Tyrone Dumps Dubs; Caffrey Quits

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Irish Voice Sport

Tyrone Dumps Dubs; Caffrey Quits

August 21, 2008

Sports Digest by Cathal Dervan

DUBLIN’S All-Ireland dream died a horrible death as Tyrone ran riot at Croke Park on Saturday by a score of 3-14 to 1-8, and manager Paul Caffrey paid the price as he fell on his own sword in the wake of the heavy defeat. The Dubs boss quit immediately after the game that sets Tyrone up for an All-Ireland semifinal against Wexford on Sunday, August 31.

“I’m stepping down today after four years in charge of Dublin, and I’d like to praise the players, not only on today’s panel, but the players that I’ve dealt with over the last four years, what they have given to the Dublin jersey and the pride they have put back into the Dublin jersey,” said Caffrey after Saturday’s game.

“It certainly wasn’t how we wished it to end today, but that’s football, that’s sport and we must accept it and move on.

“Those us who know football knew Tyrone were not a bad team. Some of the bookies who were quoting 3/1 were off their heads. It was not the way the Dublin dressingroom wished it to end.

“That is a hugely well-prepared Dublin team. We came with great hopes. But I think we kicked five wides before we had our first score. I could not have asked for more from the players in terms of preparation.”

Speculation is rife that several Dublin players, including Ciaran Whelan, Jason Sherlock and Shane Ryan, will follow Caffrey into retirement.

Hill 16 hero Mick Deegan is the favorite to succeed Caffrey as Dublin manager, but former Kerry boss Paidi O Se fancies a crack at the job.

Charlie Redmond and current under-21 boss Jim Gavin are also in the frame, but former Armagh supremo Joe Kernan says he doesn’t want the job.

Deegan is the favorite after winning the All-Ireland title with the Dublin junior team this season. “It would be very tempting: it’s the biggest job in Gaelic football. “There is a great bunch of lads there in the panel and there are other good players around the county,” he said.

“If it comes up, I’ll sit down and talk to the family. It’s a full-time job. I know how much time it takes up from having played inter-county football for the better part of 20 years.”

Kerry legend Ó Sé admitted, “Any player who went back to management, or managed his county team, of course he would give the Dublin job very serious consideration; it’s a very attractive job.

“Of course all managers would look at that and would take it into account. Of course they would. I wouldn’t be on my own in saying that, there are plenty of other people who would as well.

“I would say at this point in time that Dublin would find it very hard to be looking outside their own county. They’re a very, very proud county.”

The Dublin County Board say they are in no hurry to appoint a new manager.

“There’s no hurry. We’re talking months,” said county board chief John Costello.

“We’ll have a look at the situation, appoint a committee and take it from there. The National League isn’t until February, we have plenty of time.”

Costello also paid tribute to Caffrey and added, “His record speaks for itself, as manager of the Dublin team that won four Leinsters. But, unfortunately we are still that one step away from reaching an All-Ireland final. I’m very disappointed for Paul and all the management team and indeed the players who have given outstanding service.”

Dublin star Bernard Brogan has pleaded with both Sherlock and Whelan to hang around for another year.

“Ciaran and Jason have been brilliant for us, on and off the park. They still have much to offer and I hope they continue on for another year,” said Brogan.

Waterford Wins

WATERFORD are through to their first All-Ireland hurling final in 45 years after a 1-20 to 1-18 win over Tipperary on Sunday turned new manager Davy Fitzgerald into an instant folk hero.

“I’m after the most difficult year and a half of my life. I wasn’t able to say anything and still won’t say anything but isn’t it funny? There are swings and roundabouts,” said the Clareman Fitzgerald.

“I’m personally delighted to be there but, most of all, in the first or second night of training I could see the older Waterford players and you don’t have any idea what it means to them to contest a final.

“These guys’ heart and soul are in this and I knew I had a special bunch of players. All they want is a chance to win Liam McCarthy and now they have it.

“We know today could have gone to Tipp just as easy as we won it. Tipp had chances and wides but we showed character. When Tipp got the goal after we got one, normally that would break them but we didn’t.”

Star man Dan Shanahan said, “I’ve waited 12 long years for this day to arrive, and now that has finally come I’m just find it difficult to sink in.

“This victory, and the prize it has brought with it, is just unbelievable and it is the greatest day of my sporting life

“Yes, it could have gone anyway in that thrilling finale, but thank God we held our nerve for a victory that will lift the whole county in a way that it hasn’t known for almost half a century.”

Tipperary boss Liam Sheedy admitted to huge disappointment but believes his team can learn from their defeat.

“It’s just huge disappointment now,” said Sheedy. “We came up with ambitions of winning and getting to an All-Ireland final. It just didn’t work out for us on the day. Maybe they just worked that little bit harder and we didn’t have the answers.

“We were saying beforehand that Waterford were after losing the last couple of years and they weren’t going to go down without a fight. They weren’t going to let us have our way.

“They stood up and came at us. And fair play to them, they’ve got to an All-Ireland final. We wish them the very best of luck against Kilkenny.”

Tyrone Impressed

TYRONE were full value for their 12 point annihilation of Dublin on Saturday after a performance that had playmaker Brian McGuigan and manager Mickey Harte drooling.

“That’s probably the best performance we’ve had since the ‘05 final,” claimed McGuigan. “A lot of people were writing us off and that gave us a wee bit of inspiration to prove we’re not finished.

“But this is only a stepping stone to the semifinals. Wexford is going to be just as hard as Dublin. They use the media the same way as us people writing them off so it’s two teams trying to prove the media wrong.

“Everything went well for us. We were taking shots from 45 yards out and they were going over. On another day they may not go over.

“I don’t think we’ll get as much room the next day against a good Wexford defense. Maybe we caught Dublin on the hop, but we just played out of our skins today. It was a lucky day for us.”

Manager Harte is just two wins away from a third All-Ireland title but conceded that the margin of victory over the Dubs was unexpected.

“That certainly surprised us,” said Harte. “I certainly believed we were capable of winning the game. I know we have not been performing but we have had spells where we played excellent football. It was a case of having to put all of those spells together.

“But certain things go your way. I thought our second goal was crucial. They had us back to three points when they got their goal and we got one back more or less right away. It was important that we could keep that kind of lead and games hinge on things like that.

Captain Dooher and goal scorer Sean Cavanagh were quick to kill talk of an easy semifinal against Wexford.

“We have not become a great team because of that result,” added Dooher. “I am sure there will be a lot of things in the papers now saying we are the next best thing. But Wexford beat Armagh and there are not too many teams that can day that.”

Cavanagh said, “People are going to build us up for the next day, but we are still the same team that played Louth five or six weeks ago. We have to keep our feet on the ground and try to build on that performance.

Tyrone defender Ryan McMenamin is also wary of the Wexford threat in the All-Ireland semifinal.

“It’s a very good feeling to get back into the semi-final of the All-Ireland but we’re gonna put the heads down,” he said.

“We’re up against Wexford, who beat Armagh, a heavily-fancied team. It’s heads down and back to two weeks’ hard work.

Bennis Out

RICHIE Bennis has lashed the Limerick board after he discovered that his reign as hurling team boss had come to an end when he listed to a local radio show.

“I turned on the local radio and heard they were gone looking for a new manager. I thought it was Mickey Ned O’Sullivan, but it was me,” said Bennis.

“It’s a big change in 12 months. This time last year we were getting ready for an All-Ireland semifinal and at present I’m out of a job.

“I wouldn’t say I’m angry, more disappointed. I love hurling and I love Limerick. I got involved with Limerick when more or less nobody wanted them.

“I thought they should have handled it differently. They went down the official way, which is their way of picking a manager.

“I thought they should have met me and asked me what was my situation and was I interested. I made it known I wanted to stay for another year and they didn’t come to me and ask what I had to offer.”

GAA Shorts

TYRONE full-forward Sean Cavanagh has revealed that he rejected a second offer to talk up Aussie Rules football with the Carlton Blues club earlier this year. His Tyrone boss Mickey Harte has again called on the GAA to sever all ties with the Australians as player poaching becomes a hot topic. “The GAA ought to get serious and cut off all ties and have nothing to do with the International Rules series,” said Harte . . .

KILKENNY hurling captain James Cha Fitzpatrick has handed the All-Ireland champions a boost by returning to action with his club after a recent groin injury . . .

KILDARE veteran Anthony Rainbow has said he will play on next year but only if manager Kieran McGeeney wants him.

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