Name: Rosemary Courtney

Age: 22

Occupation: Student

Teams played for?

Donaghmoyne, Monaghan, Athlone IT, Ulster underage

Game you most enjoyed playing in?

Club All-Ireland 2015

Game you least enjoyed playing in?

Monaghan v Galway 2020

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

I have been lucky enough not to play on too many bad pitches, but for some reason at the All – Ireland Club 7s in Naomh Mearnóg, Donaghmoyne always get assigned to the bottom field that usually consists of long grass and holes.

Toughest training session you’ve ever been involved in?

In the weeks leading up to the 2017 championship for Monaghan, we had some tough training sessions but there’s one in particular I will never forget. It was horrendous. We had to do numerous sprints up a steep hill in the middle of Killeevan town, then do a 2km or 3km run back to the pitch to do a full pitch session.

What’s your preferred brand of gear?

Nike, Adidas and Under Armour.

>Most inspirational individual you’ve ever met?

I would have to say my sisters (I couldn’t choose one), they have done it all and it is something I aspire to.

Where do you like to go out to celebrate?

For the club we always go to a pub in Carrickmacross called Nallos.

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

I suppose the first lock down encouraged us all to find new hobbies, and I went on a lot of mountain walks, walking in general and just meeting up with friends.

Which character in any film/TV show are you most like?

Anyone of the five emotion characters from the movie ‘Inside out’ because you will never know what mood you will catch me in!

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

Noellen McGuirk (Monaghan), she is not wise! Ríona Ní Fhlatharta (Galway), you would never know where you could end up with her. Mikaeala McSkeane (club) and Rachel Dillion and Leanne Slevin (Westmeath).

Which teammate is the worst dancer?

My sister Cora is not blessed with rhythm.

Which teammate is the loudest in the changing room?

Niamh Callen. Her laugh is very distinct and loud. For county all the younger girls that have recently come up from the minor panel are all as loud as each other.

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

We have had so many great laughs but there is one in particular that springs to mind.

Late in our club’s B team Intermediate final, my sister scored two outrageous points in succession from out the field. Fiona is the most unlikely person to even kick a ball straight, so the rest of the team in the stands were all wailing. We couldn’t believe what we had witnessed.

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

No one really misses, but Joanne Geoghegan did arrive to training after coming from the hairdressers with a shower cap on her head to protect her hair.

Biggest ego?

Muireann Atkinson. She won’t be happy with me saying that.

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

Shauna Coyle and I always sit across from each other so she can be the best and worst person to sit next to.

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

Hazel Kingham. I have roomed with her twice and she loves to snore.

Cora, my sister, would be the best, I am always roomed with her for county.

Who has the best diet, and who has the worst, and what do they consist of?

Cora has the best diet; she feeds on bird food mostly.

Linda Martin has the worst, I don’t think she will argue with me on that one.

Toughest opponent you have played against?

Amanda Casey. She is an animal.

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

Best: “Winnings not everything, it’s the only thing” – Noel Marron, club trainer.

Best manager you have played for?

Francie Coleman with Donaghmoyne.

What frustrates you most about the GAA?

The inconsistency of refereeing.

What is the best thing about being part of the GAA?

>Constantly having a support team around you and the community atmosphere that goes with it.