The intense competition for places in the Dublin starting 15 keeps Ciaran Kilkenny and his team-mates on their toes.

Jim Gavin's side put Kildare to the sword last Sunday minus the services of players of the calibre of Diarmuid Connolly, Jonny Cooper, Michael Darragh Macauley and Paul Flynn, to name but a few.

"You can imagine the buzz and energy it's going to create in training and how competitive it's going to be," Kilkenny remarked to The Irish Daily Star at yesterday's All-Ireland SFC launch in Loughmacrory, Co Tyrone.

"It keeps you on your toes and keeps everyone extremely driven and motivated, the fact that if they don't perform, somebody else is willing to represent the group and do their best for Dublin."

33-year-old Bernard Brogan certainly looked like a player with a point to prove when kicking five points after he came off the bench against the Lilywhites.

Castleknock clubman Kilkenny added: "If I'm able to move like that... like, my aspiration is to play for as long as possible and he is moving extremely well.

"It's a credit to how he looks after himself in terms of his nutrition and how he looks after himself."

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