Dungannon hurler wins Gaelic Life Fantasy Football competition

THE Fantasy Football Division one competition was completed this week and it took a final week surge from Cathal MacFhirléinn from Dungannon, to snatch victory out from under John Cafferkey.

The latter was winning going into the final week but MacFhirléinn top scored in week seven with a massive 190 fantasy points and that meant he was able to win outright by three points.

He was on 1105 fantasy points, John Cafferkey’s team was on 1102.

“I didn’t realise till lunch time on Monday. I was on tenterhooks. I was a few points behind John Cafferkey. I knew I had a chance of catching him. But the site doesn’t show what he selected. So I was hoping he would pick Mickey Murphy because he didn’t play.

“I was delighted when the scoreboard came up and I had won by a couple of points.”

MacFhirléann wins the top prize of Eur1000.

“It is a lot of cash to be winning. I am over the moon. Especially being a hurling man.”

MacFhirléann is part of the Dungannon Eoghan Ruadh hurling club, and also runs the clubs fantasy hurling and football competitions.

He’s a keen fantasy player across all sports.

“I do all the premier league fantasy, and I run our own fantasy competition.

“I have a good understanding of it. It helps. You still need to know the game and the players, you still have to do the research.”

For a long time this year it looked as though there might not have been any more matches.

“It looked like it wasn’t going to happen. It was great to get the hurling back. I am delighted it was back. I knew I was up there, and it was good to have those last couple of rounds.”

MacFhirléan explained his approach,

“It was about the squad. I knew that the way you work it with the competition and substitutes you need a squad.

“I know that teams rest players, and some will be played all the time. I needed to make sure that if anyone got injured I had a good man coming in.

“I was most happy with Darren McCurry and David Clifford, when talking about the battle with John and Cormac.

“I don’t think he (John) had David Clifford which was surprsing. The Dazzler (Darren McCurry) is a former hurler. And he scored well in the last couple of rounds. That was the differential we had all the same other players like Dean Rock and Paddy Durcan.”

Things didn’t go entirely to plan.

“I had a brutal start, I captained Peter Harte and he didn’t play. I improved a bit, and then the last few rounds I gained momentum. I won the last stage and that was the deciding factor.

“In this format you have to have a squad, with the subs. You have the big names but you have to make sure you have four good players.”