Jack McCaffrey has revealed how work commitments put paid to his hopes of playing for Dublin this year.

The 2015 Footballer of the Year had given serious consideration to returning to the fold under Ger Brennan, but his job as a paediatric doctor was simply too demanding.

“I spoke with Ger, I had a bit of a feeling that I might be able to get back up to the pitch of things, so I set about doing some training but it kind of quickly became apparent that [it wouldn’t be possible],” McCaffrey said at the launch of PTSB's new sponsorship of the PTSB Dublin club leagues and championships.

“I know I’ve stepped away from inter-county football a few times and it’s usually been because I didn’t want to be there. But I’m too busy at the minute. I was trying to go out three times a week to train on my own and I was not able to do that, whatever about trying to commit to a group.

“The one thing about inter-county football is when you’re in it, you’re in it. And so it wasn’t going to work. There’s every chance I wouldn’t have been up to the standard, or a million other things that could have happened.

“I’ve great time for Ger, having played with him and kind of worked with him in UCD. We had a couple of chats but it just wasn’t a runner, so we left it off.”

Asked if he’s retired from inter-county football, McCaffrey replied: “Never retired, I’m only 32!

“No, retirement is a very dirty word. But I think if you were to rock up to pitch 35 in St Anne’s Park [where Clontarf play] you wouldn’t be handing me a Dublin jersey anytime soon.”

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