Alan Brogan on Marc: 'He's been the best corner-back of the last 15 years' Cathal Noonan / INPHO
Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO
THEY WERE OPPONENTS in the pursuit of Sam Maguire but there was a strong bond between Alan Brogan and Marc Ó Sé.
From their college days in Maynooth, the Dublin forward and Kerry defender struck up a strong friendship.
With Ó Sé bringing the curtain down on his Kerry career yesterday, Brogan was effusive in his praise of the An Ghaeltacht man.
“We went to Maynooth together. We were good friends then, we’d still be good friends. I was invited to his wedding, I couldn’t go, he was at my wedding.
“So we’ve been good friends over the years. We’ve often knocked off each other after the championship is over.
“He’s had an amazing Kerry career, probably it’s fair to say he’s been the best corner-back of the last 15 years. (I) can’t think of any much better than him.
“All good things come to an end at some stage. He’s had an amazing career, he’ll be sorely missed down in Kerry.
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“I suppose he’s the last association of the O’Se’s with that great Kerry team. They’ll be sorry to see him go.”
Ó Sé was the measure by which the danger men of Gaelic football were ranked. Bernard Brogan has spoken before of the personal satisfaction he got from the 2013 All-Ireland semi-final win because it was Ó Sé that he was marking when scoring 0-4 from play.
Bernard Brogan and Marc Ó Sé at the end of the 2013 All-Ireland semi-final Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
“We always had a little bit of a competitive edge going,” admits Alan.
“We’d always have a bit of craic afterwards. Bernard obviously did well that day (in 2013). When we played Kerry in the early years, Marc would have always picked me up.
“As Bernard passed me out and I got pushed further out the field, he generally picked Bernard up.
“So I suppose he had that unenviable task of always picking up the opposition’s main attacking threat. I think all in all over the years, he did a pretty good job marking most of them.”
Despite being stationed in the last line of defence, Ó Sé’s pace and football skills meant he was comfortable playing further out the field. Armagh in 2006 and Cork in 2010 were examples of key points being registered during his raids upfield.
“He’d amazing pace to get out in front, so it was difficult to win a ball,” recalls Brogan.
“He also could play football as well, so if you let him go, he wasn’t afraid to go up the field and contribute offensively.
“I think if you asked him, he would have liked to get out to wing-back more than he actually did. I suppose he was doing such a good job as a man marking corner back, he generally got stuck with that role.
“But I think as the years went on, I was surprised you didn’t see more of him out there, particularly with the way Kerry started to play the last year or two with a sweeper sitting off because he was very good from an offensive point of view.”
Alan Brogan celebrates with his son Jamie after the 2015 All-Ireland final victory Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
It is now nearly a year since Brogan himself retired. He has made peace with that decision and there was no tinge of regret while watching Dublin’s latest All-Ireland success.
“I always knew there was a strong chance Dublin would be back in a final or winning another All-Ireland.
“Look at no stage throughout the year, even with the two games, did I regret my decision.
“For me the way it ended was a dream come true. I suppose it was a bit of a fairytale. I could certainly have no regrets from that point of view.”
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College mates, Dublin and Kerry rivals, friends - 'he's had an amazing career'
THEY WERE OPPONENTS in the pursuit of Sam Maguire but there was a strong bond between Alan Brogan and Marc Ó Sé.
From their college days in Maynooth, the Dublin forward and Kerry defender struck up a strong friendship.
With Ó Sé bringing the curtain down on his Kerry career yesterday, Brogan was effusive in his praise of the An Ghaeltacht man.
“We went to Maynooth together. We were good friends then, we’d still be good friends. I was invited to his wedding, I couldn’t go, he was at my wedding.
“So we’ve been good friends over the years. We’ve often knocked off each other after the championship is over.
“He’s had an amazing Kerry career, probably it’s fair to say he’s been the best corner-back of the last 15 years. (I) can’t think of any much better than him.
“All good things come to an end at some stage. He’s had an amazing career, he’ll be sorely missed down in Kerry.
“I suppose he’s the last association of the O’Se’s with that great Kerry team. They’ll be sorry to see him go.”
Ó Sé was the measure by which the danger men of Gaelic football were ranked. Bernard Brogan has spoken before of the personal satisfaction he got from the 2013 All-Ireland semi-final win because it was Ó Sé that he was marking when scoring 0-4 from play.
“We always had a little bit of a competitive edge going,” admits Alan.
“We’d always have a bit of craic afterwards. Bernard obviously did well that day (in 2013). When we played Kerry in the early years, Marc would have always picked me up.
“As Bernard passed me out and I got pushed further out the field, he generally picked Bernard up.
“So I suppose he had that unenviable task of always picking up the opposition’s main attacking threat. I think all in all over the years, he did a pretty good job marking most of them.”
Despite being stationed in the last line of defence, Ó Sé’s pace and football skills meant he was comfortable playing further out the field. Armagh in 2006 and Cork in 2010 were examples of key points being registered during his raids upfield.
“He’d amazing pace to get out in front, so it was difficult to win a ball,” recalls Brogan.
“He also could play football as well, so if you let him go, he wasn’t afraid to go up the field and contribute offensively.
“I think if you asked him, he would have liked to get out to wing-back more than he actually did. I suppose he was doing such a good job as a man marking corner back, he generally got stuck with that role.
“But I think as the years went on, I was surprised you didn’t see more of him out there, particularly with the way Kerry started to play the last year or two with a sweeper sitting off because he was very good from an offensive point of view.”
It is now nearly a year since Brogan himself retired. He has made peace with that decision and there was no tinge of regret while watching Dublin’s latest All-Ireland success.
“I always knew there was a strong chance Dublin would be back in a final or winning another All-Ireland.
“Look at no stage throughout the year, even with the two games, did I regret my decision.
“For me the way it ended was a dream come true. I suppose it was a bit of a fairytale. I could certainly have no regrets from that point of view.”
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Alan Brogan Marc Ó Sé Dublin Kerry Tip Of The Hat