The Perfect Player with Fermanagh’s Shane McCabe

Intelligence
Ryan McCluskey, Brian McGuigan
These were two very clever, but very bold players. In their prime, both were the best at what they did. For me they had no equal. To be clear, I’m saying in their prime, just in case McCluskey gets carried away with himself again!

Motivation
Paul Brewster
I had a brief spell when I was first in with the county when Paul Brewster was playing. He spoke very well and was very powerful man in physique and actions. Rory Gallagher is definitely a motivator and someone who can get a team ready to run through walls to get the results and that was proven during my time with him with Fermanagh.

Strength
Kevin Cassidy
Kevin Cassidy was probably the strongest I played against and this was only u-21. We had a decent team and we played Donegal in the first round in Ballybofey, I think we drew with them down there and they beat us in the replay. Cassidy was man-marking me and it was battle from the off. However whenever he got contact with me I felt it then and a few days later. Owens and McGrath were big hardy men plus Hughy Brady was a man that once he hit you, you stayed hit but what made it worse was the cheeky smile after! Armagh had some serious powerful men in the 2008 final that knew when and how to hit!

Skill
Eamon Maguire
I loved playing with the likes of Eamon Maguire and Mark Little, we were built the same and had some similar abilities and I always enjoyed when I playing with these two lads. Eamon probably gets this shout as he could use both feet. In contrast, Mark Little reckons he has two but his left was always for standing on. And I also liked that both men knew how to mix it with the best and wouldn’t shirk too many challenges. I had a brief spells playing with both Sean and Seamie Quigley and we clicked on the pitch straight away. Both could kick with both feet, goals and points. They had great awareness also. Sean actually missed a lot of 2012 as he broke his ankle and that was a massive loss to Fermanagh at the time. Barry Mulrone always fancied himself as skilful, but the less said about the outside-of-the-boot spinners the better. He is no doubt a man I would have in my team as he wouldn’t shirk any responsibility, though he probably didn’t realise his main one was defending.

Scoring
Stephen Maguire
This is a close one as I have played with and saw Seamie and Sean Quigley, Tomas Corrigan, Colm Bradley, Rory and Raymie Gallagher but the shout out has to go to Stevie Maguire. He had a great ability to hit all types of scores. He was not blessed with a natural left foot but worked on it and kicked great scores throughout his playing career and was a massive player for Fermanagh for many years. We might have a free-kick close to 60 yards out and wind supporting us and the shout would come “leave it down McCabe.” Out he would trot and there was the outside of the boot and it would it would split the posts. If we had any of the last three in 2008 I am positive we would have won an Ulster title.