Name

Rory Porteous.

Age

29.

Teams played for

Fermanagh, Lisbellaw & Big Ball for Maguiresbridge.

Which team mate has been the most inspirational and why?

It kills me to say it publicly but it would be Andrew Breslin. He was one of the “auld lads” when I first started playing Senior and now I’m one of them and he’s still going strong playing both codes. Always has a wee word of advice for you when you need it, and when you don’t.

Who’s the best team mate to train with and why?

Conor McShea. He’s relentless in training and on match days. Rarely misses a session and sets the bar good and high for everyone else.

Which team mate is the worst to train with and why?

Another one for Andrew Breslin here. Late as a rule. Loves “doing his own session” up in Belfast but he’s been up and down the road between Belfast and Fermanagh more times than I can imagine and in fairness to him, he’s around long enough to know how to have himself ready for match day.

Which team mate do you want to mark in training and why?

I love the challenge of marking Sean Corrigan. He knows every trick in the book to take away my advantages and his movement is a nightmare to track so when I’m doing well against him I can be confident going up against anyone else.

Which team mate do you dread marking in training and why?

We’ve a selection of young, lightning fast forwards and they’re all dreadful to try and stop. Tom Keenan showed how dangerous he is in our Lory Meagher Final win scoring 3-2! But the likes of Jimmy Tormey, Caolan Duffy and now Ciaran Corrigan back at club training can really fly about too and that’s tough.

Which team mate is the best on journeys away?

I like to put my earphones in and listen to a podcast when we head to away matches on the bus, but you can put money on Luca McCusker and Odhrán O’Connor being set up in the back seat of the bus with a speaker and that keeps most of the lads entertained.

Which team mate is the worst for journeys away?

Ryan Bogue is the man for this one. The only thing that can get him on a team bus is the promise of a Garda escort. Desperate travel sickness apparently, although there are rumours he just doesn’t like Luca’s musical taste.

What’s the funniest thing you’ve heard in training or in a match, and who said it?

Tom Keenan comes out with the best one liners in the huddle these days, and I’m not sure anyone else could get away with it like he does or make it as funny as he does either.

We sat down to do some video analysis earlier this year and after watching a few clips of our own puck outs he pointed out how we were getting cleaned out when we went long and that we were taking too many risks on short ones. So Tom announced with a totally deadpan delivery that we should try a ‘Medium Puck Out’ tactic.

What’s the worst excuse you’ve heard to get out of training?

WhatsApp groups are a curse for squads. When the messages start coming in during the day of training the excuses are frustrating. Three students in the squad missed training one time because they were in Belfast for the day viewing houses.

Which team mate is the loudest in the changing room?

Between Barney McAuley and John Duffy.

Barney’s experience would command respect in any dressing room. When he speaks, it’s worth listening to. And John has an innate ability to get us fired up in those few minutes before throw in. We’re ready to bust down the door of the dressing room.

Which team mate is the most sensible?

Not too many suitable candidates here. I’d say Barney here too though. Calm head on the field and doesn’t get carried away in the hype before games either. It’s another reason why his words in the dressing room are worth listening to. He’s a settling presence in the squad.

Who is the smartest of all your team mates?

Ciaran Duffy. He’s one of the few lads who misses training because he has important exams coming up and I don’t instantly think he could be managing his time better to fit both in. I just assume he’s studying harder than everyone else because he has to.

Who’s the best team mate to celebrate with?

Danny Teague. The young lads kept the party going after the Lory Meagher win much longer than either of us could manage. But there’s nobody I’d rather go into battle with, so there’s nobody better to celebrate winning those battles with either.