Dubs star Ger Brennan is forced to quit for rest of season

Centre-back opts out of Dublin panel due to Achilles heel injury

Ger Brennan

Conor McKeon

GER Brennan has been forced to opt out of the Dublin panel for the remainder of this season owing to his on-going injury woes.

The influential centre-back has not played a competitive match for the Dubs since the 2013 All-Ireland final victory over Mayo because of an Achilles tendon injury.

Brennan travelled to Sweden earlier this year to undergo an operation but his comeback, the Herald believes, is behind schedule forcing him to give up on the dream of a return to the fold with Jim Gavin's squad during 2015.

As recently as last Thursday, Jim Gavin suggested he was expectant, rather than hopeful, that Brennan would play for Dublin this season but having failed to make the sufficient progress, the St Vincent's man has now decided to leave the squad indefinitely.

At 29, it remains to be seen whether Brennan can now regain fitness to come back next season, though he could still line out for St Vincent's later this year when they begin their bid to win a third successive Dublin SFC title.

ACHILLES HEEL

A statement from the Dublin County Board last night read: "Dublin senior footballer Ger Brennan has decided to take a break from football for this summer. The player's Achilles heel injury has thankfully made steady progress and Ger will, after this extended period of recovery, return to play with his club St Vincent's later in the year, and with the county team in 2016."

In his enforced absence, Cian O'Sullivan looks set to remain at number six for Dublin for the rest of their All-Ireland bid, though John Small's emergence has presented Gavin with a similarly-styled option to Brennan in that position.