Five minutes with… Down’s Karen McMullan

Name: | Karen McMullan |
Age: | 28
Occupation: | Teacher

Teams played for:

Liatroim Fontenoys, Castlewellan. County Camogie – Down
County Ladies football – Down
Current club: Michael Cusacks Sydney

If you were throwing a party and you could invite anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would you ask around?

Michael D Higgins for the bants. Sarah Murphy for the drinking games, Linda Lodge on the Guitar. Castlewellan, Liatroim & Cusack GAA teams for the craic.

Where do you like to go out to celebrate after a big victory?

At home it would be the local club / town. In Sydney it’s the AYH, followed by the Cock & Bull and if you’re brave enough; Scruffys.

If you weren’t playing GAA what would you be at?

Probably would have spent more summers in America.

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

Sorry Grainne.. but it has to be Annalcone!

Which character in any film are you most like?

My niece tells me I’m like Dory from finding Nemo. God knows why.

Any odd items in your kit bag?

Always find random pieces of food & normally endless amounts of odd socks.

What’s your preferred brand of gear?

Whatever I can find in the drawers/ cupboards. Benny Coulter gloves. Adidas boots.

Who’s the biggest joker in the teams you play for?

Too many jokers on these Cusacks teams. Hard to pinpoint one of them as they are all equally as mad as each other. At home Lisa Morgan, Aine Keown & Paula Cleland. The three of them together and added with alcohol is a disaster waiting to happen.

Which team mate has the best looking other half?

Aww sure they are all beauts atm, but can you imagine how they will all look in ten years time with the relationship stress!

Who is the worst trainer?

Murf – forever injured!

Who spends most time in front of the mirror in the dressing room?

You would be lucky to find a mirror in the dressing rooms

Who’s the best/worst person to share a room with on away trips?

Best – Kelly O Higgins – always has the best food options and the best music on the iPod.
Worst – Grainne O Higgins. Forgets everything! One year she forgot her boots for our All Ireland club semi final!! Stresses me out!

Who’s the best/worst person to sit beside on the team bus?

Best – Lisa Morgan. My drinking buddy.
Worst – Kelly O’Higgins – always sleeping!

Who has the best and who has the worst diet on the team, and what does it include?

Best diet – Noeleen Farry. Although her Hubby cooks it all for her!
Worst diet – Myself at the minute. Missing me mummy’s home cooked
dinners.

Toughest opponent you have faced?

Caroline O Hanlon, Jane Adams, Clare Timoney.

Best or worst quote you’ve heard, either from a manager, player, opponent?

Haven’t really got one from sport but my boss at home constantly had a saying.
‘Life is what you make it’ . That has stuck with me ever since.

Best manager you’ve ever played under?

Paul McStravick.

Best ever performance?

Still waiting on it!
Best team performances – Down ladies footballers & Down camogs All Ireland wins in 2014.

One to forget?

Ulster Club camogie semi final last year.

When you were playing in the back garden, who did you pretend to be?

I constantly broke the windows with the camogie balls so most of my memories were cut short as Daddy banned me from the garden!!

If there was a transfer market who’d be in and who’d be out of the team?

In – Briege Corkery
Out – Lisa Morgan. Past her sell by date!!