Five minutes with Cavan’s Niamh Keenaghan

Name: Niamh Keenaghan.

Age: 19.

Occupation: Business and Law student.

Teams played for: Knockbride, Cavan Ladies, TU Dublin.

Game you most enjoyed playing in?

PPS All Ireland final in 2018, this was my first All-Ireland title with Loreto College, Cavan after five years of playing football with Loreto.

Game you least enjoyed playing in?

The PPS All Ireland final in 2017 in Birr which we lost.

What’s the worst pitch you’ve ever played on?

The back pitch in Brefine.

Toughest training session you’ve ever been involved in?

Any pre-season training session that Martin McKiernan is involved in.

What’s your preferred brand of gear?

Nike and Adidas.

Most inspirational individual you’ve ever met?

Mick Flynn. He taught me to be the best that I can be and to never give up.

Where do you like to go to celebrate?

With my club mates, our local pubs, The Cross and Laragh House, I would hate to see what the night would entail if we were to actually win something.

What do you like to do with you are not training/playing?

Online shopping is becoming a bad habit of mine.

Which team mates (from any club/county) are the first you’d invite on a night out?

Shauna Lynch. You can always rely on her for the shots, and Lauren McVeety enjoys a good rollover.

Which team mate is the worst dancer?

It would be hard to call one out on this. There are a few in the running with Aisling Gilsenan, Aishling Sheridan and Roisin O’Reilly all been known for the TikToks.

Which team mate is the loudest in the changing room?

Donna English, a brilliant motivator, always gets us going before games.

What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen happy in training/during a match?

Cannot pick a single moment out, however Donna English’s laugh usually gets us all going.

What’s the worst excuse you’ve heard to get out of training and who did it come from?

The worst excuse I have ever heard is definitely being unable to train due to a dodgy Chinese and I will have to admit it came from me. I don’t think being out the night before helped the situation.

Biggest ego?

Don’t think I could call anyone out on this one.

Worst/best person to sit next to on the team bus?

Lauren McVeety, would be the best although I’m not too sure she would say the same for me, after years of travelling to football matches together.

Worst/best person to share a room with on away days?

I’ve only had one away day so far, so no one comes to mind for this one.

Who has the best diet, and who has the worst?

Aishling Sheridan would have the best diet on the team, and the worst diet would probably go to myself.

Toughest opponent you have played against?

Aisling Doonan, any training you’re marking Aisling is a tough day and it’s not just one foot you have to concentrate on.

Best or worst quote you have heard from a team mate/opponent/manager?

Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard

Best manager you have played for?

Mick Flynn and Conor Maguire.

What frustrates you most about the GAA?

The lack of recognition for female players, although it is improving and ladies matches are getting more publicity.

What’s the best thing about being part of the GAA?

The friends and memories you make.