Sean Bugler insists Dublin still in All-Ireland reckoning despite ‘not being at our best' after shock Meath defeat
SEÁN BUGLER insists wounded Dublin can still win the All-Ireland.
The in-form attacker watched on in agony last Sunday as the
2
Sean Bugler believes Dublin can win the All-Ireland
Credit: Ray McManus/Sportsfile
2
Dublin lost to Meath in the Leinster SFC
Credit: Ray McManus/Sportsfile
Bugler missed out with an ankle injury and was a massive loss as
It was their third poor performance in a row having lost to
But Bugler said injuries had an impact and revealed that he should be back for their All-Ireland SFC group opener.
The
Sky
Blues will learn their opposition today when the
Read More on GAA
Dublin will be third seeds in the four-team groups but a bullish Bugler is adamant they will be happy to take on all comers.
Speaking at an event for
'After losing any game, you might question your confidence but I see the talent and everyone sees the talent within the group.
'We haven't performed to our best but look, the draw is going to be made and we'll be ready.
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'You could get a tough group but we'll cherish it.
'If you want to win the All-Ireland, which we do, you're going to have to knock the big teams off their horse as well. So we'll look forward to it and we'll really go after it.'
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Dublin, Monaghan,
Bugler shrugged: 'Look, as I said, it's not ideal but we'll be looking forward to it. We'll be ready.
'We'll really prime ourselves, whoever we get, and we'll really put ourselves in a decent position to put our best foot forward on the day.
'You want to play the big teams, you want to really test yourself against the big teams. So that's what we're looking forward to doing.'
BACK FROM INJURY
A fit-again Bugler would be a big addition and the 27-year-old St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh man revealed he should be back.
Bugler has been Dublin's player of the season so far, winning four man-of-the-match awards in the National League, before suffering an ankle injury.
He said: 'I picked up a niggle there last week and Sunday just probably came a bit too early for me.
'I'll be back on the pitch in the
next
few days.'
Bugler noted that Eoin Murchan, Seán MacMahon, Luke Breathnach, Cian Murphy and Lee Gannon missed the Meath game with injuries too.
He said: 'I think it's three or four weeks to the next game.
'For us, it's going to be about getting bodies back on the pitch, with the injuries we have, and take the learnings from the game on Sunday in terms of what we can do better, and chase after that.
'It doesn't matter who we get in the
Championship
, our goal hasn't changed.
'We still want to win the All-Ireland and in order to win the All-Ireland you have to beat the big teams.
'We will be ready to go in three or four weeks' time, or whatever it is, and we will look forward to it.'
Bugler watched Sunday's game from the stand at O'Moore Park in Portlaoise with a couple of other injured players who travelled down together.
And he was itching to take part having enjoyed a dream start to the year, scoring 2-23 in the league and adding two more points in the provincial quarter-final win over Wicklow.
His spike in form is timely because aside from the injuries, Dublin lost household names Brian Fenton, James McCarthy, Jack McCaffrey, Michael Fitzsimons and Paul Mannion to retirement.
Bugler said: 'We obviously lost a lot of players, a lot of experienced players and with that a lot of talent.
'I always knew that I had the potential and the talent to perform like that and it was just about showing it.
'And this year I really went after it in the off-season and really wanted to get better and show what I'm made of.
'Thankfully I have but there's still so many areas that I can improve.
'That will be my focus over the next couple of weeks.'
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