AMONG THE many things the dawn of 2012 marks for Dublin GAA is the slow roll out of their recent six-year strategic plan, the Blue Wave – which included such modest ambitions as winning a senior football All-Ireland every three years, a hurling All-Ireland every five years, a minor football and hurling All-Ireland every three years, and other underage All-Irelands every five years.
In the meantime there is the more immediate ambition of trying to win back the O’Byrne Cup for the first time in four years – although Dublin manager Pat Gilroy is forced to undertake that task with just a shadow of the team that won the 2011 All-Ireland title.
Sunday’s first round match against Carlow in Dr Cullen Park (2pm) represents Dublin’s first official outing since beating Kerry last September, and it will seem like a whole new start when Gilroy announces his team this morning: only 13 players from his All-Ireland winning panel of 32 are available for selection due to a variety of reasons – from college commitments to foreign holidays.
Michael Dara Macauley, Michael Fitzsimons, Eoghan O’Gara, Rory O’Carroll, Seán Murray and Diarmuid Connolly will all line out for their respective colleges, who continue to get first call on intercounty players in competitions such as the O’Byrne Cup.
Other Dublin absentees will be Bernard Brogan, who remains abroad on an extended holiday, and Denis Bastick, who is away on honeymoon. While there will be some familiar faces – such as Alan Brogan and Kevin McManamon – Gilroy is more than happy to use the competition to help blood some new talent.
“We only have about 13 of last year’s panel available, between colleges and injuries, and are forced to have 11 who weren’t there last year,” said Gilroy, following Dublin’s traditional season opener on January 1st against the Dubs Stars.
“So it’s a good opportunity to see how they can get on. We’ll probably have close to our full squad back by January 20th, with fellas coming back from operations and that sort of thing.”
Among the younger faces likely to get a run against Carlow is former minor John Small, and it will be interesting to see how Eamon Fennell is used after his appearance at full forward last Sunday. It’s also been confirmed Ross O’Carroll has committed to the Dublin hurlers for 2012, having struggled to establish a starting place with the footballers, unlike brother Rory.
What is certain is winning the O’Byrne Cup won’t be a priority for Gilroy: Dublin were actually beaten in the first round of last year’s competition, against Westmeath, although that clearly didn’t do them any harm come the other end of the season. Indeed they went on to claim the O’Byrne Shield, which caters for the first-round losers.
Opponents’ Carlow have only won the O’Byrne Cup once before, in 2002, although manager Luke Dempsey is understandably enthusiastic about Sunday’s visit.
“It’s an exciting way to start the year, against the All-Ireland champions,” he said. “I’m a big fan of Dublin, the way their players commit and totally dedicate to the county cause. They have great competition for places and I like the way they play their football, their free-running, the way they make space for their forwards.”
Dempsey’s hopes of actually beating Dublin won’t be helped by the absence of midfielder Thomas Walsh, who has emigrated to Boston. Walsh spent three years playing for neighbours Wicklow under Mick O’Dwyer before returning to his native Carlow county in 2010, and now looks likely to miss the rest of the year.
Derek Hayden has returned from a broken leg suffered last year, International Rules standout Brendan Murphy is also available, along with John Murphy and the recently returned Paul Reid.
The honour of defending the O’Byrne Cup, lest anyone needs reminding, falls to Kildare, who host Dublin Institute of Technology, in Newbridge (2pm). They beat Louth in last year’s final thanks to two late goals, bringing a record ninth title.
Manager Kieran McGeeney is also sure to be in experimental mood. Defender Peter Kelly is fit again after missing 2011 with a cruciate tear, as is Ken Donnelly, although Hugh Lynch and Dermot Earley are still coming back from a similar injury.
It’s likely McGeeney’s panel will feature several new members from the Athy team which last October captured the club’s first county title since 1987.
