IF this National League campaign for Dublin is a set of auditions for the next episode in Dessie Farrell’s term as manager, Seán Bugler looks set to land a lead role.
Farrell has acknowledged that his side are ‘not chasing results’ in the first quarter of the year as they seek to fill the gaps that opened up in the wake of the so many key departures.
After beating Kerry a fortnight ago, the Dubs gaffer said: “It’s about young players developing, growing into it. It’s about building for the future.”
Sixteen newcomers were welcomed into Farrell’s extended panel over the winter, several of whom have shown up well while making their debuts in Division 1 in recent weeks.
Yet the biggest statement has been made by a man who came into 2025 with six seasons of senior inter-county experience already behind him.
Bugler brought man-of-the-match displays to the wins over Mayo and the Kingdom.
And he produced another in last weekend’s victory against Derry.
As evidenced by the tally of 0-19 he has racked up from play in the Dubs’ four games so far, the 26-year-old is quickly becoming one of the Sky Blues’ most potent weapons.
Given that he spent most of last season at wing-back, his emergence as such a prolific marksman is a welcome development for Farrell at a time when Paul Mannion is no longer on board.
Still, Bugler’s impact on the scoreboard has come as no surprise to Paddy Christie, who first encountered the St Oliver Plunkett/Eoghan Ruadh player during his time as Dublin minor manager.
Christie recalled: “On the 2016 minor team, Seán was certainly one of the central players.
“The 2015 team had been quite a strong team. We had a lot of really good lads on it like Seán MacMahon, Evan Comerford, Paddy Small, Brian Howard.
“For one reason or another — I’m not sure what it was — the group after that was a much weaker group. But in that weaker group, Seán stood out.
“You were wondering was that because the group standard was that bit lower, but obviously it has turned out that he’s shown himself to be quite a strong player anyway.
“He would have really fitted in well with that stronger team in 2015 but he was still just a little bit young.
“A year is a massive difference when you’re 16, 17. In 2016 he was absolutely ready for action.
“The problem was that he didn’t have enough around him for the team to make any major inroads and we were well beaten.”
Despite the 1-18 to 2-5 pasting the Dublin minors took from Meath in a Leinster quarter-final, Bugler immediately graduated to the Under-21 panel for 2017.
He made three Championship appearances as a team managed by Farrell won an All-Ireland at the expense of Galway.
PERSONAL TRAGEDY
The success came in a tough year for Bugler that began with the unexpected passing of his father Pat.
Christie explained: “That understandably affected him. His father was heavily involved with the club and he had obviously been a big influence on him.
“I think he was a relatively young man and it was a sudden thing.
“That certainly would have set Seán back a little bit. I remember talking to him about it and he was very shook.
“It wouldn’t have been an easy thing to recover from so, like anyone, he needed time.
“Obviously it would have been devastating for Seán and his family. But it was great to see how he was able to bounce back.
“I’m sure his dad would be very proud of where he is now.”
STEP UP TO SENIOR
By the time Bugler won a Sigerson Cup in 2020 with DCU under Christie’s stewardship, he had already bagged a first of his three All-Ireland senior medals with the Dubs.
He was given his Championship debut in the Super 8s win over Tyrone in Omagh in 2019, repaying Jim Gavin’s faith by kicking 0-3 from wing-forward.
Plenty more notable contributions have been made since then.
But less than two years since his injury-enforced absence was a mere footnote in the All-Ireland final win over Kerry, Bugler’s current form suggests that he is on the cusp of becoming indispensable.
In a recent Off The Ball interview, he said: “I’m coming into my prime now and I know I have the potential.
“It’s just about showing it week in, week out and just going after that consistency piece.”
Following the retirements of James McCarthy and Brian Fenton, Farrell confirmed that Mannion and Jack McCaffrey have also opted out.
Michael Fitzsimons and John Small are expected to follow suit.
But Christie told SunSport: “Even with all those guys missing, that’s still a very strong Dublin team.
“And if you’re one of the stronger players on a team like that — which Seán is — it says a lot about you personally and that you’re made of the right stuff. You’re up at the top level.
“I wouldn’t be getting carried away just yet though. There’s a lot of work to do and there are bigger challenges to come. And he’s going to need a few fellas around him.
“That’s the ultimate question for Dublin — have they still got those fellas?”
HIGH HOPES
Bugler may be among the absentees for Dublin’s trip to Armagh this evening if he is unable to shake off the calf injury he sustained against Derry seven days ago.
Christie added: “Having good fellas around you just takes that little bit of pressure off your decision-making at the very highest level when you’re in a cauldron, under severe pressure, a point ahead or a point behind.
“In those situations, you’d like to see a Brian Fenton or a James McCarthy on the ball.
“Can Seán Bugler do it? I think he can. It’s just that those fellas are tried and trusted.
“Seán is heading in that direction and I think he’s 90 per cent of the way there.
“He has all the credentials and maybe he will get there.
“If he does, then we’ll be talking about All-Stars and maybe more All-Ireland medals.
“If you’re a betting man, you’d say there’s definitely a strong possibility that Seán will step up to that mark.
“When you talk about the David Cliffords and the Con O’Callaghans of this world, when the heat is on, they produce. That’s what I’m sure Seán is heading towards.”
