THE terms 'super sub' and 'impact sub' are tossed about regularly, sometimes without much reason, but few can say that Dick Clerkin didn't earn the tag when sent into the white heat of Monaghan's Ulster Senior Football Championship battle with Cavan.
The arrival on the pitch, after 51 minutes of the Currin clubman, had a sudden impact on the Farney side that was under the cosh at the time.
His appearance seemed to inspire his colleagues to greater effort, as he produced his usual workmanlike work in the middle of the park.
Monaghan were down four points at the time and it is history now that they went on to beat Cavan and qualify for this month's provincial semi-final against Fermanagh, a game that Clerkin is looking forward to very much.
“We have had some close battles with Fermanagh in the past and they have turned us over a few times. This is a game that we have got to be wary of. We will be favourites but we must take Fermanagh's challenge very seriously. They are playing very well and have had a good run, so far, this year,” insists Clerkin.
That cameo performance, as Clerkin calls it, against Cavan has earned him the Quinn Products Ulster GAA Writers' Merit Award for May, a month during which Clerkin seems to make merry. It is his second time to win the Monthly Merit Award and, interestingly, the other time was for May 2012.
Then he closed a family gap of 19 years from his uncle Ray McCarron had won the monthly honour. Now he closes a personal gap of three years.
“I was glad to get the call from the manager to go into the game against Cavan,” says Clerkin, who is Ireland's longest serving senior county footballer, “as I am not a good spectator. I wanted into the action but I didn't expect that my input would earn me this honour.
“I'm very pleased with it, indeed, and thankful for it. Every month, we are wondering who is going to get the award for the previous month as there is so much GAA action, particularly at this time of year, and to be the one chosen, as the winner, is really special. It is a great boost to any player.”
When he received the same honour for May 2012 he closed a family gap of 19 years from his uncle Ray McCarron had won the same award.
Dick (33) has many honours packed into his 16 seasons in the Monaghan senior panel with an Ulster SFC medal among the most treasured. He's now hoping, of course, that more are to come before very long. Possibly this year, even higher honours than victory in the upcoming Ulster SFC semi-final.
“That semi-final against Fermanagh is enough to be thinking about in the meantime,” he stresses.
To earn last month's award, Clerkin beat off the challenge of Tyrone All-Ireland U21 football winning captain Ciarán McGeary with Armagh footballer Amy Macken and Donegal hurler Patrick Henry also very much in contention.
Apart from the usual gifts of a Belleek Living Vase, O'Neill training gear and silver cuff links from Carlingford Design House that the Merit Award winner gets, Clerkin becomes the first person to also receives a packed medical kit from 3fiveTwo Belfast-based Kingsbridge Private Hospital. Hopefully, he will not need to use it much.
The presentation was made at a reception in Quinn's Corner, Donaghmore, by Quinn's Product Area Manager Terry Fay, a Currin club colleague of the winner.
Dick Clerkin will also receive two tickets and overnight accommodation for the UGAAWA 28th annual banquet at the Great Northern Hotel, Bundoran, on Friday, November 13.
