Name:

Shane Duffy.

Teams played for:

Monaghan, Magheracloone and Meath side Ratoath.

Current involvement:

Semi-retired. I’m in that phase of ‘is it still too early in the year to come out of retirement again yet?’ I’m also involved in coaching Ratoath underage teams which my own two boys, Adam and Evan, are involved in.

Which club game that you played in will you never forget and why?

The 2003 Monaghan Senior semi-final against Latton. Time was up and we were three points to the good. We gave away a 20-metre free and the ref calls last play. We duly lined all 15 on the goal-line and somehow let the ball trickle past us. We lost the replay of course! Eighteen years later and I still think about it. Honourable mention for the 2020 men’s senior final here in Meath when a goal in the seventh minute of injury time saw us clinch the Senior Championship by one point.

Which club game that you watched will you never forget and why?

Castleblayney against Crossmaglen Ulster Club quarter-final in 2000 in front of a huge crowd in ’Blayney. ’Blayney were the kingpins of Monaghan at the time – Cross, the All-Ireland champions and overwhelming favourites. ’Blayney dominated from start to finish and won by 10 points, 0-15 to 0-5. We had beaten ’Blayney the previous year in the 1999 league final and it was the first time I thought these teams weren’t invincible.

Which county game that you played in will you never forget and why?

It would be easy to say the 2007 All-Ireland quarter-final against Kerry which we should have won, but I prefer the happier memory of the Qualifier victory against Donegal the previous week. We had just come off the back of an Ulster final defeat to Tyrone and few, if any, gave us much chance against the reigning league champions Donegal. But we put them to the sword that Saturday afternoon at a sun-soaked Omagh and ran out winners by eight points.

Which county game that you watched will you never forget and why?

For me, nothing compares to watching Ulster football matches from the 1990s and 2000s. I went to Clones any Sunday there was a game on with my father during the summer months and it created an everlasting impression. The 2003 football final in Croke Park stands out as the pinnacle for Ulster football during that period as the two biggest rivals, Armagh and Tyrone, locked horns for the biggest prize in the GAA.

What was the funniest thing you ever saw in a game?

In 2010, we played our last league game in Killarney needing a win to survive in Division One. With a few minutes left, word came through of Tyrone’s surprise loss in Omagh meaning we only had to avoid an eight-point defeat. Six points and a man down, Kerry were in control. Some lobbying ensued by the desperate Farney players to their Kerry counterparts who got wind of the opportunity to condemn Tyrone to Division Two. The last few minutes of keep ball was a means to an end – we lost by seven!

What was the strangest thing you ever saw in a game?

Watching Darren Hughes wear the number one jersey while playing centre-back in the 2010 Ulster final. Monaghan fans will recall the reason for him wearing that jersey! It was the best display ever seen by a number one in an Ulster final!

What was the most memorable performance from a player in a game that you watched?

I was always a fan of Peter Canavan. In the 2005 All-Ireland. He scored that memorable goal from Mulligan’s pass, was taken off, came back on, scored a point and finished up accepting Sam and duly retired. A perfect swansong for a player that deserved it.

What was the most memorable performance from a player in a game that you played?

Hard to answer this one. I played a local league game here in Ratoath a few years ago and one of our young debutants scored six goals. Certainly memorable even if the game itself was forgettable.

What did you love about the games you played in?

I played my first game at 16 and I’m still hanging on now for dear life 23 years later. I literally loved everything in between. Despite having more than my fair share of narrow misses and hard luck stories, there is not one thing I would change. Going out on that pitch was like going to war and the lack of trophies and accolades will never tarnish the pride of being part of the GAA and representing family, club and county.

What did you hate about the games you played in?

The build-up, the nerves, the weight of disappointment after losing, lying awake replaying the mistakes in my head. I spent too much time looking inwards and worrying about making mistakes than focusing on the positives and applying myself better to each game, particularly at county level.