IT speaks to Dublin’s panel depth that Jack McCaffrey, the 2015 Footballer of the Year, is still waiting patiently by the phone for a call just four weeks from the start of the new season.
The speedy defender remains among Gaelic football’s elite crew of players though his return to the county panel after taking the season out is still on ice.
Whether that’s significant or not remains to be seen though the UCD medical student didn’t seem too concerned at Croke Park where he attended the draws for the third level championships.
Dublin aren’t permitted to resume collective training until December 29 anyhow and the fact that the All-Ireland final went to a replay has pushed their pre-season schedule back slightly.
“I’m going to be in Dublin playing football, for somebody, next summer so I’d love to get back with the county,” McCaffrey said, noting that he’ll still be a club player at worst in 2017.
Across 11 weeks of travel throughout Africa, McCaffrey spent time with the GOAL charity in Ethiopia, worked in a Zambian hospital and experienced Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania. He said that he doesn’t regret a minute of it.
“I really enjoyed it anyway, I’m glad I did it,” said McCaffrey who is likely to feature for Dublin in their O’Byrne Cup campaign, presuming he does return.
Right now, he’s training away by himself and attended yesterday’s third level draws. He will feature again for Sigerson Cup holders UCD who were drawn to play IT Sligo/ GMIT in Round 2.
Ulster University will play the winners of Garda College/Cork IT while the pick of the Round Two ties could be Queens’ clash with DCU, the beaten 2016 finalists. In the Fitzgibbon Cup, Ulster University are placed in a tricky looking Group D alongside UCC, UCD and Maynooth University.
SIGERSON CUP (First team named at home) Preliminary Round (January 25/26): NUI Galway v Trinity College Garda College v Cork IT GMIT v IT Sligo Round Two (January 25/26/31): A. UL v Maynooth University B. Athlone IT v Dublin IT C. Garda College/Cork IT v UUJ D. GMIT/IT Sligo v UCD E. Queen’s University v DCU F. NUIG/Trinity College v St Mary’s G. IT Carlow v IT Tralee H. St Pat’s Drumcondra v UCC Quarter-finals (February 8) Semi-finals (February 17): Connacht GAA Centre, Bekan Final (February 18): Connacht GAA Centre, Bekan
FITZGIBBON CUP Group A: IT Carlow, Mary I, GMIT, DIT Group B: UL, NUIG, DCU St Patrick’s, CIT Group C: DCU, LIT, Trinity, WIT Group D: UCD, UCC, University Ulster, Maynooth University Round 1: Tuesday, January 24 Round 2: Thursday, February 2 Round 3: Tuesday, February 7 Quarter-finals: February 14 Semi-finals (February 24): NUI Galway Final (February 25): NUI Galway
