JAMES MCCARTHY HAS confirmed his intention to line out with Dublin in 2023, while backing the decision to hand Dessie Farrell a fresh two-year term.
McCarthy, who turns 33 next March, battled injury this year but managed to return for the narrow All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Kerry where he produced a sensational performance.
McCarthy is Dublin’s second-longest serving player behind Mick Fitzsimons, having made his championship debut in 2011.
After struggling with hamstring injuries throughout the campaign, he plans on evaluating how he can avoid spending so much time on the treatment table.
“I’ve had a tricky year with injuries so I’m going to have to have a look at that during this off-season,” he said.
“I can’t be playing so few games during the year. I played the semi, had a decent enough game. It doesn’t help when you lose, it doesn’t really matter how you play, but yeah, I plan on going back for next season anyway, definitely. I’ll just try and get the body right a bit more for the season coming.
“At the end of every year, I’d have a look at my game from a football perspective and then obviously, the body as well. I’m obviously not getting younger, that’s for sure. I’d like to be playing more games for the team but, like, I couldn’t do that last year with the injuries I had.
“So I’ll have to look at that and make some changes to training, add some things. I’m busy with the club at the moment, so I haven’t fully focused down on that, but there are a few things I need to do to try and make myself more available for selection.”
A hamstring problem ruled him out of the All-Ireland quarter-final win against Cork and missing out on so many games this year was a source of frustration for the Ballymun man.
“I’m doing a lot of hamstring injuries, unfortunately. I always think if you do a muscle injury there’s things you can do to avoid it, you shouldn’t be getting so many muscle injuries.
“Maybe it was the condensed season, matches week on week, but I didn’t play that many matches so I don’t know. It’s hard to know. I’ll look at things like flexibility, strengthening all them type of things that play a part. It was mainly just muscle injuries throughout the year. It’s not ideal to be getting them.
“It’s very hard to get form when you’re not playing a game and you’re missing five or six weeks without playing. It’s very up and down type of season. It’s not something you want to be going through.
“They’re the cards that have been played and you have to deal with them. For ourselves to play our best football, I think you need to be trying to play consistently and trying to stay injury free. I just need to look in the off-season to try and improve some of them areas and not let it happen again next year.”
McCarthy said the Dublin squad are “delighted” that manager Farrell is staying on for a further two seasons.
There had been speculation that the Na Fianna man, who led them to All-Ireland glory in 2020, would step down during the off-season.
“There’s always going to be talk out there when you’re not successful,” reasoned McCarthy.
“From a player group, we’ve full faith in Dessie.
“We’re delighted he’s staying on we just want to keep on building. We’re all looking forward to giving it another crack next year, to try and go on and win the Sam Maguire.
“Dessie’s a great manager and a great coach and he knows the players so well. He’s managed so many of us at underage. We definitely think he’s the man to take us to try and take back the All-Ireland final next year.”
Ballymun Kickhams face Cuala in the final round of Dublin SFC group games this weekend in a winner takes all game, where victory for either side will seal their place in the quarter-finals.
Reigning champions Kilmacud Crokes have added Galway star Shane Walsh to their squad this season. Asked for his opinion on the transfer, McCarthy said:
“It’s a big coup for them, absolutely. They’re going to have a pretty strong inside line to deal with.
“What’s my opinion on it? I’ve a strong opinion on it, but you guys, I’ll let you have a guess on that. But it is what it is. I only wish he had joined Ballymun, that’s all that I’m saying!”
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