GAELIC GAMES:DUBLIN'S RETURN to Croke Park seven weeks after the disappointment of the National League final defeat by Cork proved satisfactory on a number of fronts. The primary objective, to beat Laois and reach the semi-final where they face Kildare in a re-run of the 2009 Leinster final, was achieved without too much anxiety.

That can be a bad thing for a team but after last year’s panic-stricken contest with Wexford at the same stage, manager Pat Gilroy will have settled for the less melodramatic progress.

Having spluttered to a halt against Cork there was also the reassurance of seeing the attack resume normal service with all of the forwards that had been missing through injury and suspension in the critical late stages making a contribution. Diarmuid Connolly’s 1-3 took the scoring honours but by consensus the man of the match was Alan Brogan, now in his 10th season in the county colours.

Having been overshadowed by the extraordinary marksmanship of his brother Bernard’s sensational season last year, culminating in the 2010 footballer of the year award, Alan gave a strong demonstration of what he brings to the team.

The performance was a snapshot of everything he does well: the hard work, the covering back, the tireless availability for passes and the dynamic link play as well as the eye for a score (he finished with 0-3) were all in evidence, as the match lurched a little early in the second half when Laois trimmed the margin back to two.

Looking back on the first surmounted hurdle, Brogan didn’t look or sound like someone who had taken part in a fait accompli.

“It was tough enough. The goal in the first half probably helped us to pull away a little bit and it was good to see that when they did come back at us, we had the maturity to pull away again.”

The match probably shouldn’t have required as much of an effort. The bravura display of Eoin Culliton in the Laois goal prevented a more reflective margin, in keeping with Dublin’s scoring form in this year’s league. But Brogan wasn’t too concerned.

“On another day we’d score two or three (goals), we were scoring them during the National League. Maybe we didn’t need them today; we’ll save them for another day.”

At the end of the month Dublin take on Kildare in the semi-final on the acknowledged harder side of the draw (featuring nine of the last 10 provincial winners). The winners will at least go into this year’s final as hot favourites.

Coincidentally, Brogan itemises the very attributes Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney had found irritating in the aftermath of his team’s defeat of reigning champions Meath – a characterisation of super athletes forged in demanding workout sessions rather than instinctive footballers.

“We know what Kildare bring to the table,” said Brogan. “We know they train very hard. They’ve been to the gym, they’re strong, they’re fit, they’re physical and they have some very good forwards who can punish you. So it’s going to be very tight and it’s probably the one that everyone wanted to see.”

Brogan’s first Leinster final was against Kildare in 2002 when he scored one of the goals that ensured the return of the Delaney Cup to Dublin for the first time in seven years. The Laois match places the first remove between the team and the league final, when it was suggested the failure to protect a big lead was the remanifestation of ghosts thought exorcised by last year’s battling run to the All-Ireland semi-finals.

“I think the league final is kind of forgotten about to be honest,” he says. “A few days after, all our focus was on the championship. It doesn’t be long coming around after last year but we were looking forward to getting back to Croke Park and erasing the memory of the All-Ireland semi-final. That’s history now, we want to move on.”