Governance and results go hand in hand

During Jim Gavin’s presentation at Sport Ireland’s recent HPX Conference, the Dublin manager noted that there were “some competitors in the audience”, past and present, which probably explained why he was so big on philosophy but so scarce on actual detail, writes Kieran Shannon.

Donegal were there in the shape of Karl Lacey, a coach in Declan Bonner’s new management team. Former inter-county bosses James Horan and Aidan O’Rourke were also sitting up in the bleachers, while from hurling, Clare’s Donal Moloney as well as members of the Tipperary and Limerick backrooms made the trip out to Abbotstown.

Tellingly, no county was better represented at the event than Dublin themselves. As well as Gavin, who sat in on a good deal of the earlier sessions, Jason Sherlock intermingled among the 400-plus delegates, while from the Dublin ladies football management team, Ken Robinson was soaking up further knowledge, indicative of that group’s desire for further success.