Three changes for Dublin

Dublin manager Pat Gilroy has finalised his team for Sunday's Leinster SFC quarter-final against Laois at Croke Park (throw-in 4pm).

Dublin manager Pat Gilroy has finalised his team for Sunday's Leinster SFC quarter-final against Laois at Croke Park (throw-in 4pm).

There are three changes to the team that lost the Allianz Football League Division 1 final to Cork, with defender Rory O'Carroll among the players returning.

O'Carroll spent the spring teaching in Orléans, 180 kilometres south-west of Paris, and was absent for the Dubs' league campaign. He returns at full-back, taking over from Paul Brogan.

Former All-Star Barry Cahill has been moved to midfield alongside Michael Dara Macauley, while James McCarthy takes Cahill's spot in the half-back line. Denis Bastick is the player to make way.

The final change sees the experienced Alan Brogan resume at right corner forward at the expense of Tomás Quinn. Brogan, who is two games away from his 50th Championship appearance, was suspended for the league final.

Dublin lost to eventual winners Meath in last year's Leinster Championship but still managed to reach the last four in the All-Ireland Championship. Former captain Brogan says that winning the provincial title is still their preferred route.

"We're going into the Leinster Championship wanting to win it. Last year, we wanted to win the Leinster Championship as well," explained the St. Oliver Plunkett's/Eoghan Ruadh clubman.

"Obviously, there is a second chance now and if you lose you have that chance, but I think every team goes into the campaign wanting to win their provincial Championship.

"We wouldn't be happy with the way Meath beat us last year, so if we do come up against them again we'd certainly be looking to avenge it."

The winners of this weekend's clash will face Meath or Kildare, who meet in the curtain raiser at Croke Park on Sunday. But Brogan is not looking past a Laois team that he rates highly.

"Laois are coming back into play now and Meath and Kildare are serious threats - not only in Leinster, but in terms of an All-Ireland as well.

"Laois kind of fell away for a couple of years, but, with Justin McNulty coming in, it's kind of reinvigorated them this year. He managed St. Brigid's for a while so the guys know what he can bring to the table.

"From his playing days with Armagh as well, he went through a lot as a player so he's been there and done it.

"Both ourselves and Laois have had to change our style a bit. Justin McNulty has brought that bit of Armagh style of play in to Laois. We've had to change the way we play a little bit to stop ourselves shipping big scores, so I think it will be a different game against Laois than we saw a few years ago."

Brogan and his brother Bernard both scored goals when Dublin beat Laois 3-14 to 1-14 in the 2007 Leinster final.

DUBLIN (SFC v Laois): Stephen Cluxton; Philly McMahon, Rory O'Carroll, Mick Fitzsimons; James McCarthy, Ger Brennan, Kevin Nolan; Michael Dara Macauley, Barry Cahill; Paul Flynn, Kevin McManamon, Bryan Cullen (capt); Alan Brogan, Diarmuid Connolly, Bernard Brogan.

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