Jim looks to future

For a while, Jim McGuinness let himself smile and enjoy the moment.

He waved to friends and family in the stand as Michael Murphy started his speech and acknowledged the adoration of the masses when his captain lauded him from the steps of the Hogan Stand but his game face was soon back on.

His refusal to conduct a press conference while Declan Bogue, the author of This is Our Year, was in the room, draped an air of tension over proceedings that wasn’t shrugged off again until talk turned to Murphy’s tilt at Jimmy’s Winning Matches.