Back in the bosom of his football family

NOT A CARE in the world? Hardly, but the sight of Jason Sherlock interrupting his pre-training heart-to-heart stroll with Keith Barr around Santry sports fields last night to. pitch softball was typical of the free spirit that galvanised football followers in the summer of '95.

Dark clouds hovered in the Dublin skies as Sherlock returned to the bosom and comfort of the county's senior football squad; not just geographical clouds, but emotional ones too. The spat that became a major quarrel within the chambers of power in Dublin has resulted in turmoil.

But Jayo was back last night not playing a match as intended against Derry in Newry - a game cancelled because of the killing of Bellaghy's chairman Sean Browne, a tragedy which should put everything else into some kind of perspective - but training with his Gaelic football colleagues on Dublin's northside and staying mum, letting his brief statement earlier in the day do the talking.

Sherlock, though, is like a magnet to kids, the pied piper of the country's games.

The open spaces of the Trinity sports grounds are as far removed from a Leinster championship game or an All-Ireland encounter as you can get, but even here he was sought out. Young lads from the Ballymun Cubs Little League, portable home plate in hands, descended on him and were obliged with smiles and autographs and a natural toss of the ball a La Willie Mays.

The important thing, however, is that Sherlock is not throwing his hat at football. Actions speak louder than words, and the impish attacker was present and correct, ready for the summer campaign which lies ahead. While others togged out in the dressing-rooms, Sherlock and team captain Barr were having their one-on-one chat, strolling around the pitch. A captain and his player.

Manager Mickey Whelan could do without all the fuss, too. But he'd also had a heart-to-heart with his man. "We have a major job to do but I am confident we can maintain our focus," said Whelan. "It is u to administrators to administrate and players to play. At the moment, I have to organise a training session.

The Leinster championship game with All-Ireland champions Meath is looming ominously into sight.

Whelan's words were wisely chosen. "I've talked with Jason and I don't believe anything that has happened will undermine him. I'm confident he is okay," he said.

Sherlock took a full part in training, unlike some of his injured team-mates. Paul Curran, Charlie Redmond, Paul Clarke and Paul Bealin watched and joked from the sidelines, Adidas runners soaking in the wet from the recently spilled rain. But the blue and navy topped Sherlock was running and darting and kicking with the rest, trying to. put the off-field shenanigans to one side.

Afterwards, the players met - as they do from time to time - but on this occasion, to get the message home: "Concentrate on our game, we can't afford distractions." A statement from the players won't be issued until tomorrow, perhaps, but that's what the message will be Dublin's players, and Sherlock is very much one of them, have a job to do.