CASTLEBAR MITCHELS FACE their biggest game in 20 years when they meet Kerry kingpins Dr Crokes in the AIB All-Ireland Club SFC semi-finals this afternoon.
But what’s life like inside the Connacht champions’ dressing room? We caught up with goalkeeper Ciaran Naughton and invited him to name and shame.
1. Toughest?
“The toughest? (long pause) A lot of guys think they’re the toughest. I dunno, one of the Feeneys, probably Richie Feeney.”
2. Fastest?
“Tom Cunniffe. It’d be easy for him to leave me behind anyway.”
3. Slowest?
“Me, Ciaran Naughton. By 20 yards probably.”
4. Biggest messer in the dressing-room?
“Probably Barry Moran.”
5. Most skilful?
“Tom King. He has a bit of flash when he wants to.”
6. Most intelligent?
“Oooh… Fergal Durcan I’d say. He’s a bit of a unique character, he always thinks things through. He’s a bit of a philosopher, you know.”
7. Butt of the jokes in the squad
“Ronan Burke but I don’t know why. For no particular reason it has just kind of stuck with him and kept going over the years.”
8. Worst dress sense?
“I’ll have to go Fergal Durcan again — skinny jeans, skinny tracksuit bottoms, that kind of stuff. It’s all intentional. He thinks he rocks but for most people he doesn’t really pull it off.”
9. Worst dancer?
“The lot of us.”
10. Biggest leader and motivator?
“There’s a good few across the squad, no-one particularly stands out. Ger McDonagh is a very good leader, and the captain Donie [Donal Newcombe]. I could name six or seven.”
11. Best trainer?
“Neil Douglas. He’s always putting it in and doing a lot of personal stuff. He’s always in the gym, always out practicing.
12. Worst trainer?
“(Another long pause) I dunno, that’s a tough one. Jamie Lydon I’d say. He’s just a bit too casual and wouldn’t be the fastest so he ticks all the boxes. (Would you beat him in a race?) Ah no, he’d beat me but it’d only be 10 yards!”
