that is all we're looking for."It's great for the lads to be involved in a big match like this but it is important that they try to enjoy it and once they give their all, then we'll be more than happy with that," concluded Dalton.

MEATH
April 16: Lost to Louth, 1-10 to 1-13 April 29: Beat Carlow, 1-17 to 1-3 May 14: Beat Wexford, 1-16 to 0-3 June 29: Beat Louth, 0-13 to 0-10
DUBLIN
April 16: Beat Westmeath, 4-15 to 0-8 May 14: Beat Longford, 0-10 to 0-5 June 29: Beat Kildare, 1-24 to 0-11

Dublin double.

Hard to look past the seniors against Wexford. Expect a close enough first half but the Dubs to pull away during the second half and win with a bit to spare. No disrespect to Wexford, they've player some good football and put up some very impressive scores, but as dangerous as Lyng and Brosnan can be I don't think they'll get much from the Dubs defence. Then again, coming in as underdogs, with many people tipping the Dubs to win easily it may well suit Wexford, and there might just be an upset - look how close they came last year before extra time, and fitness levels took their toll.

Don't know much about the Meath minors so purely basing that prediction on what I saw of Dublin against us in Parnell Park. Much the better team that night, faster, stronger and looked like they could win the All Ireland on that one performance.

Best of luck anyways Vodafone, have yourself a good day out.

Listening to and reading about the Brogans in the past few weeks , am I right in saying that they have way too much to say for footballers who have essentially won nothing ?

tomcruise wrote:

Listening to and reading about the Brogans in the past few weeks , am I right in saying that they have way too much to say for footballers who have essentially won nothing ?

but they are dublins 2 golden boys,what do you expect!

I don't think so; they've won a helluva lot more than any Kildare footballer bar the men of 1928 and before... let's not let our petty jealousies run away with us. They get invited to press launches cos Dublin sells, they're very good footballers, they actually say nothing and take their few quid. As a GAA fan, I wish I could read more from the Kildare players and the players of many other counties but those days are gone.

I may refer to the thread or lads will come on insulting and raging and belittling and berating - Dublin double.

THE GOLDEN boys have leinster medals and all ireland medals if that counts , and they do give there time to good cause ,while also taking advantage of promo's like any media savy household name !! cant blame them , there careers are short enough , i suppose they must make hay while the sun shines it not every team contests a sixth Leinster title in seven seasons. Name the last team to do so ???

Back to the thread in accordance to the "Gods" below is the named potential Wexford team for Sunday , anyone know these players in any depth , nice to get a bit of background

WEXFORD (SF v Dublin): A Masterson; J Wadding, G Molloy, B Malone; A Flynn, D Murphy, A Doyle; D Waters, R Quinlivan; S Roche, C Lyng, B Brosnan; C Morris, E Bradley, R Barry.

i suppose they must make hay while the sun shines it not every team contests a sixth Leinster title in seven seasons. Name the last team to do so ???

The Dubs in the 70's I think they did every Leinster Final from 74 - 80 missed 81 then were in every final from 82 - 90 some record to be fair I was at my 1st Leinster Final in 78 when we got a tanking from ye. My favourite 'Dublin' win was against Offaly in 79 last minute goal - I thionk there is a famous song about that - 'How to beat the Offaly Man without the extra man' Jimmy Keavney was sent off that Day. It used to be cheap into croker them days I was thrown over the styles and he weather was always good - Best of luck to the Dubs tomorrow I'm saying that due to been married to a Dub.

well done vodafone on dubs wins today

Subdued is the best way to describe it , very disappointed with the preformance , no disrespect to wexford , but we were lucky as a box of charms , cant say it bodes well from here in to september , august is looking decidingly uncertain , maybe like i have said your on the best road here on in