Updated at 08.30
AS SARAH MCCAFFREY palmed the ball into the Hill 16 goal to put the cherry on top of Dublin’s emphatic All-Ireland win yesterday, the cameras turned to her brother.
And there were similar scenes to his fist-pumping celebrations on The Sunday Game last week.
It’s fair to say that 2015 Footballer of the Year Jack McCaffrey was one of the happiest men in Croke Park as Dublin were finally having their day in the sun after three back-to-back final defeats.
As she turned back towards the field, fists clenched but determined to get back to her marker for the kick out, McCaffrey gave a cheeky smile — her second goal from the bench coming as the last blow.
Did she spot her brother on the screen though?
“I actually saw it out of the corner of my eye, I was like ‘Don’t look up there!’” she laughs afterwards.
Of course, it’s an All-Ireland double for the two Dublin football teams after the men edged Mayo in last Sunday’s thrilling final. McCaffrey was forced to an early exit however, as he sustained a dreaded cruciate injury.
Regardless, it’s been a memorable week for the family, with two senior All-Ireland medals heading back home to Clontarf.
“Listen, Jack had a fantastic season,” she said. “It was disappointing what happened to him, for him.
But I saw him up there, he was delighted for us and for myself. There’ll be big celebrations in the house this week!”
And when asked if her older brother ever offers her advice, she said that he mainly leaves her to her own devices.
“Jack? Not really. He has a very relaxed approach. To go out and enjoy it. He’s right. To enjoy these days. We know that they come around very, very rarely.”
There was no need for much advice anyway, as the 23-year-old sharpshooter struck two late goals in a remarkable 10-minute cameo.
“The last instruction I was given going in was to do the simple things,” she told The42, of her first goal, an admirable strike. “Going through my head I was like ‘Hmm, should I go for this?’
“It was the girls that created the chance. The gap opened up then and I just went for it. I think it was fortunate, but we were asked to do a job as subs coming in and we were delighted to help getting over the line.”
And the victory was made all the sweeter for McCaffrey, who has just recently returned from injury. Bone bruising on her foot ruled the Clontarf star out for eight weeks.
She came on as a substitute in the semi-final victory over Kerry, but previous to that, her last game in the Sky Blue jersey was the Leinster final.
“It hasn’t been ideal,” she continues. “But I’ve had great support from everyone involved to be able to contribute what we could, when we could. I’m very fortunate with that support system.
I’m delighted with that as a personal achievement, I’m thrilled. But it’s more just like, the team…. God, wait till you see tonight!
“I can’t emphasise enough how thrilled we are to be able to have gotten over the line after having just been knocking at the door for the past couple of years. You saw us out there, we’re just absolutely over the moon. We can’t believe it.”
An é sin an buille marfach? Cúl ag @dublinladiesg & 6 pointe an bearna anois #properfan @LadiesFootball ar @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/lcAjfcfD2v
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) September 24, 2017
In the mixed zone after the game, Sinéad Finnegan — who was withdrawn in the first half through injury — described losing three All-Irelands in-a-row as going through a break-up every September for three consecutive years.
And McCaffrey resonates: ”You could compare it to a bereavement. It really is just crushing.
“Anyone who’s been on that side of it would say the same. We are very conscious of how Mayo are feeling. We’ve been there and it’s just a horrible end to what has been a terrific season for them.
“All we’re thinking at the moment is how fortunate, relieved and elated we are to have gotten over the line.
“We didn’t expect anything else. We set out at the beginning of the year, we knew what we could do as a group.”
And for the first time in four years, tonight won’t be like a funeral for this Dublin team. It’s going to be one hell of a party instead.
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Fully deserved win for the Pool. Badly needed and should give them the confidence going into the Moscow game on Tuesday.
“Mignolet hopelessly flapped at the subsequent corner”??? He got nowhere near flapping at it as he was being clearly hauled back by Okazaki and it was as clear a free-out, terrible description of what was really happening.
@Hakaman: balanced out tbf with the offside
Great win after the midweek defeat. …. much needed aswell. Well done pool
But but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but Y.N.W.A just when they thought we were out they pulled us back in.. The Mancs looking dicey, just in time. We will wollop them !
@Mrs. Nugent: Do not make me laugh. You’re the ones looking dicey from a defensive aspect.
@Conor Cahill: but your team haven’t played a decent team yet this season
@Jamie: and look what happened when you did , at least we are winning games that’s your first win in September and it’s nearly October
@Hoof Hearted: yea we bet Arsenal 4-0 wasn’t it?As for city what can say they’re the top club in England with the best coach in the world
@Jamie: why don’t you support city if you feel so strong about them
@Hoof Hearted: that is like something a 7 year old would say
@Jack: Thats hoof/johnny bla bla for u
@Jack: he is 7
@Jack: I know he’s unreal isn’t he
@Hoof Hearted: you dim witted person !
@Mrs. Nugent: tell me ,did Couts kiss the badge after scoring
@Tensing Norgay: a quick glance thru your twitter shows you support Manchester United did De Gea kiss the United badge when he was forced to stay at United?and did Ronaldo do the same when he wasn’t let leave United for another year to go to Madrid
@Tensing Norgay: or did Tevez kiss the city crest when he left United
@Jamie: Boom !
@Tensing Norgay: or has Rooney ever kissed the United crest even though Everton is his boyhood club?
@Jamie: Who ? pricess Fiona ?
@Mrs. Nugent: does she drive a VW beetle?
@Jamie: obsessed
Jamie would you ever get real man.Ragmen is right we all sneered and jeered him for putting in a soccer transfer request. This guy is only here today because the board of Liverpool FC decided not to grant his transfer. And don’t start me on Luis Suarez who manufactured his move by creating an unspeakable act against a fellow player. I get you’re trying to hit on the Manchester guys but save the untrue stuff for your backyard when you need to impress your buddies
@Sherman Berstein: maybe snowflakes like you did but if you were South American would you rather play in damp cold England or go to sunny Spain and play for the best team in the world?
@Jamie: WOW man you do really have the mental age of a first grader. Good luck with that buddy
@Jamie: fighting with your own fans now what a loser
@Sherman Berstein: ah yea go for personal insults when you have no come back
@Sherman Berstein: Take no notice Sherman, he’s just the resident wally. Just laugh at him like the rest of us..
@Harry Corry: Christ Harry he really is mentally challenged. I thought it was just an act
@Sherman Berstein: and
@Sherman Berstein: answer my question snowflake
@Sherman Berstein: Answers my question snowflake
@Jamie: poor Alan how does it make you feel when people ignore you
@Johnny Bravo: when people ignore me it shows they’re afraid to answer the question.don’t worry ill keep asking the snowflake
@Jamie: You’re a scary little boy how old are you
@Buddy Bud: I’m 13 and a half actually
Summed up our defence. Lovren a player who needs confidence puts an easy pass straight out of play after one minute. Good win though YNWA
Big change from during the week when they put out an understrength team for that Mickey Mouse cup
@Jamie: shut up
@Jamie: obsessed.
We can score more the you plan . Will get found out by the bigger teams
@powerfix: are you saying a team that won the PL two seasons ago isn’t a big team? The same can be said for your team who’ve only played mediocre teams so far this season
@powerfix: liverpool have only lost 2 of the last 20 against top 6 sides..
@Jack: surely that deserves a trophy
@Scott Crossfield: Scott they got one last year it was the finishing above Utd cup !
@powerfix: united finished last year with three trophies and champions league qualification. Liverpool finished with a spot in the champions league qualifiers…..which sounds like the better season?
@powerfix: haha – shine that trophy up and put in the cabinet
@Jamie: look at the table ……WAAAAAAAHHH
@powerfix: Must kill you to see your once noisy neighbours on top of the table #manchesterisblue
@Jamie: not really as my girlfriend is a city supporter so I win either way. Tara Chuck !
@powerfix: lol you have a girlfriend lol
@Scott Crossfield: brilliant!
@Kevin O Sullivan: how sad do you have to be to coint the charity shield as a cup. It’s a charity game , doesn’t count, end of….
@powerfix: They will win that cup again this year girlygirl x
@powerfix: Girlfriend ???? Now since when does sleeping with your labrador count as having a girlfriend girlygirl xx
Super result, couldn’t afford to drop points today. Still shite at the back again I wish Klopp was a defender when he was a player, oh wait!!
This should be interesting as he was classed as a snake by most here
@Ragman: Ye by the likes of you and other United supporters most Liverpool supporters felt no ill feelings towards him just like when Suarez went, every player wants to play for the best teams in the world but at least they didn’t do what Madrid did with De Gea and dropped interest in him at the last minute
Ref bottled it Mingolet should have got a red ! He took vardy out so you can’t give a pen and not a red too
@Mark Nugent: change of rule in the premier league actually, came into effect last year. Situations like that have now changed to penalty and yellow card. Google it.
Mignolet is brutal. Danny Ward must get a run. Had a good game in the cup and caught everything.