THE LAST TIME Dublin won an All-Ireland under-21 football title, back in 2003, it wasn’t long before players like Alan Brogan, Conal Keaney, Paul Griffin and Bryan Cullen graduated to the senior ranks.

Having won back that under-21 title by beating Donegal last Saturday evening, manager Jim Gavin has now invited his senior counterpart Pat Gilroy to effectively take his pick – and there is certainly plenty to pick from.

Full back Rory O’Carroll – who brilliantly handled Donegal’s big threat Michael Murphy – has already established himself in the Dublin senior side, but it’s surely only a matter of time before the likes of Darragh Nelson, Seanie Murray, James McCarthy and Dean Rock and maybe others get to join him.

“The senior management were up at the game and would have been looking closely at some of the players,” said Gavin. “All-Ireland success at any level is hard achieved and I would expect this to give the county a boost. I’m sure the senior managers will have been looking closely at some of those guys.”

Gavin also paid tribute to Donegal’s challenge, which saw them fall just short, 1-10 to 1-8, when also missing a glorious chance for victory as Murphy’s late penalty ricocheted off the crossbar.

“They played a very controlled defensive game and scored a very good goal in the first half to lead by a point. But the message to my players at half-time was to keep positive, which they have done throughout this campaign, and we played the controlled football that we like to play.

“But even if he (Murphy) had scored the penalty, with the spirit this Dublin team have shown, I wouldn’t have been surprised if they had gone back up the field and got a point. I’m just delighted for the players, their families, their clubs back in Dublin. We haven’t had that much success in Dublin at underage level, so it was a good day all-round for the GAA.

“This competition has been a fantastic advertisement for the game, and long may it continue.”

Tyrone’s Stephen O’Neill and Joe McMahon are now both in line to start in their Ulster football championship opener against Antrim on May 23rd. Both players have recovered from injury, and played for their clubs at the weekend, with O’Neill scoring six points for Clan na nGael in his first outing since dislocating a shoulder back in January.

McMahon came off the bench to help Omagh earn a draw against unbeaten league leaders Errigal Ciaran, and suffered no ill-effects to the knee injury he picked up in the final league game against Dublin. And Ryan McMenamin, who was at the centre of an ankle injury scare 10 days ago, was back in action with his club, Dromore, at the weekend.

Elsewhere, Mike McCarthy made first start for Kerry since last year’s All-Ireland final when he lined out at centre back in yesterday’s challenge against Laois at the Fitzgerald Stadium. McCarthy was typically impressive and joined the attack in the first half to score a goal.

McCarthy’s return provides a welcome boost for Kerry manager Jack O’Connor as the withdrawal of Aidan O’Mahony and injures to Tomás Ó Sé, Daniel Bohan, Tommy Griffin and Maurice Corridan have left Kerry short in defensive cover. Yet Kerry were comfortable winners over Laois despite the absence of David Moran (broken finger), Colm Cooper (stitches still not removed from left eye), Daniel Bohan ( hamstring), Tomás Ó Sé (knee) and Tommy Griffin (Achilles tendon).