02-08-2025
The 2011 All-Ireland winner targetting more success with Dublin
IT WAS LATE last November when Mick Bohan announced he was stepping down as Dublin manager after five All-Ireland titles in eight years.
The departure came as somewhat of a surprise for Paul Casey, the 2011 All-Ireland winner who had been the team's defence coach since 2018.
Now joint manager with Derek Murray, and preparing for tomorrow's All-Ireland final against Meath, Casey recalls how they took charge.
'We had met numerous times after last year, and Mick seemed at one stage that he was all set to go again, and he had his backroom team in place. There were probably a couple of things going on with himself, and he obviously felt that he needed to step away.
'We had a chat amongst ourselves. We knew the county board would open up the position for anybody that wanted to apply to it. We spoke to a couple of the members of the backroom team that we would have been keeping on for continuity and put our names forward. We went through the process with the county board, and here we are.'
While admitting the appointment 'probably happened later in the year than we would have liked' — it was confirmed the week before Christmas — Casey details a smooth transition.
And a 'good partnership' with Murray, who he previously shared coaching duties with. The Lucan Sarsfields-Round Towers clubmen have known each other some time, and Casey would have suggested to Bohan to bring him into the set-up in 2022.
Advertisement
A couple of years later, they're a joint management double act, following in the footsteps of Kerry All-Ireland winning duo Declan Quill and Darragh Long.
'I remember Declan Quill sending me a message last year, 'Look what we are after starting now,'' Casey laughs.
'I think we work well together, and I think we know how each other works, and we know what each other's strengths are. There are very little discussions about who should do what.'
Casey celebrating All-Ireland glory in 2011. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
Casey didn't always have managerial ambitions, but he is enjoying the 'full-on' job.
'No, I loved doing my role under Mick and working predominantly with the defence, but I think I was only one member of a large backroom team there, and it's still very much the same thing. There's a couple of extra things that you obviously have to take on, and make sure everybody on the management team are happy as well. But myself and Derek are able to share a load in terms of that, and still doing lots on the field.
'I probably wouldn't have thought of it. I never would have envisaged myself staying on after Mick, but I suppose the time of year it was and knowing that there was still a lot of quality players within the group, it would have been awful to see those players maybe step away if there was going to be a completely new change as well.'
Two they are particularly glad to have on board are Hannah Tyrrell and Sinéad Goldrick.
Tyrrell has shared her plans to retire after tomorrow's decider, the 34-year-old set to bring the curtain down on a remarkable, three-sport career. The goalkeeper-turned-forward has starred at the highest level in Gaelic football, soccer and rugby, and has All-Ireland, FAI Cup and Six Nations medals in her back pocket.
Goldrick, 35, is a four-time All-Ireland winner, eight-time All-Star, and AFLW Premiership champion.
A pact was made Down Under as Tyrrell holidayed; last year's All-Ireland quarter-final disappointment and Goldrick missing the 2023 win two contributing factors.
'When Hannah was in Australia, they met each other and spent a couple of days together, and Hannah told her, 'I'll come back if you're coming back,' or else vice versa, and I think they both saw there was another year in them,' Casey reveals.
Casey and Murray met Tyrrell upon her return, and the rest is history, with a colossal 8-33 scored in this championship campaign.
'We're lucky in this country, we have many, many great sportswomen, but she's up there with them to have done it at soccer, rugby, and to be still doing it at 35 years of age, with a child at home, is a testament to her commitment to anything she applies herself to.'
Sinéad Goldrick on the charge against Meath. Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
'Goldie is such a leader,' he adds. 'You look at some of the player profiles of the younger generation now, where they ask who their sporting heroes were growing up, and there's Sinéad Aherne, Sinéad Goldrick . . .
'We forget sometimes with Goldie that she's that age, and some of these kids probably were only in nurseries when she was starting her career, but she's fantastic and she sets standards in training. She's always demanding the best out of everybody, and more so out of herself.'
The 2021 final, in which Meath ended Dublin's Drive for Five and won their first All-Ireland, has been referenced plenty this week. Casey concedes the Royals 'caught us on the hop possibly' but doesn't see it as 'any motivating factor'.
Related Reads
'I was trending number one in Ireland on Twitter ahead of Rashford and Coldplay!'
Leading Meath, AFLW adventure, and a couple chasing All-Ireland glory
As both a player and coach, the All-Ireland final memories are plentiful. 'There's no better place to play football,' he smiles, looking out on the Croke Park turf. At 43, his club career has come to an end.
'I played a bit of junior football last year, but the body is telling me no now. I just don't have time, so watching on.
'Even it's funny, you're still watching some of the games in the men's championship and you're saying I didn't know that rule was in place because you're so engrossed in the ladies game now.'
Casey was glued to last weekend's men's decider between Kerry and Donegal at home, however, his Kingdom roots strong with his father, Michael, hailing from Portmagee.
'Somebody text me on Sunday evening and said Dylan Casey is some fourth, fifth, sixth cousin of mine!
'It probably wasn't the best game but I just thought Kerry brought their A game to Croke Park and on the day that really mattered and in fairness to Jack O'Connor, to win five All-Irelands is a massive achievement but to come back and do it in three different tenures is superb.'
*****
