"We're buzzing as a group, really looking forward to it" - Seán Bugler looks ahead to Kerry clash

By any reasonable analysis, Seán Bugler has been one of Dublin's most consistent performers in recent seasons.

But the flame still burns brightly in the 27-year-old three-time All-Ireland medal winner who is desperate to push on and to reach new levels of performance in 2026.

"I still know there's a lot more in me," said the talented forward. "Especially come the summer time, I know I need to perform better in bigger games so that's what I'm going after this year."

With that target in mind, this Saturday's Allianz National Football League Division 1 clash with Kerry, the League and All-Ireland title holders, will present an opportunity for Bugler to impress in a really significant game.

A fixture with Kerry is always one to put a circle around in the calendar and the Round 4 encounter at Croke Park is no different.

"We're buzzing as a group, really looking forward to it," said Bugler. "There's been a nice rivalry between Kerry and Dublin over the last number of years and it's continued on. We got a good win against them last year down there but we know it's going to be a completely different test this weekend."

Dublin will approach the Saturday night lights tie with confidence after beating Monaghan at Croke Park last Saturday evening, their first win of the Division 1 campaign.

There were periods in both of the previous games, against Donegal at Croke Park and Mayo in Castlebar, when the Sky Blues impressed but they were ultimately beaten on both occasions.

Speed wobbles are probably to be expected when, as new Dublin manager Ger Brennan outlined after the win over Monaghan, he assessed 164 different players in a bid to ensure that absolutely every last rough diamond was mined out, ready for polishing up.

That talent trawl has resulted in League debuts for 10 different players - Páidí White, Robert Shaw, Kevin Stephenson, Jack Lundy, Eoin Kennedy, Joe Quigley, Nathan Doran, Ethan Dunne, Hugh O'Sullivan and Charlie McMorrow - so far in the campaign.

Brennan stressed after the four-point win over Monaghan that, despite all the newcomers, he won't be writing 2026 off as a 'transition' year and that they will still be pushing hard again for top honours, and to beat teams like Kerry.

"Yeah, 100 percent," agreed Bugler. "I fully believe that and as a group we all believe that we can win an All-Ireland this year. We have a lot of new lads there that are kind of finding their feet and really pushing hard.

"For example, Joe Quigley there at the weekend made his debut, came on and scored a goal and won the game for us. As a group, we know the potential we have inside us. It's just about showing it week-in, week-out and going after that consistency piece which is probably something we've struggled with over the last couple of years."

That vital word, consistency, brings Bugler back to his own game and where he feels he can offer even more value to Dublin this year.

"I just need to be consistent with my own performances," he said. "It's something I'm working on this year to really go after."

The early signs are positive because from Bugler's impact as a sub against Donegal, to the three points he scored against Monaghan, and how he carved through the Farney defence to set up Quigley for his 63rd minute goal, he's showing strong form.

And that's despite going under the knife for surgery at the tail end of 2026.

"I got an operation in the off season," he revealed. "So I was late back to the party with Dublin. I'm kind of just catching up on things now. I was really happy to get 70 minutes under the belt against Monaghan.

"I got the ankle done. I hurt the ankle last year, missed the Leinster semi-final against Meath. So I knew I had to get the operation then. I played on and got it done after the club season."

Seven years after making his first Championship start against Tyrone in the summer of 2019, and winning the man of the match award, Bugler knows that he is one of the team's leaders now. And he is more than happy to carry that responsibility.

"We've lost a lot of high-profile players over the last number of years," he noted. "So the onus is on my age group to step up now, like myself and Paddy Small and Evan Comerford and Lee Gannon and all these boys, to step up and lead by example both on the field and off it. Because, as I said, there are a lot of new lads there that need to see what the standard is like. And if you drop off for a session, it can have a damaging effect on the group. So every single session you need to be at it."

Bringing it all together and conjuring a collective performance that asks serious questions of Kerry this Saturday is the target.

"Division 1 is so competitive nowadays," said Bugler. "There's a lot of teams in and around the mix, around the middle of the table on two or three points. So a win this weekend would put us right up there but, again, we're really focused on the Championship. We want to go after performances in the League and our main eye is on the summer."

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