McCarthy grateful Dubs party nearly over

DUBLIN may be the capital city but it’s a small one by European standards and the county’s footballers have begun to realise that in the wake of their first All-Ireland senior football title in 16 years.

Demands have been endless. Those squad members who turned up at the Ballinteer St John’s clubhouse last week were struck by an atmosphere that matched the fervour and excitement of the days following the final victory over Kerry.

Wing-back James McCarthy reckons he has visited 20 schools around Ballymun, Finglas and Glasnevin in the space of two or three days while book and DVD launches have added to the hectic social schedule. No one is complaining but there is the sense that you can have too much of a good thing, and maybe one of relief as well, as management and players looked forward to yesterday’s flight to the Cayman Islands and the USA for a two-week team holiday.