Darren Magee has decided against spending the summer in the US and is expected to attend Dublin's training session tonight. The news comes as a further boost to the team and manager Paul Caffrey, who welcomed back Dessie Farrell to training earlier this week.
"Yeah. Darren's not going to America so we're going to take a look at him and see how he's going. We're keeping an open mind on it but an experienced player like Darren would be an asset to the panel if fully fit."
Magee has spent the past six months in Australia and took no part in Dublin's National League campaign and so is short of match fitness but played a big role in the county's last Leinster title win three years ago. In fact his injury after 40 minutes of the All-Ireland semi-final against Armagh that year was a turning point in that match.
Farrell has returned from a cruciate injury sustained in last year's qualifier match against Roscommon into which he came as a replacement in the 56th minute before being substituted eight minutes later and exacerbated the problem playing for Na Fianna.
"Dessie's back in training," said Caffrey, "and I was delighted to see someone of his experience back on the panel. When he speaks people listen and he's a player who really commands the dressingroom.
"After the injury last year he opted not to have surgery but the knee went again in a club match against Vincent's and he'd no choice but to have the operation. We're all happy to see him back. He was very good for Na Fianna in the recent championship match, particularly in the first half."
Farrell is 33 and played his first championship with Dublin in 1992. A member of the All-Ireland winning team of 1995 he has suffered a lot from injury problems in recent years and will be glad to have the chance to restore his career rather than bow out because of injury.
The re-emergence of Farrell and Magee helps counter-balance the ongoing concern about Stephen O'Shaughnessy's shoulder injury. The dislocation he suffered against Wexford is likely to keep the rookie corner back out of next month's Leinster final.
"We're keeping a close eye on it," says Caffrey, "and it's up to the medical people but he's probably a better bet for the qualifier or quarter-final after the Leinster final."
Meanwhile, the St Brigid's objection to their championship defeat by Kilmacud on the basis of Mark Vaughan's clearance to play in the match has been heard by the Dublin County Board. Last night a decision was taken but will not be relayed to the clubs until this morning.
Vaughan was cleared to play by the first hearing of the GAA's new disputes resolution authority (DRA) and played a major role in his team's success.
Dublin will be anxious the matter be resolved quickly as it is holding up the progress of the county championship. One way or the other, the case could end up going up the levels of appeal and landing back on the desk of the DRA.
