Five minutes with – Down’s James Guinness

Name James Guinness

Age 23

Occupation Student

Teams played for:

Carryduff GAC, Down, Trinity

Game you most enjoyed playing in?

Armagh in Ulster 2019, championship debut albeit a bad result.

Game you least enjoyed playing in?

Derry away in the McKenna cup a few years back was one to forget.

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

Petit park, Rostrevor, it’s about half a pitch.

Toughest training session you’ve every been involved in?

Any session without the ball is hard to get through.

What’s your preferred brand of gear?

Adidas

Most inspirational individual you’ve ever met?

Ciarán Kearney

Where do you like to go out to celebrate?

Hatfield Sundays became a big favourite this year after games.

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

Bit of golf or losing at Fifa.

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

Daniel Coogan. Man has the Holylands cracked.

Which team mate is the worst dancer?

Mick Lawson. For some reason he always takes his top off.

Which team mate is the loudest in the changing room?

Not a teammate but Conor Lav has the ears ringing during the inevitable ‘we’re playing for pride’ half-time team talk with Trinity.

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

The imaginary trip wire that sent Owen McCabe flying against Saval.

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

Any one of Ronan Beatty’s excuses fit the bill.

Biggest ego?

Caolan Mooney, although if I was that fast mine would be too.

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

Best – Owen McCabe. It’s always interesting getting an insight into his head.

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

Would be scared to share with Aidan O’Brien.

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

Sean McGonigle eats nothing but leaves during the week.

Toughest opponent you have played against?

Odhran McFadden-Ferry gave me a tough day against Gaoth Dobhair.

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

“If it was a vodka bottle you wouldn’t have let it bounce over your head”

Tom Potter to an unnamed individual

Best manager you have played for?

Paddy Tally

What frustrates you most about the GAA?

Long seasons

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

The buzz on Championship Day