McCaffrey encouraged by capital gains

HURLING is in a battle for recognition with the big-ball games and it’s a losing battle in most areas. Dublin is one of the most significant battlegrounds of all; it’s the capital city, home to about a fifth of the all-island population, but more significantly, home to most of the nation’s media.

At the moment football is in the ascendancy there, both gaelic and Association, and is treated accordingly. Tomorrow week, for example, Croke Park will be sold out as the Dubs take on Kildare in the Leinster SFC final, looking not just to retain their title but to complete five-in-a-row.

But Dublin are also in another Leinster final, the hurling final, and tomorrow in Croke Park they face Kilkenny in a daunting challenge, and yet, for those Dublin hurlers like midfielder John McCaffrey who sacrificed their football careers in favour of the stick-game, this is the moment.