Five minutes with – Antrim’s Conor McKinley

Name: | Conor McKinley |
Age: | 26
Occupation: | Estimator

Teams played for:

Antrim and Dunloy Cuchullainns

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

Calvin Harris for the music, big Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kevin Bridges and Lucy Watson from the Made in Chelsea gang.

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

The Village Inn, Dunloy. The ‘Big Dog’ will always look after you in there. Plenty of craic and pool hustling.

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

Scoring goals in the Irish League

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

Cushendall, as I don’t think that I have ever won on it.

Which character in any film are you most like?

Woody from Toy Story

Any odd items in your kit bag?

Match programmes from the past two years, pair of pliers, and I once found a banana in my bag after a few months, which had been hidden there by Odhran McFadden. He will be got back, don’t worry.

What’s your preferred brand of gear?

Nike trainers, Cooper Helmet, Scullion hurls, Adidas boots, and anything that is tight and bright to train in.

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

Paid ‘Piper’ Shivers with Dunloy. Wee ‘Winky’ Watson with Antrim. He’s fond of breaking lights. I’ll say no more.

Which team mate has the best looking other half?

A lot of Antrim boys are punching above their weight. Whereas Kevin ‘Beckham’ McKernan has a different Facebook add every hour. He’s a wild man.

Who is the worst trainer?

Barry McFall works to invisible cones in training every week.

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

I’d say a lot of team mates would say myself, but that’s not true. Dan McKernan with Antrim. It has to be him because of his suspicious all-year-round ‘Andytown’ tan.

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

Best would be Ciaran Clarke so he can show me how many matches he gets on Tinder. He just swipes right the whole time. Worst – Conor Johnston, the wee man never sleeps.

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

Best – Ciaran Clarke (see previous question) Tinder King. Worst – Stephen ‘Boogie’ McAfee. You need a gas mask.

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

Best would have to be Odhran McFadden. Worst – No one person, but you would find a lot of the Antrim boys queuing at Burger King in the Applegreen if they were given half the chance. With Dunloy it would be Miceal Murphy. He loves a good cheese bap.

Toughest opponent you have faced?

Colin Fennelly, Kilkenny.

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

“Mark him tight. If he goes for a shower, you reach him a towel.”

Best manager you’ve ever played under?

Have some good ones through the years. Gregory O’Kane, who is my current Dunloy manager, would be up there.

Best ever performance?

Cork in NHL two years ago

One to forget?

Wexford in Leinster Quarter-final.

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

Would have been any of, my father, Seanie McMahon, or any of the great Dunloy team of the 90s.

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

In – TJ Reid, Kilkenny. Out – Barry McFall as he keeps stealing my gear.

Antrim’s Conor McKinley