Five minutes with Monaghan’s Niall Garland

Name: | Niall Garland |
Age: | 24
Occupation: | Primary School Teacher

Teams played for:

Monaghan Senior Hurlers, Castleblayney (Hurling), Donaghmoyne (Football)

Game you most enjoyed playing in?

Ulster Club Intermediate Quarter Final 2016 vs Bredagh (Down)

Game you least enjoyed playing in?

Nicky Rackard Semi Final 2018 vs Donegal

Worst pitch you have ever played on?

Concra, pure lottery where the ball is going to bounce.

Toughest training session you’ve every been involved in?

Could always go for a pre-season session here but I’m actually going to pick a session we had with Tony Austin couple of weeks back before the Louth match. There was a lot of running but everything was with the ball and covered all areas of the game was a brilliant tough session.

What’s your preferred brand of gear?

O’Neills

Most inspirational individual you’ve ever met?

DJ Carey

Where do you like to go out to celebrate?

Anywhere that has a Carlsberg tap

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

Netflix and chill and if it’s nice weather a game of golf.

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

That’s a tricky one. I’d say people I’ve met in England would say I’m like Donkey from Shrek. Once I start talking that’s it there no peace after that.

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

Probably the Liverpool gang Andrew Dewart (Cavan), Marc Jordan (London) and Chris McSteen (Antrim). Some savage nights out that year so they would definitely get the call up.

Which team mate is the worst dancer?

Niall Butler stuck in the mud

Which team mate is the loudest in the changing room?

Nobody really gets a chance to be loud when Tony Austin is in there ha.

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

Probably during a Minor Championship match when one of our lads was after taking a heavy hit our manager turned around to the bench and picked out our own hatchet man and just gave him the simple instruction of “See him there go out and nail him.” 30 seconds later our man was sitting right back on the bench job done ha.

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

“I couldn’t be bothered” Chris McSteen when we played for Tir Chonaill Gaels in London.

Biggest Ego?

Chris McSteen

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

I do be nice and quiet on the team bus listening to my tunes so I suppose Niall Butler would be the worst with all his talking and Patrick Bermingham would be the best as he sleeps.

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

Niall Butler or David McGahon would be the worst as they be listening to the Green Scene in a cup. Cormac McNally definitely the best as always guaranteed to come home with a story or a lot worse in his case ha.

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

Chris ‘Oven food’ McSteen and the best is a tricky one probably Eamon Collins he eats very well before games.

Toughest opponent you have played against?

Colm Meegan tough to shake off

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

“Nothing but sandwich makers” Paul Casey

Best manager you have played for?

Paddy Martin (Football)
Paul Casey (Hurling)

What frustrates you most about the GAA?

Treatment of ‘weaker’ hurling counties

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

Friends you make for life from other clubs and counties.