Jack McCaffrey ruled out of Dublin’s squad to face Roscommon in Croke Park

McCaffrey’s omission from the matchday 26 in Croke Park is a clear indication that he hasn’t shaken off the problem that forced his premature departure against Louth last Sunday week.

As a consequence, Cian Murphy is now listed to start in defence while another change sees Tom Lahiff named at midfield as an indirect replacement for Niall Scully. Given Dublin’s propensity for 11th hour switches, however, further changes cannot be ruled out.

Clearly, though, McCaffrey won’t be among them. The 2015 Footballer of the Year, who dramatically returned from inter-county exile this season, started the Leinster final even though he wasn’t originally named in Dessie Farrell’s starting team.

But after a bright start crowned by two points from play, the wing-back dynamo was forced off shortly before half-time.

Afterwards, asked if McCaffrey had suffered a hamstring issue, Farrell replied: “No, he just had an awareness - this great word now that we all have - an awareness of something going on. But it's not too bad thankfully, I think he's going to be okay.”

Dublin fans will be pleased to see veteran former All Star Mick Fitzsimons back in the matchday squad after missing out on some recent provincial action because of exams, but Eoin Murchan is again not included in the subs and nor is ‘keeper Evan Comerford.

DUBLIN (SFC v Roscommon) – S Cluxton; D Newcombe, D Byrne, C Murphy; J McCarthy, J Small, L Gannon; B Fenton, T Lahiff; B Howard, S Bugler, C Kilkenny; P Mannion, C O’Callaghan, C Costello.