Brennan: The Dubs are reinvigorated

RORY Brennan’s return to the intercounty scene is going very well on a personal level, and he says he was keen to repay the trust placed in him by new manager Malachy O’Rourke.

The vastly experienced Trillick player looks to have nailed down a starting jersey in the heart of the Tyrone defence with the championship just round the corner, justifying his decision to give it another shot with the county after a three-year absence.

Brennan is enjoying being back in the fold and just as importantly, he’s delivered on the field of play with a string of composed, intelligent performances during Tyrone’s fight to ensure their Division One survival for another year.

Speaking after Sunday’s win over Donegal at Letterkenny, Brennan said: “It’s good to come back in here, to the freshness, new management, new set-up and new players.

“There’s a lot of players that have been drafted in from the success of the U20s in the last couple of years, so it’s a good group. Everyone is pulling in the one direction, so far so good.”

He added: “I have come in and he [Malachy O’Rourke] has backed me this last three or four games.

“I’m using my experience, using my form from the club season in trying to repay him.”

Brennan has accrued a mammoth amount of experience of playing at the very highest levels for both club and county during a highly successful playing career, and he says that prudent communication is key if teams are to adapt to the many new rule changes, some of which have been subject to amendments over the course of recent weeks.

“The communication is key. It always has been, but now, with the new rules, it’s important that the ones at the back are calling that, and that you’re not getting punished for silly infractions.

“They’re costly to a team, so it’s important that you nail those small things.

“It’s just part of the game – talking – but there’s good men behind me there and good men around me.”

Tyrone must overcome Dublin in Sunday’s seventh and final round of league matches if they’re to stand a chance of avoiding relegation. Dublin, meanwhile, are primed to reach the Division One final, even though they’ve had to contend with a glut of high-profile retirements during the off-season.

The newer faces have acquitted themselves extremely well so Brennan, who played in the 2018 All-Ireland final against Dublin, isn’t expecting lesser from the Dubs this Sunday afternoon.

“They have all been in there in feeder squads, they’ve been getting their S&C, they’re getting all that stuff.

“Those players are happy to be getting their opportunity now and they’ll be coming to prove a point, following in the footsteps of the boys that went before them.

“Over the past couple of weeks, we have seen the quality that they have inside, and in the half back line, the running power they have.

“So it will be similar to Dublin of old, they’ll be well set up, they’ll be fit, strong, so it’s just up to us to counteract that.”