Jack McCaffrey

{{Infobox Gaelic games player

|name = Jack McCaffrey

|image = JackMcCaffreyMVP.jpg

|irish = Seán Mac Gafraidh

|sport = Gaelic football

|icposition = Left half-back

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|10|19|df=y}}

|birth_place = Dublin, Ireland

|height = {{convert|1.8|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

|nickname = Dart from Clontarf

|occupation = Doctor

|club = Clontarf

|clcounty =

|clprovince =

|clallireland =

|county = Dublin

|code = Football

|province = Leinster

|counties = Dublin

|icapps(points) = 40 (4–17)

|icyears = 2013–

|icprovince = 8

|icallireland = 6

|nfl = 3

|allstars = 4

|icupdate =

}}

Jack McCaffrey (born 19 October 1993) is a Gaelic footballer who plays for Clontarf.

Early and personal life

His father Noel also represented Dublin in football.{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Verney|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/blistering-pace-simpsons-references-and-keepyuppies-jack-mccaffrey-is-no-ordinary-footballer-37272043.html|title=Blistering pace, Simpsons references and keepy-uppies: Jack McCaffrey is no ordinary footballer|work=Sunday Independent|date=1 September 2018|access-date=1 September 2018|quote=Having followed in his father Noel's footsteps to represent the Dubs, his inter-county stock has always been high but All-Ireland final day hasn't exactly been a happy hunting ground for McCaffrey.}} McCaffrey attended Belvedere College private school and studied medicine at University College Dublin (UCD) and graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery & Bachelor in the Art of Obstetrics. His classmates included Mark English, considered by Jerry Kiernan to be the country's "greatest talent" ever in middle-distance running.{{cite news|first=Chris|last=McNulty|url=http://www.donegalsporthub.com/jerry-kiernan-says-mark-english-is-the-greatest-ever-talent-in-irish-middle-distance-running/|title=Jerry Kiernan says Mark English is the 'greatest ever' talent in Irish middle-distance running|date=6 March 2019}} English issued a challenge to McCaffrey, himself considered football's fastest player, to take him on over 100 metres.{{cite news|url=http://www.hoganstand.com/county/dublin/article/index/218688|title=English challenges McCaffrey to race|work=Hogan Stand|date=19 June 2014}}

McCaffrey is a qualified medical doctor. He works in Temple Street Children's Hospital.

He is an opponent of professionalism within the GAA.{{cite news|url=https://www.hoganstand.com/Article/Index/310603|title=Professionalism would destroy the GAA - Jack McCaffrey|work=Hogan Stand|date=29 May 2020}}

Playing career

In April 2013, McCaffrey won a National Football League winners' medal as Dublin defeated Tyrone by 0–18 to 0–17 to win the 2013 National Football League.{{cite news|first=Martin|last=Breheny|author-link=Martin Breheny|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/supersub-rock-breaks-tyrone-hearts-in-epic-final-29227760.html|title=Supersub Rock breaks Tyrone hearts in epic final|newspaper=Irish Independent|publisher=Independent News & Media|date=28 April 2013|access-date=29 April 2013}}{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/2013/0428/387010-dublin-v-tyrone/|title= Dublin 0-18 Tyrone 0-17|work=RTÉ Sport|publisher=RTÉ|date=28 April 2013|access-date=29 April 2013}}{{cite news|first=Brendan|last=O'Brien|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/dubs-show-their-depth-as-fringe-men-shine-229805.html|title= Dubs show their depth as fringe men shine|work=Irish Examiner|date=28 April 2013|access-date=29 April 2013}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/northern-ireland/22304176|title=Dublin 0-18 0-17 Tyrone|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|date=28 April 2013|access-date=29 April 2013}} He made his championship debut against Westmeath in the 2013 Leinster Senior Football Championship.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/2013/0531/453764-dubs-boss-names-four-debutants-for-westmeath/|title=Dublin boss names four debutants for Westmeath clash|work=RTÉ Sport|publisher=RTÉ|date=31 May 2013|access-date=17 September 2013}} He scored a solo goal in the 2013 All-Ireland quarter-final against Cork.{{cite news|first=Seán|last=Potts|title=Blue Wave begins|work=Decades of the Dubs: 2010–2014|publisher=The Herald|page=5|quote=No goals were conceded this time in the Leinster final clash with Meath as Dublin progressed comfortably before avenging previous setbacks to Cork in the All-Ireland quarter-final, Jack McCaffrey finishing a spectacular solo effort to the net.}} Still teenaged, he played in the 2013 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, the first such final he would play in. McCaffrey, who was substituted at half-time, recalled how he "got roasted by Kevin McLoughlin". He played twice and netted for Ireland against Australia in the 2013 International Rules Series.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/international-rules/2013/1019/481455-ireland-australia/|title=Ireland 57-35 Australia|work=RTÉ Sport|publisher=RTÉ|date=19 October 2013|access-date=19 October 2013}}{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/international-rules/2013/1026/482867-rampant-ireland-crush-aussies-at-croker/|title=Ireland 116-37 Australia|work=RTÉ Sport|publisher=RTÉ|date=26 October 2013|access-date=26 October 2013}} In November 2013, he was named as GAA/GPA Young Footballer of the Year.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/mdma-and-tony-kelly-scoop-top-gongs-at-gaa-gpa-all-star-awards-29738523.html|title=MDMA and Tony Kelly scoop top gongs at GAA GPA All Star Awards|newspaper=Irish Independent|publisher=Independent News & Media|date=8 November 2013|access-date=18 November 2013}}

In November 2015, McCaffrey received the highest individual honour in the sport when he was named as GAA/GPA Footballer of the Year.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2015/1106/740230-mccaffrey-heaps-praise-on-unbelievable-gavin/|title=Footballer of the Year Jack McCaffrey heaps praise on 'unbelievable' Jim Gavin|work=RTÉ Sport|publisher=RTÉ|date=6 November 2015|access-date=6 November 2015}} He did so in spite of contracting food poisoning "in around the Thursday" before the 2015 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, which left him unable to finish the game. "I couldn't keep any food or water down so I got a drip to stay hydrated. But that was actually great at the time because it completely distracted from the build-up to a final ... all you were worried about is, 'Am I going to be okay?' You're no thinking about the occasion itself. And then thankfully I pulled through and performed okay for the 50 minutes that I lasted".

McCaffrey missed the 2016 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship due his travels abroad.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/confirmed-jack-mccaffrey-to-miss-dublins-all-ireland-title-defence-34514742.html|title=Confirmed: Jack McCaffrey to miss Dublin's All Ireland title defence|newspaper=Irish Independent|publisher=Independent News & Media|date=5 March 2016|access-date=5 March 2016}} He travelled to Ethiopia, then Kenya, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania.

In December 2016, McCaffrey confirmed that he would be available again for selection in 2017.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/im-going-to-be-around-for-the-next-year-and-a-half-at-least-jack-mccaffrey-ready-to-rejoin-dublin-in-2017-35276182.html|title='I'm going to be around for the next year and a half at least': Jack McCaffrey ready to rejoin Dublin in 2017|newspaper=Irish Independent|publisher=Independent News & Media|date=7 December 2016|access-date=7 December 2016}}

McCaffrey played in that year's All-Ireland final win but left the pitch early after sustaining what later proved to be an anterior cruciate ligament injury. His antics later in the evening as Michael Lyster interviewed Jim Gavin and Stephen Cluxton were much remarked upon. A month after the final, McCaffrey had surgery.

McCaffrey returned for Dublin against Longford as a substitute in June 2018. Another substitute appearance in the Leinster final against Laois followed, seeing him make two goal chances by himself. However, he did not find the net in that game.

He is a former self-admitted "horrific tackler" but the 2018 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final proved to be when he "figured out I'm actually a defender as opposed to some loose attacking player". His dispossession of Mattie Donnelly during injury time of that game offered evidence of this.

McCaffrey was named Man of the Match after his team's 2018 final victory. While being interviewed by Lyster for The Sunday Game highlights programme, a leak through the ceiling of the Gibson Hotel caused Lyster, McCaffrey and GAA President John Horan to be drenched in water live on air.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/watch-dublins-jack-mccaffrey-steals-the-show-again-as-unexpected-water-deluge-interrupts-man-of-the-match-presentation-37275838.html|title=WATCH: Dublin's Jack McCaffrey steals the show again as unexpected water deluge interrupts Man of the Match presentation|newspaper=Irish Independent|publisher=Independent News & Media|date=2 September 2018|access-date=2 September 2018}}{{cite news|first=Fintan|last=O'Toole|url=https://www.the42.ie/jack-mccaffrey-dublin-all-ireland-4207462-Sep2018/|title=Man-of-the-match, working in paediatrics, cruciate comeback and Dublin glory|work=The42.ie|date=3 September 2018|access-date=4 September 2018}}

Interviewed the following day by journalists, McCaffrey reminded them: "This was the first time I've been on the pitch when the final whistle blew in an All-Ireland final. Incredible. It was so satisfying, such a relief."

Another All Star followed, as did a second Footballer of the Year nomination.

McCaffrey won the man of the match award in the drawn 2019 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final as well; a second consecutive award, "RTÉ veterans" were reported to be finding it difficult to recall such an occurrence ever before.{{cite news|first=Frank|last=Roche|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/frank-roche-dart-from-clontarf-arrives-on-time-for-blues-final-destination-38496391.html|title='Dart from Clontarf' arrives on time for Blues' final destination|work=Sunday Independent|date=14 September 2019|access-date=14 September 2019}} He was top scorer (1–3) from open play. This compared with the 3–14 from his previous 38 championship games. The three points were also a classic hat-trick, sent over with fist and both feet. Defensively, he forced eight turnovers of possession.

McCaffrey left the Dublin panel ahead of the 2020 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/jack-mccaffrey-leaves-dublin-panel-ahead-of-2020-championship-reports-1.4290687|title=Jack McCaffrey leaves Dublin panel ahead of 2020 Championship, reports|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=27 June 2020}} He later described the drawn 2019 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final as the game that "broke me" but decided initially to remain when his former minor and under-21 manager Dessie Farrell was appointed as Jim Gavin's successor.{{cite news|url=https://hoganstand.com/Article/Index/314687|title='The fun had gone out of the whole thing' - Jack McCaffrey on his Dublin departure|work=Hogan Stand|date=9 December 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.otbsports.com/podcasts/otb-gaa-on-off-the-ball/the-bernard-brogan-podcast-episode-4-jack-mccaffrey|title=Jack McCaffrey joins the Bernard Brogan Podcast|publisher=Off the Ball|date=9 December 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/what-broke-me-was-the-drawn-final-jack-mccaffrey-opens-up-on-decision-to-quit-dublin-panel-39845299.html|title='What broke me was the drawn final' - Jack McCaffrey opens up on decision to quit Dublin panel|work=Irish Independent|date=9 December 2020}}

Honours

=Team=

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (6): 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023
Leinster Senior Football Championship (6): 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019
National Football League (3): 2013, 2014, 2015
All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship (2): 2012, 2014 (c)
Leinster Under-21 Football Championship (2): 2012, 2014

=Individual=

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final Man of the Match (2): 2018, 2019 (drawn game){{cite news|first=Colm|last=Keys|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/mccaffrey-gets-man-of-match-award-away-from-cameras-38461361.html|title=McCaffrey gets 'man of match' award away from cameras|newspaper=Irish Independent|publisher=Independent News & Media|date=3 September 2019|access-date=3 September 2019}}
The Sunday Game Player of the Year (1): 2015
GAA/GPA Young Footballer of the Year (1): 2013
GAA/GPA Footballer of the Year (1): 2015
GAA GPA All Stars Awards (3): 2015, 2017, 2018
UCD Alumni Award Winner Sport 2020{{Cite web |title=Jack McCaffrey |url=https://alumni.ucd.ie/awards/awardee/jack-mccaffrey/ |access-date=2022-09-02 |website=UCD Alumni Awards |language=en-GB}}