PAT GILROY WILL have to do without five key players for Dublin’s vital Allianz National Football League fixture with Cork on Sunday.

The reigning All-Ireland champions have stuttered through this year’s campaign and after being beaten by Kerry, Down and Mayo, last weekend, a win at Pairc Ui Chaoimh is a must if they are to have any hope of making the semi-finals.

However, due to a series of injuries and their poor disciplinary record, four of the six forwards who started in September’s All-Ireland final will be absent.

Bernard (knee) and Alan Brogan (calf), Eoghan O’Gara (groin) and Barry Cahill (toe) aren’t fit to play while Paul Flynn was one of two players shown a red card by referee Michael Duffy in Castlebar and has picked up a one-match suspension.

After the 12-point defeat to Mayo, Gilroy was critical of what he called one of the worst performances during his time in charge.

I think we have to totally look at ourselves,” he said on Setanta.com. “We weren’t anywhere near the races. That was as poor as we have played in years – probably the Meath game in 2010 was as bad.”

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