KERRY WIN BROUGHT JACK BACK TO THE BLUE JERSEY
JACK McCaffrey watched the first half of the 2022 All-Ireland semi-final between Kerry and
Dublin on TV, then listened to the second half on the radio.
Seán O’Shea won it for the Kingdom with that last-gasp free. It was the moment that convinced McCaffrey to come back to the Dubs fold.
The 28-year-old contacted his club manager in Clontarf, Jack McCabe, and invited him over for a coffee.
“We had a chat and
Jack shared with me that it was during the semifinal between Dublin and Kerry he decided to come back,” said McCabe.
Tired
“It had been well documented he was a bit tired of football or certainly felt he wasn’t enjoying it anymore, but he certainly felt something stir.
“And, with Jack’s good friend Paul Mannion following suit, Dessie gets two for the price of one!”
Ger Brennan was in the Dublin squad with McCaffrey between 2012 and ’15.
“Himself and Ciarán Kilkenny came in at the same time and it was fairly obvious from the first training session that these fellas were going to be playing quick enough,” Brennan recalled.
“Physically, they were there and in terms of mentality and skill set they were there.
“Ciarán was technically a little more skilled than Jack, but Jack’s pace is a God given talent.”
Brennan was appointed as Gaelic Games Executive in UCD after his intercounty retirement.
Tthrough that role he got to know McCaffrey and Mannion away from the dressing-room.
“Both are kind of free spirits,” he said.
“Football is a huge part of their lives but it’s about finding a meaningful balance.
“It’s a lot easier to step away when you’ve won stuff. Given what they had won, the 11 AllIrelands and seven AllStars between them, when the opportunity came to focus on their careers and to travel, that might have made it an easier decision.
“But then when you’re out of the loop and you’re losing to a Kerry team I think is an average Kerry team and are there to be beaten, I’d say the two boys were looking on saying, ‘feck that, enough is enough, we need to go back and see where we’re at’.”
Brennan believes the time is right for the pair to return but is concerned about the McCaffrey’s lack of game time.
“Rory O’Carroll travelled away and when he came back it was a struggle to get back to the pace of it,” said Brennan. “
“It might be a bigger challenge for Jack, as Paul had been playing for Kilmacud at All-Ireland club level.
“So he probably needs to hit the ground running in the League. If both lads get back to that fitness and avoid soft tissue injuries, pulling groins and hamstrings, they’re going to make a difference.
“They need to be on the pitch, first and foremost.
“The influence they can bring in terms of football IQ and experience peters out soon enough if they’re not on the pitch, influencing the lads around them.
“They’re two of the most naturally gifted guys Dublin have had in the last 10 years, to have them back at a fairly healthy playing age it’s only going to excite you.”
Last year was the first year Clontarf had star man McCaffrey fully available, but he suffered a number of injuries.
“Jack played a few League matches and it was brilliant to have him,” said McCabe.
Knocks
“But he had a few knocks and missed a good bit of the championship. He was back at the latter end of it but didn’t have a lot of lead in time.”
McCaffrey wasn’t available to Clontarf for this year’s championship. As a doctor, he was away with GOAL.
McCabe is confident that McCaffrey will get back up to speed.
“It’s only a year since he played in the championship with us, it’s not the same story as Dublin but certainly what we saw of him when he was fit, he’s every bit the player he was,” he said.
“He’ll have to put down a block of work to get himself into the shape these intercounty lads operate in but there will be nobody more aware of that than himself.
“It’s good to see that sparkle in his eye again for the game.
“I’ve no doubt he’ll enjoy it, too. And a Jack who is enjoying himself on a football field is something every team in the country has to be afraid of.”