Can Dublin volunteer their secret?

A LINE was peddled this week that today’s All-Ireland semifinal between Dublin and Tyrone is proof that resources have nothing to do with success.

That is being argued on the strength of Dublin chairman Sean Shanley’s claim that Dublin spend no more than any other county on preparing their inter-county teams.

That being the case, Sean and his fellow board officers would put Eddie Hobbs to shame when it comes to managing finances.

It is quite the achievement that they have kept such a tight reign on expenses given their footballers frequent weekend camps to Carton House and, we understand, most recently The Donald’s summer-house in Doonbeg.

Perhaps, they got there on a SuperValu weekend break the rest of us did not hear about.

That said, the input of managers Jim Gavin (above) and Mickey Harte cannot be discounted either.

But their rush to high moral ground can grate at times.

‘We’re running two big teams but not paying managers and the vast majority of Jim Gavin’s team and backroom team are volunteers.

‘We’re blessed that way in Dublin and have been, that the manager is doing it as a volunteer,’ added Shanley.

Their capacity, then, to inspire volunteerism has to be without equal. Especially when, for the last eight years, their hurlers have been managed by two Munster men.

One of these days they should let the rest of the country in on their secret.