KEN O’HALLORAN IS number one for Cork tomorrow, standing between the posts as they try to deny Kerry in the Munster final.
He’s had to be patient to get his chance as Cork’s premier netminder.
1. Life as an understudy
“I was only a sub for two years, so it wasn’t that long. Two and a half (years), actually.
“Personally I found it difficult after U21, a load of my team-mates broke straight into the Cork team.
“There I was sitting in the stand watching it and you’re saying to yourself, ‘Jesus, should I be out there’?.
“Then look you probably make a decision in your life, whether you’re going to go for it or go travel the world or do different things.
“I just made a decision. We had a good run with Bishopstown in 2009 and with UCC in the Sigerson, so I got in and I just kept going.”
2. Finding goalkeeping inspiration
“I remember looking at Diarmuid Murphy when he was involved with Kerry, he was a sub a long time for a long time but went on to win All-Ireland’s.
“Quirkey (Alan Quirke) was a sub but went on to win an All-Ireland. (Anthony) Nash got into the (Cork hurling) team and nearly won one as well.
“I found it tough in 2012. I was starting work in September and had the whole summer off.
“(We) lost to Donegal the day before I went back to work so you think you’re getting a bit of freedom, but you’re back to work the next day.
“You have to do a bit of a sentence sometimes if you want to do it. I don’t think I could have done much longer, though.”
3. The overhaul in the Cork team
“I think people forget the amount of players we’ve lost over the last few years and we have a new, young team emerging.
“I think it’s just natural, it’s an extra year and an extra bit of experience. The pressures of big games now, they know, they maybe got a bit of a hammering in the media or they’ve dealt with their families going to big games and the nerves.
“They might have got dropped and then got back into the team, and that’s grand at under-21 level.
“But at senior level your whole club, your whole family will be talking about it, and you really have to insulate yourself from all that.”
4. Cork’s football setbacks
“Look, in sport there are always setbacks along the way and what are you supposed to do, bury your head in the sand?
“You pick yourself up and you keep going. We firmly believe there are good days ahead for this team.
“There’s so much experience in this group. We’ve come through bad patches before and loss of form, being written off, and look, we bounced back.
“I think we’ll always bounce back again in the future. You’re only going to be a couple of years playing for Cork, so you might as well just go for everything, go for broke and see where it takes you.”
5. Dealing with the build-up to games
“Personally I’ve deleted my Twitter app, I don’t look at newspapers.
“If you read the good stuff you believe it, and if you read the bad stuff you’ll believe it. It’s just easier to avoid it in general.
“Personally I’m teaching so I find it easier in the summer, you’re only surrounding yourself probably with the lads on the team.
“I’m not one that gets too stressed out in the weeks leading into games, I keep myself nice and relaxed and go about my normal business.”
6. Battles in Fitzgerald Stadium
“I’ve gone down to probably most of the games there for the last number of years.
“I played U21′s there and we drew, played 2013 and lost by a point or two, after a bad first half and we came back at them in the second half.
“I think it’s one of the venues that Cork love going down to, the fans love going there.
“It’s like Thurles for the hurling – they love going to Killarney for the football, it’s a big festival atmosphere and it’s great to be part of it.”
7. Commitment of a modern inter-county player
“Everyone loves a good moan about it every now and then. I go through phases.
“Utimately it’s a dream come true, but it is challenging at times, you’re giving up serious time and a lot of the time it’s to your financial detriment.
“I don’t know how fellas with kids or who are working big jobs, working 9-5, or have to travel. You just can’t do it.
Looking at it now a lot of it is teachers, Guards and students. Unless you’re playing for a top county, (the) retirement age is very, very young.
“Even on our team I don’t know if there’s anyone over 30. It’s very difficult to keep it going over a long period.
“You can become a bit institutionalised as well, just as part of your life you go training.
“If that’s taken away suddenly then you could become bored and you mightn’t know what to do with yourself.”
