The 16th Man

Who is your sporting hero?
There are many sportsmen who I have always looked up to who are all winners such as Muhammad Ali, Tiger, Lance Armstrong and one of my favourites Carl Lewis. In the modern day my sporting hero would be Kaka of Milan & Brazil as he fought back from a serious injury to become one of the most exciting and talented players in world soccer.

How do you combine work and playing/training?
I have to admit that it is not easy and it does not leave a lot of time to relax! My lifestyle at the minute seems to be either working, driving or playing football, but I am well used to it now as it has been like this since I was 18 or 19. I don’t mind it at all as it is a privilege to represent your county and when I retire I will have loads of time to relax after work!

What’s your number one training tip?
I was going to say that the main training tip I could give is to eat the right food and drink plenty of water, but my work colleagues in Corporate Markets might not be impressed with this as I am partial to sweets and buns on the odd occasions! One training tip I would give is to try and always enjoy what you are doing, and always think of why you are doing the training as you are trying to improve yourself for the big day - if you are not enjoying it or are not motivated then you will struggle to train at your top level.

What do you enjoy/hate the most about pre-season training?
The thing I enjoy about pre-season training is seeing all the lads again after the break, and there is usually plenty of craic and banter and sometimes we get a sneaky pint or two after a tough session (for bonding purposes!) The thing I hate about pre-season training is the muck, the cold, the running, realising how unfit you are - everything! I would be more of a short and sharp training person and just hate all the longer running!

When did you make your county debut?
I made my county debut in the summer of 2002 when Derry were playing Donegal in the semi final of the Ulster Championship. It was a really horrible wet day and Ireland were playing Spain the same day in the World Cup so quite a few people had stayed away from Clones. I was on the bench and time was nearly up when Anthony Tohill and Sean Marty Lockhart collided resulting in Sean Marty breaking his arm. Eamonn Coleman shouted ‘Young McGuckin - your going on’ and I nearly died with nerves, so I ran down took off my tracksuit and as soon as I crossed the sideline on to the pitch the referee blew the full time whistle! It was definitely a memorable debut but not the most action packed for me! I made my full debut the following week against Longford in the qualifiers.

What’s the most memorable match you’ve played in?
I have played in a few big, big games over the past number of years such as the All-Ireland Club final in Thurles in 2002, the Railway Cup final in 2004 and 2005 and the Derry v Dublin game in Croke Park last year was amazing with 80,000+ in attendance - it was pretty special especially when in front of the Hill with all the Dub’s singing and going crazy! Probably the most memorable game would be the 2002 All Ireland Club semi-final when my club beat Rathnew of Wicklow - it was a really muddy pitch and terrible conditions and we battled hard for the result. It was great to win such an important and tough game alongside friends and family from the local parish - it was great for the community.

What, if any, other sports do you play?
I love playing soccer but never have the time for it. I try my best to get as much 5-a-side in during the winter break, but don’t play competitively. I also played a bit of squash when recovering from my injury, but I was rubbish!

Tell us one thing people might not know about you?
There are probably quite a few things people don’t know about me! I got married last year on crutches after I broke my leg 3 weeks before the wedding! My postal address is actually a Co Tyrone address, which is very unfortunate (I live on the border of Derry & Tyrone). I am a massive Spiderman fan!

How long have you been working for Ulster Bank?
I joined Ulster Bank in February 2007 after I completed my Chartered Accountancy exams. I have been working in Corporate Markets in DSE since then, initially with the Corporate Division, but I moved to the Property Division in January 2008.

What’s the best thing about playing for your county?
The best thing about playing for Derry is seeing how happy people can be after a good result - it means everything to some supporters and its brilliant when you win and see the joy it brings to them. It’s also great to see children wearing the gear and cheering you on at all the games - I have a niece of 9 from Co Antrim who hasn’t missed a Derry game in the past 2-3 years and it’s great seeing how happy and excited she can get on the build up to the games!

What’s your favourite away venue and why?
Croke Park is obviously the number one venue in Ireland but my favourites other than HQ would be Casement Park in Belfast or Portlaoise - both really nice venues with brilliant playing surfaces.

Who have your toughest opponents been?
When you play in the Ulster Championship all the opponents are really tough so there are usually some pretty big rivalries built up over the years. Our toughest opponent and biggest rival would definitely be Tyrone and there is always a big build up to these games with plenty of banter amongst the supporters.

Who’s the best player you’ve played with/against?
The best player I have played with is probably Enda Muldoon who is a clubmate of mine and also plays on the county team with me - he is just the most naturally talented player I have ever seen and can do some amazing things with the ball. He is a joy to play with.
The best player I have marked is a tough one - when you play corner back or full back you usually get the short straw and get a really good player to pick up. Some of the best I have had to mark would be Mattie Ford, Colm Cooper and Stephen McDonald. I marked Paddy Bradley in a club championship game last year too and he isn’t bad either!

What is your motto in life?
I don’t really have a motto as such, but I am really positive person about everything I do in life and I try to do everything I am involved in to the very best of my ability. If you really want to do something and are prepared to work hard to achieve it then it is likely that you will succeed.