Sport

John McEntee: Why all modern day Gaelic footballers should be like Tomas Corrigan

Fermanagh's Tomas Corrigan is the perfect role model for aspiring Gaelic footballers in regards to having balance in life Picture by Philip Walsh.
Fermanagh's Tomas Corrigan is the perfect role model for aspiring Gaelic footballers in regards to having balance in life Picture by Philip Walsh. Fermanagh's Tomas Corrigan is the perfect role model for aspiring Gaelic footballers in regards to having balance in life Picture by Philip Walsh.

THE long wait for the start of the Ulster Senior Football Championship reminds me of the build up to Halloween.

Have you ever attended a gathering at a friend’s house where the main evening’s entertainment is the amateur fireworks show?

The preceding few hours can be mighty craic with everyone feasting on rich food and good wine, the variety that gets one giddy and in the spirit to regale the kids of stories about ghosts and spooky goings-on.

Previous firework displays are recalled with great fondness and excitement.

I remember one occasion when I was recruited as a firework assistant. My job was to safely stick the aerial repeaters and rockets into the soil so when they were lit, they would shoot into the dark sky display weaving clusters and a multitude of bright glowing stars.

As this was my first time performing this role, without much direction or practice, may I add, things did not go to plan.

The fireworks fell over one by one and everyone ran for cover. Memories of this day meant that every successive display was approached with bated breath but it added to the suspense of the occasion.

The reality is that as the firework display became more professional the more the excitement waned.

Last weekend’s Ulster Championship opening games provided a similar experience. The Ulster Championship is billed as the most competitive provincial Championship yet the results of the first two games were entirely predictable. The overriding emotion as a spectator was one of a damp squib.

Donegal were always going to steamroll Antrim, it was just a matter of by how much.

It would not surprise me to hear that Donegal went for a training session following this game. Potential All-Ireland contenders such as Donegal can’t afford to let Sunday’s game pass without making the most out of the day.

The other game provided a similar outcome, although, credit to Fermanagh, they fought hard for 45 minutes before capitulating.

Among all the hype and talking points of the weekend, one’s man’s story stands out.

Tomás Corrigan (right), Fermanagh’s number 15 and chief marksman, gave a compelling interview to a southern media outlet in which he described growing up being dyed in the green and white of Fermanagh and about how life revolves around playing for his county.

This is a story articulated many times before but often by renowned names from the successful counties. The life choices of Darran O’Sullivan and Paul Galvin, who quit their main jobs to focus entirely on securing their places on the Kerry team spring to mind.

Tomás is perhaps less well known by virtue of his birthplace. What struck me was that he managed to play at the highest level while qualifying as a solicitor. This is a magnificent achievement given the pressures of the modern game.

I have no doubt when born as the son of Dominic Corrigan, people would have said ‘that’s great, we have another footballer’ before even enquiring of his name.

From an early age, his path was carved out for him. This happens to many sons of footballers and the label can follow the child through school and into adult life. The reality is that this expectation rarely materialises. The evidence is clear for all to see. How many famous father and sons play at an elite level? It is my assertion that the numbers are very few. Comparisons can be made across professional sports where the pattern is repeated with even less regularity.

This is where we need to introduce some perspective into our sport that we love so dearly. Ours is an amateur sport, a game in which there is no monetary gain, something we do in our spare time.

This is true whether you are an underage club player or an inter-county player.

In a balanced life there are essential priorities, there are things which are ‘important to me’ and there is a final category that I will call ‘other things’. Family, career identification and health are essential priorities.

A football career ends by the age of 35 for the longest serving players.

Aside from friendships and engrained attributes and values, that which is gained from playing football is of limited value beyond one’s playing career.

A few will derive jobs in the media or will use their profile to secure roles in sales and marketing.

The vast majority find themselves at a position of disadvantage owing to the fact that their priority was misplaced.

Hence, playing football is ‘important to me’ but should not be at the expense of one’s education.

I often question whether grant funding provided by the GAA/GPA contributes to this imbalance as receiving a grant may commit one to sport over education. ‘Other things’ is a broad category which captures one’s social interest, past times such as fishing, swimming or completing crosswords or watching TV. To achieve balance it is necessary to minimise the influence of other things and to manage one’s time effectively. To sacrifice the essential priorities is to be misguided. Too often we hear about GAA players putting their careers on hold – those who have one.

If I ever have the pleasure of meeting Tomás Corrigan I would like him to introduce himself as Tomás, the lawyer who also happens to be a footballer. Perspective is important.