McCaffrey not adding to retirement U-turn trend
Four-time All-Star Jack McCaffrey doesn't envision following John Heslin’s lead and coming out of inter-county retirement.
The Westmeath man came off the bench in their stunning Leinster final win over Dublin last month but despite being 16 months younger than the Lake County forward, the 2015 player of the year feels that his days of inter-county football are at an end.
As well as Heslin, Donegal’s Michael Murphy, Carlow’s Darragh Foley and Antrim’s Tomás McCann are others who have made U-turns since the new rule enhancements came into play, and although they were designed by his former manager Jim Gavin, McCaffrey seems happy with his lot.
The player did come out of retirement for the 2023 season after stepping away after the 2020 campaign, but chances of a repeat are slim, according to the man himself.
"I think the Dublin team are moving on with a new group and a new identity," McCaffrey told RTÉ Radio 1’s Inside Sport.
"If you ever come up to watch Clontarf play, you won’t be running to get me a Dublin jersey any time soon.
"I really enjoyed it but I don’t think that probably won’t happen again."
McCaffrey has been keeping an eye on Ger Brennan’s progress from afar, and he has massive sympathy for how his former team-mate has had his first season in charge dominated by off-field matters following his 12-week suspension.
Pictured at the launch of PTSB's new sponsorship of the PTSB Dublin club leagues and championships are Cian Boland, Claire Gannon, Jack McCaffrey and Hannah Tyrrell
I have great time for Ger," said McCaffrey, speaking at the launch of the PTSB Dublin club leagues and championships
"I think it's a real pity that this happened in his first season when he's trying to get a new group together and I admire how he dealt with the whole thing.
"What he did was wrong, is the first thing to say, and he immediately, acknowledged (that).
"He probably quietly felt that his punishment was harsh. And then he went about appealing it, but, again, didn't drag it out into public or anything like that.
"He kept his counsel up until the point...I think he kept his head down and there were other people in the GAA who kept talking about him.
"I feel he was well within his rights to kind of defend himself at that point and just point out how things have gone."
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