COMEBACK KIDS
Returning stars are hoping to pick up where they left off
KEVIN McStay’s warning that there was ‘ground to be made up’ by those who had returned, after straying from his flock in 2017, will be echoed in more than one inter-county dressing room this winter.
While this is normally the time of year where heads are bowed in marks of respect for the passing of inter-county careers, it is also time for rebirths.
For a variety of reasons, not least the all-consuming demands in committing to playing at the very highest level, the pattern of players opting out for a year or two, before returning has become increasingly common.
Of course, one of the other main factors behind players leaving a county set-up is disaffection with management.
It is something McStay loosely alluded to this week when suggesting his extended three-year term left some of those — Cathal Cregg and Niall and Ronan Daly are now back in the Roscommon panel — who had walked away, facing the premature end to their careers if they chose to simply bide their time.
‘I’d like to think that sobered everybody up. Because if people didn’t come half way down the road to meet you, they weren’t going to be around for the next three years,’ McStay said.
For others, though, it took a change of manager to make the U-turn and return to the county game.
That was never more obvious than with the Derry footballers as five players — Liam McGoldrick, Kevin Johnston, Emmet Bradley, Terence O’Brien and Michael Bateson — all made themselves unavailable to Damian Barton in 2017 but are good to go for new county boss Damian McErlain.
As a result, before they even kick a ball in Division 3, Derry football looks to be in a stronger place than 12 months ago.
The same applies to the Dublin hurlers where the healing appears to have started in the aftermath of Ger Cunningham’s difficult three-year reign.
The return of Danny Sutcliffe, who opted off the panel prior to the start of the 2016 season when citing study commitments, could have a transformative impact on a Dublin attack that has been short of class.
Mark Schutte may offer an additional boost now that Pat Gilroy is on the sideline, while the return of 2013 All-Star Peter Kelly, who along with former captain Johnny McCaffrey, will provide the group with quality and leadership.
Elsewhere, the impact of those on the comeback trail may be more subtle but no less significant.
Declan Bonner’s second coming as Donegal manager took in a challenge game against Roscommon last weekend when Odhrán Mac Niallais was the star man.
Donegal missed his presence in the middle third this year as well as his sublime kicking skills. Add in the return of Leo McLoone to a half-back line in need of anchoring and Bonner might just get the Tír Chonaill men moving again.
Elsewhere, new Wicklow boss John Evans is keen to invite 35year-old Rathnew man James Stafford back into the fray.
But the award for the most unlikely comeback goes to Fermanagh’s Éamonn Maguire, wingforward on team that reached the county’s only All-Ireland semifinal in 2004 and who last togged for the Erne County in 2014.
He is proof that it is never too late to try again.