DUBLIN MANAGER Dessie Farrell says Jack McCaffrey and Paul Mannion will be returning to the senior football squad next season.
The pair have been key absentees for the Dubs in recent years after they both opted to step away from inter-county football. 2015 Footballer of the Year McCaffrey last featured for the side in their replay victory over Kerry in the 2019 All-Ireland final, while Mannion’s last appearance was their 2020 All-Ireland win against Mayo in 2020.
“The good news is we’ll have Jack McCaffrey and Paul Mannion rejoining the squad next year,” Farrell told Dublin GAA after today’s quarter-final action in the Dublin senior championship.
“That’ll be a great help to us in terms of the continued development and evolution of the team.
“We’re hoping before the championship ends that we’ll have a sprinkling of one or two other new players to bring in and we look forward to the season ahead.”
DubsTV caught up with Dublin Senior Football manager Dessie Farrell after this weekend’s #GoAheadDSF1 quarter final action! #UpTheDubs pic.twitter.com/l8C5EldtDO
— Dublin GAA (@DubGAAOfficial) September 18, 2022
Three-time All-Star Mannion featured in Kilmacud Crokes’ quarter-final victory over Cuala on Saturday night, but was forced to withdraw after suffering an injury.
Elsewhere, the draw for the semi-finals of the Dublin Senior 1 football draw was conducted today, with Ballyboden facing Na Fianna while Thomas Davis will square off with Kilmacud Crokes.
The final-four pairings followed the quarter-final ties which took place this weekend. Kilmacud Crokes and Na Fianna were both victorious yesterday as they overcame Cuala and Whitehall Colmcille respectively.
Thomas Davis got the better of Castleknock earlier today, with Eamon Conroy grabbing a goal to help his side to a 1-12 to 0-5 win.
Here is the draw for the #GoAheadDSF1 semi finals: @Bodengaa v @clgNaFianna @tomasdaibhis v @KCrokesGAAClub pic.twitter.com/o9CiBwlNKx
— Dublin GAA (@DubGAAOfficial) September 18, 2022
In the other quarter-final, Ballyboden came out on top after a high-scoring 3-15 to 3-10 thriller with Ballinteer St John’s. Warren Egan grabbed a brace of goals for the winners while Darren O’Reilly also rattled the net as they survived a late rally from Ballinteer.
After building up a 10-point lead, Ballinteer posted 2-1 in four minutes to set up a grandstand finish with the goals coming from Fearghal Duffy and David Devereux.
But Ballyboden held on for a narrow win to progress to the semi-finals.
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Wow
@John O Reilly: Doesn’t matter a jot. The writing is on the wall for everyone. She never saw them win an All-Ireland as Queen, upon her ascent to the throne they were the reigning, back-to-back All-Ireland Champions. Not a sniff of it since. But now her reign is over – have we been looking in the wrong place for that curse all along? Mayo for Sam 2023!!!
@flemsip: you OK lad?
@flemsip: in the bag or box?
@Pauly Kel: take me to his dealer
@John O Reilly: I’m not fussy I don’t think he is either, lizzy has really gone to his head
@flemsip: now you’re really looking for a miracle and as you must know the only miracle to ever occur in Mayo was a runway in Knock
@Tony Doyle:
Some additions 2 the greatest footballers in recent years, Dublin will be a wounded animal with something to prove.
@Pauly Kel: Two elites coming back, can’t wait to see them, McCaffrey breaking the world record for 100m and Mannion adding some power, wit and panache in attack.
@Frank Cauldhame: cluxton for the long jump too don’t forget.
@Pauly Kel: I think Comerford is growing into the position, he has improved big time and got to the stage where his defenders really trust him.
@Pauly Kel: brilliant and well needed
Potentially massive for the Dubs.
It’d be great to see McCaffrey playing with that smile on his face and that sweet left peg of Mannion.. Two of the greatest ever to don the blue jersey.
This makes them favourites for the All Ireland
@Stephen Drake: no, it’s Mayo’s year !!!
@John O Reilly: for sheep shearing All Ireland
We can all look forward to the “sure big money ye get” and “split dublin up” comments next year when we trounce the muckers… The blue machine is gonna take control again.. Its just a matter of how many in a row this time..
@Togs O Reilly: I get this is playing up to it but sweet Lord this is unbearable to see even as a Dub. Sure half our lot are born to country parents anyway… no need for the ‘muckers’ at all tbh.
@Togs O Reilly: not sure trounce is accurate there, as most all Ireland finals were pretty tight contests in the last decade….begging two lads to come out of retirement, sounds like panic to me! Ye be calling Clucko next!
@Chommie92: panic hahahahaha.
Do you think the two lads are 35 or something?
@Chommie92: ..for a sec reverse some roles of last years semi final when dublin lost by a pointy kerry. If dublin had, arguably their best player, con o callaghan playing in the semi against kerry and kerry were missing their definite best player davy Clifford.. Who do you think would have come out on top? I again refer you to the blue machine..
I’m not thier manager but the boys are coming back from
@Ultan Corcoran: are dubs and culchies not allowed slag the each other anymore.? We used to call it banter.. How can that offend you… Jaysis….
Nice
That’s Sam for Dublin.
@barney rock: boys are back in town,my mam got me a Dublin garden gnome mines call Dean and my sister has barney.
Meath and Colm ORourke in the first round of the championship please
@Seosamh: and Mayo in the final…. The curse is still alive!!!!! Ah no, it’d be too much, even for that great Mayo team, but it would be nice to hear McStay whinging….
Dublin must be in serious trouble when they have to call on retirees eh?
@Sean Healy: yeah yeah
@Sean Healy: by making themselves available doesn’t sound to me like Dublin are calling on them. Sounds like they are calling on Dublin.
@Sean Healy: They didn’t retire.
@Sean Healy: sometimes it’s best to stop pressing submit comment it just makes you look silly
@Sean Healy: neither retired. Stepped away because of motivation.
Great to see a Journal article that doesn’t have comments turned off.
Oh great
They might start favourites now in Div 2
This might be enough to tip Leroy and his GPS into retirement
Now, just a change in manager needed…..
@Disco Inferno: who Stephen Kenny?