Five Minutes With… Cathair McKinney

“Rivals morph into teammates

during Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup”

1. How did you feel this year’s Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup went for St Mary’s? Is there anything you think you could have done differently?

St Mary’s Sigerson Cup campaign this year was quite disappointing. After a very strong performance against a Maynooth team, we failed to do ourselves justice in the quarter-final against UCD. Despite taking UCD to extra-time in their home campus, our performance was marred by basic unforced errors and turnovers that is not symptomatic of our usual levels of performance. We played with great heart and displayed desire to remain in the game, but we were not able to replicate the accuracy and speed that was at the forefront of our display against Maynooth. More games would have increased team morale, togetherness and harnessing skills under pressure, something that wasn’t facilitated this year as well.

2. The Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup gives you a chance to play alongside boys you would normally be playing against, how does it feel to be out on the pitch with teammates who are for most of the time your rivals?

Playing with men from different clubs and counties is a great element of university football. It enables you to play with some great players and establish a bond that extends beyond university and hopefully our GAA careers. Additionally, you learn so much from playing with individuals who have had different GAA experiences, from match-day preparation, diet, strength and conditioning, these nuggets of knowledge help to improve you as a player and then collectively as a team. St Mary’s is such a tight-knit community, that it nearly feels like a club team, so rivals morph into teammates, a brilliant aspect of university football.

3. What’s the most important thing you have been able to take away from playing in the Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup?

University football is an All-Ireland Grade A competition and therefore it requires a lot of preparation and commitment. Nonetheless, upon reflection the best aspect of university football is bonding individuals into a team within three months, to do a college and a jersey proud. The Ranch has great pride in their representation in Sigerson football. This pride inspires a small university to compete with the other sporting institutions of Ireland. Therefore, my experience cements the fact that the special ingredients of team work can lead to great achievements.

4. Do you think it is important to play at university level?

For any young man or woman provided the opportunity to represent their university, I feel it is a great honour. Very similar to the MacRory Cup, an Electric Ireland Sigerson campaign has something special from the onset, where all focus and goals is preparing yourself for championship football against elite athletes from all over Ireland. It allows club footballers to experience playing against and with the best the GAA has to offer, to challenge yourself against the best is something I would encourage all university footballers, hurlers or camogie players to try.

5. What piece of advice would you give to next year’s Sigerson Cup team?

As said previously, the Sigerson Cup is over in a flash. For all those competing next year, I would encourage each and every one of them to commit as fully as possible to the team and their ethos. To take pride in representing their college and to enjoy playing with friends, a great hallmark of our games and something I am very disappointed I won’t experience again in the Ranch colours

**supplied by Electric Ireland**