Jim Gavin steps down: Blue riband Dub

It is all but impossible to imagine how Dublin football manager Jim Gavin’s successor might emulate his record five-in-in-a-row All Ireland titles.

When Joe Schmidt stepped down as Ireland’s rugby coach after the Word Cup in Japan, Irish sport lost one of its great agents for change.

Schmidt coached Ireland for six years and despite the World Cup disappointments he leaves an enviable record with Ireland and Leinster, one his successors will struggle to emulate.