DUBLIN legend Paul Flynn put forward his ideal candidate for the now vacant Dublin manager job.
Dublin fell victim to a 0-23 to 0-16 loss at the hands of Tyrone to be dumped out of the All-Ireland Championship on Saturday.
Flynn would like to see Declan Darcy appointed to the role[/caption]
Following the disappointing All-Ireland quarter-final performance, Dublin manager Dessie Farrell stepped down from the role having been at the helm since 2019.
While on The Sunday Game – which you can watch back on the RTÉ Player – Paul Flynn spoke about potential replacements for Farrell.
The six-time All-Ireland winner said: “When Jim (Gavin) left, Dessie had done his apprenticeship it was ready made for him.”
“I think maybe the county board are a bit asleep at the wheel at the moment in relation to just having someone ready made to get in there.
“Obviously there’s potential candidates, Ger Brennan is doing a good job in Louth. But he’s in a current role.
“I think if I was the county board now I’d go hunt Declan Darcy and try get him back into the fold. He was phenomenal when he was with Jim for us.
“But look challenge ahead, even just trying to get squads competing at underage level. There’s a lot of work to be done at Dublin GAA.”
Darcy was a successful Gaelic footballer playing for both Leitrim and Dublin at the highest level.
Famously he captained the Leitrim team that won their second ever Connacht title in 1994 and also captained the U-21 side that won the 1991 Connacht title.
In 1998 Darcy moved to the county of his birth, Dublin where he would win a Dublin and a Leinster senior club championship with St. Brigid’s to add to his four Leitrim Senior Club championships he won with Aughawillian.
Following his retirement Darcy began to look into the world of coaching. In 2009 he joined up with former teammate Jim Gavin to coach the Dublin U-21 team.
After winning a Leinster title with the U-21s the pair linked up again in 2012, this time with the senior team.
Five league titles, seven Leinsters and six All-Ireland wins later the coaches stepped away from the team shorty after completing the famous five in a row feat.
Darcy had short stints coaching three underage sides in Clanna Gael Fontenoy and the Dublin ladies football Under-17 boss before landing a huge role in Leinster Rugby.
He was announced as the Leinster Rugby performance coach in September 2022.
He arrived in an active summer for the province as Andrew Goodman and Sean O’Brien replaced Felipe Contepomi and Denis Leamy as attack coach and contact skills coach.
Nearly three years later he still remains in the role but could be tempted to take over from former teammate Farrell.
DEADLY DESSIE
Flynn, the four time All-Star, paid homage to the departing Dublin boss who has given so much to the county as a player, coach and manager.
He said: “He is a Dublin legend. I think the real Dublin GAA people will really appreciate the job that he did.
“Not only did he win two All-Ireland’s for Dublin, he won a Minor All-Ireland and two under 21s. He cultivated the squad that we had under Jim.
“He’s a true Dublin legend. I think he will really be appreciated in time maybe some people in Dublin didn’t appreciate him.
“It’s unfounded, I think he’s been a phenomenal leader for Dublin and he’ll go down as one of the greats.
“He’s just done such a fantastic job, I just wish him well now and the whole management team will be missed they all did a great job to be fair to them.”
Tyrone legend Peter Canavan was on the panel and was also complimentary of the man who retired from inter-county football the same year as him.
The six time All-Star added: “It’s ironic his last game as a player for Dublin was against Tyrone. I played against him numerous times, he was a warrior on the pitch but a true sportsman.
“Likewise his term as a manager, I think he’s given everything to Dublin. He’s left it all on the pitch. He doesn’t owe anyone anything and Dessie will walk away with his head held very high.”
