The fact that Jack McCaffrey managed to line out for Dublin at all, on Sunday, is remarkable.
The 21-year-old half-back played a key role in setting winning foundations for the Dubs against Kerry.
McCaffrey last 50 minutes of his side’s 0-12 to 0-9 win over The Kingdom before sitting out the closing stages. Dublin’s half-back line was its most effective unit as players such as Jack McCarthy and McCaffrey snuffed out Kerry’s attacking threat whilst managing to stretch their defence on darts upfield.
Sunday’s win was McCaffrey’s second All-Ireland SFC success and he is well set to make the All Star team later this year.
However, the Clontarf man was extremely close to missing out on all the fun.
Speaking on RTE Radio’s The Marty Squad, former Dublin boss Paul Caffrey said, ‘Jack was very sick this week and he did phenomenally well to make the pitch at all.
‘He had a gastric bug for the last three days and he was very doubtful. He was actually on a drip for 24 hours so to see what he put in out on that pitch was amazing.
‘I was talking to his father at half time and he just couldn’t believe that Jack had played the half that he did. I thought he was phenomenal.’
The Sunday Game panel must have agreed. While McCaffrey was not one of the man-of-the-match nominees, he did win their ultimate accolade.
The Sunday Game Footballer of the Year for 2015 is Dublin's Jack McCaffrey. #SundayGame #FootballeroftheYear pic.twitter.com/PAbedXG7EQ
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) September 20, 2015
