Dara O’Se reveals one memorable team meeting and Emlyn Mulligan on his move to the capital.
Dara O’Se reveals some burning issues in team meetings
Dara O’Se’s weekly article in the Irish Times is a little like his style of play on the football field, honest and entertaining.
Today the former Kerry great was talking about a wide range of topics from the US Open to the unknown territory that is the qualifiers – some comments from Paidi O’Se prior to Kerry’s first ever qualifier in 2002 are priceless – but he also let us in on one particular team meeting he was involved in where players were encouraged to get everything off their chests. Which one unnamed player did in spades.
One player was unhappy with the tickets his girlfriend had been given for the match and saw this as his opportunity to vent.
“The meeting had gone through things like kick-out strategy and taking quick frees and all of a sudden, our man comes out with this,” he wrote today.
“There was deathly silence, followed by fits of laughter, followed by the end of the meeting. She dumped him on the team holiday later in the year, as it happened.”
The hard hitting issues that affect an inter-county footballer.
Mulligan reveals huge gap between Leitrim and Dublin football
Leitrim are gearing up for a Connacht semi-final with underdogs London this weekend and few in their side will have better preparation than captain Emlyn Mulligan.
Leitrim’s main attacking weapon is reaping the benefits of transferring to St. Brigids from his home club Melvin Gaels and while he sympathises for the clubs in Leitrim losing players, but he has felt a noticeable difference.
“It’s a totally different standard in comparison to what I was playing in Leitrim,” he told The Irish Independent.
“The population that St Brigid’s are picking from is about three or four times more than the whole county of Leitrim. There is no comparison with the level, the standard of senior football here. No disrespect to Leitrim, but it is an acknowledged fact.”
The Longford-based guard does sympathise with clubs like Melvin Gaels losing their better players, but it should stand the county in good stead and he is confident of a first Connacht appearance in 13 years.
“We’re confident enough in our own ability and confident enough that we can get a win.”
