FOR THE FIRST time since 2001 there isn’t a Brogan on the Dublin senior football squad.
Alan Brogan admits it’s a strange feeling for the family not to have someone involved following Bernard’s retirement in the off-season.
It does mean their father Bernard Snr can enjoy the Dublin games that bit more without having a son on the field to worry about.
“Yeah, it is a bit different for the family, and for my family and extended family, they have been a huge part of the journey for us aswell,” the elder Brogan said at the launch of the new Laochra Gael series.
“I had a chat with my Dad about it, he said that he goes to matches now, and he has gone to all the league games, and he can go and enjoy it a bit more now without the pressure of us being out there.
“It was a great journey for all of us and one we will all treasure for along time, but all good things come to an end. Everyone can probably go to the matches now and enjoy them a little bit more than they had before because there is not that pressure of us playing out there now.
“(Bernard) is playing a bit of hurling, playing away with the club. I am sure he will play on for a few years, I am sure he is glad of giving a bit of time back to the club now.
“He has a great career and it came to a great end for him, got to leave on the high of winning an All-Ireland. And it was great for him to get back in the squad last year after all the work he had done in the previous couple of years, getting back from that injury.
“Great career and he is just happy to move on to the next stage of his career.”
St Oliver Plunketts Eoghan Ruadh still have representation on Dessie Farrell’s panel in the form of Sean Bugler, who Brogan believes has a big future ahead of him with the Sky Blues.
“It was very pleasing to see my own club mate Sean Bugler go very well last week,” he says.
“He was there last year. I thought he would have saw more game time last year to be honest with you, from what I’ve seen he looks the real deal. I fully expect him to go on and have a great Dublin career.
“Look, it has to be earned as well. You have to perform when you get the opportunities. It was good to see him perform in the half he got last week. We’ll probably see a bit more of him over the next few league games.”
You have to tip your hat to that come back! Well played in second half @DubGAAOfficial @S_Bugsyy is starting to show his class, big year ahead for him! #DUBvMON
— Bernard Brogan (@bernardbrogan) February 8, 2020
He accepts it would be easier for Bugler to break into the starting team if he played on the half-back line or at midfield.
“Yeah, it’s a difficult forward line to get into. Look, I’ve seen him from a very young age, five or six years old down in Plunketts. I remember having him at summer camps at a very young age. He lives and breathes football.”
“His dad, Pat, was chairman of Plunketts when he unfortunately passed away a number of years ago.
“So they’ve had a rough couple of years in that regard as well, Sean and his family. I think for his Mam, Aideen, it’s great to see him finally out there. He has all the talent in the world and hopefully he can deliver on it.
“The family are heavily involved in Plunketts. His older sister, Aoife, would have played as well and his younger brother Darragh as well, he played as well, so they’re a big GAA family.
“It’s great to see someone from Plunketts, we haven’t had anyone come through for a few years so it’s great to see someone come through again. As I said, I think he’s the real deal but you have to go out and perform. You have to prove it on the biggest stage.
“I think with the opportunities he’s got so far he’s done well enough, the game against Tyrone in the Super 8s last year and what we’ve seen of him this year, so I expect we’ll see a good bit more of him over the next few games.”
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