Pat Gilroy: I won’t be talking to anyone behind Jim’s back

Realism as much as success is a calling card of Pat Gilroy’s. When Dublin’s Blue Wave strategic plan in 2012 announced the target of an All-Ireland senior football title every three years he claimed it was “not practical”. Five years on and Dublin have added four more crowns. He’ll happily wear that egg on his face.

The same document also set out the goal of one All-Ireland every five years for the senior hurlers, something which they haven’t come close to achieving. Cue the introduction of Gilroy. As much as he is not promising the sun, the moon and the stars, he still has high hopes.

“It’s a great challenge. The thing for Dublin is to try and become a top four team consistently. We’ve been in and out of that the last 10 years. There is so much hurling happening in the city that we should be pushing to be up there on a more consistent basis.”