Paul Mannion and Jack McCaffrey return to Dublin GAA senior football squad

McCaffrey has been on inter-county hiatus since leaving the squad midway 2020, Farrell’s first year in charge, while Mannion left at the end of that season.

Speaking in July, Mannion hinted that his day as an inter-county footballer were over, insisting he had “drawn a line under” a possible return to the Dublin setup.

Speaking to Dubs TV after today’s Dublin SFC quarter-finals, Dessie Farrell confirmed the news.

“The good news is we’ll have Jack McCaffrey and Paul Mannion rejoining the squad next year,” he said, “which is good news in terms of the development and continued evolution of the team and the squad.”

This will be the second time the two players have returned to the setup.

McCaffrey, 29 next month, missed Dublin’s All-Ireland win in 2016, spending some of that year in Africa. Mannion, 30 next May, studied for a year in China and missed 2015.

Mannion has been in inspired form for Kilmacud Crokes over the past two seasons, leading to repeated questioning about a possible return, although he suffered what looked like a recurrence of a problem ankle injury on Saturday night.

McCaffrey played no part in Clontarf’s Dublin SFC relegation match against Raheny on Sunday.