Barney Rock believes the severity of Ger Brennan’s punishment doesn’t fit the crime.
Brennan is currently serving a 12-week ban because of a physical altercation with Galway strength and conditioning coach Cian Breathnach McGinn during Dublin’s league clash against the Tribesmen at Pearse Stadium last month.
He will miss the entire duration of the Leinster Senior Football Championship and two All-Ireland SFC fixtures.
The Dublin manager challenged his case unsuccessfully on three different occasions – at the Central Hearings Committee, the Central Appeals Committee and the Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA).
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Saturday’s meeting of the DRA was his last available avenue of appeal, with Brennan now banned from all team activities, including training.
Dean Rock, Barney’s son, will be interim Dublin manager until Brennan returns from suspension.
“Rules are rules, but to get a seven- or eight-match suspension and not be able to do anything is probably a very severe rule,” says Rock snr.
“When you consider you could be sent off and you might get a one-match [ban], or something like that as a player.
“I know Ger put his hands straight up and said it shouldn’t have happened. We all do things that we regret and I’m sure that is a regret for him.”
Rock believes the greater concern for Dublin does not relate to sideline personnel, but rather the playing panel.
In particular, the sight of Con O’Callaghan limping out of Saturday’s narrow win over Wicklow with yet another hamstring injury is a massive worry for Dublin’s championship aspirations.
“I think the biggest problem for Dublin’s impact is the amount of injuries we have,” says the 1983 All-Ireland winner.
“Con is the captain, he’s the leader, he’s the focal point. With the new rules, it should have suited him brilliantly.
“So from that end of it, it’s like Kerry playing without [David] Clifford, even one of the two Cliffords. Con, he’s a team player, he just drives the team, but he’s been dogged with injuries over the last year and a half.
“And you have Colm Basquel who went off with a hamstring injury as well – two All-Star forwards who haven’t played that much over the last six months because of being injured.
“You have Lee Gannon who has a hamstring injury, Theo Clancy has been out, you’ve got about six fellas out. And when you look at the team over the last 10 years, what was happening when Jim Gavin was involved, he was able to introduce two or three lads in the Leinster campaign to go in and play alongside a good, steady team.
“And when you introduce two or three, it’s grand with an already tough and hardened team.
“But now, all of a sudden, what’s happening is we’re introducing an awful lot of new lads in and they’re left to carry the can at the minute. It’s just a little bit tough for Dublin at this stage.
“The young lads coming in now, they probably feel under pressure that little bit to have to go and deliver.”
Dean Rock only retired in January 2024 but his father feels his son had a great grounding in management under previous Dublin bosses.
“He’s only a figurehead, they’re just trying to run with it and see what happens,” he adds. “And it’s not about a manager – it’s about the combination of a lot of people. He’s only one of three or four lads that are there. He’s the one that’s just on the sideline.”
Dublin’s next challenge will be a Leinster semi-final against Louth in Portlaoise on Saturday week, May 2nd.
“The pressure will be on Louth in many ways because Louth are Leinster champions. From Dublin’s point of view, they will see it as an opportunity. We’ll probably go into that game underdogs because I see where Louth have gone favourites [with the bookies] for Leinster.”
– Barney Rock was speaking at the launch of the 25th annual Circet All-Ireland GAA Golf Challenge at Michael Lyng Motors, Kilkenny.
