DARRAGH MARKEY ISNโT your typical college student.
His commitments in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division mean youโre unlikely to see him in Copper Face Jacks in the early hours of a weekday morning.
And while heโs determined to ensure that his time at Maynooth University culminates with a degree in finance, the hope is that he ultimately wonโt need to use it.
May was a challenging month for Markey, but the early indications are that he aced it โ on the football front at least. The stress of his end-of-year exams clearly didnโt distract him on the pitch as the St Patrickโs Athletic youngsterโs form was recognised with a nomination for the SWAI/SSE Airtricity League player of the month award. Heโll find out next week if his second-year exams were similarly successful.
โA typical day would be heading out to college for about nine in the morning, then Iโm training with Patโs late in the afternoon,โ Markey explains.
โItโs hard work trying to balance it from September through to May, so I can take a little break from that now for the summer and concentrate on training and playing matches.โ
At the age of 17, Markey made his debut for Patโs as a substitute for Chris Forrester on the opening night of the 2015 season, but the attacking midfielder had to be patient in his search for a first League of Ireland start and a prolonged run in the team.
That finally came eight weeks ago, when he impressed from the outset in a 3-0 defeat to Cork City at Richmond Park, a scoreline which flattered the Premier Division leaders. To say that Markey has grasped his chance to become a regular fixture in Liam Buckleyโs team doesnโt come close to summing up the impact he has had for the Saints.
Itโs been a difficult season for the 2013 Premier Division champions, who are just one point off the foot of the table. But Markeyโs contribution has probably been the most positive aspect of their campaign so far.
โPersonally itโs going great,โ says the 20-year-old, who celebrated his birthday three weeks ago. โIโm still only breaking in, it hasnโt even been two months. I couldnโt have asked for a better start for myself. Obviously it would be more enjoyable if results were going our way as well but from a personal point of view itโs been great.โ
He adds: โComing into the team, I probably didnโt expect to perform so well this quickly, and so consistently as well. I was probably expecting to struggle a bit more but thankfully it has gone well. My confidence is building all the time, the lads are helping me with that too.โ
Markey has defied his inexperience by quickly becoming a key player for a Patโs side who are fighting an uphill battle. With his desire to keep the team moving forward, he possesses the ability to identify openings and the tools execute the passes to exploit them.
Traditionally Ireland hasnโt produced many players whose game is as technically accomplished as Markeyโs. The long-ball strategy of the Jack Charlton era, when guts were more valuable than guile, still colours the reputation of Irish football. However, in Markeyโs experience, the landscape is beginning to change.
โCoaches are concentrating more on the technical side of the game these days. Teams are trying to play more football from underage levels,โ says Markey, who excelled for the Republic of Ireland at U18 schools level.
โThatโs the way it was with the schoolboy teams I was involved in and even now at Patโs, Liam always wants us to play football out from the back and to try to create chances. In Ireland I think itโs definitely changing and for the better. Teams are more focused on playing football the way it should be played.โ
Markey plans to begin his final year of studies in Maynooth in September, but football remains his priority as a prospective career. Unlike some of the players he grew up with, Markey didnโt end up at a club in the UK in his teens. But heโs grateful for how things have transpired. With his pursuit of a finance degree, heโs in the process of putting a safety net in place lest a career in football shouldnโt work out.
โThis gives me more security and a bit of peace of mind while Iโm playing,โ says Markey, who scored against Kilmarnock last year during a trial game for Celtic. โA lot of lads I know have already come home after being away, which isnโt great for them.
โThe intention is to get my degree, hopefully by the time Iโm 21, and after that concentrate on football for a few years. If it works out well, great, but if not then Iโll have a back-up plan with the degree in my back pocket and hopefully I can get a career elsewhere.โ
Markey has seen how the League of Ireland has provided a launchpad in recent years for so many players who have gone on to carve out successful careers for themselves across the Irish Sea. Heโs hoping to follow in the footsteps of the likes of the man he replaced in his first senior appearance for Patโs.
โChris Forrester was there when I was coming into it,โ Markey recalls. โI was still in school but I trained with the first team. Forrester was there and he was amazing. Some of the stuff he could do was incredible and heโs doing great at Peterborough United now.
โOf course you want to follow that lead and replicate that. Thereโs other players who are playing for Ireland now too, like Daryl Horgan and Wes Hoolahan. Thereโs loads of examples. Itโd be great to do what theyโve done.โ
In the meantime, however, Markeyโs objective is to maintain his form and help to lift St Patโs away from the relegation zone. Theyโve never played in the second tier of Irish football, but with three teams being relegated this season, theyโre in a precarious position.
Markey says: โI think we can get out of it, no doubt about it. With the quality of players we have, itโs ridiculous that weโre so low in the table. Looking at our performances against [Shamrock] Rovers and Bohs, we know we have the ability to produce the performances.
โBut thereโs no point in just saying that. We have to lift ourselves up and get it done on the pitch.โ
A super Saint. One of many quality young players coming through at pats. Always play good football bit now time to start racking up points. Starting tomorrow.
This is the blueprint .
He is top class โฆ that Patโs U-19 team he was on was quality and good too see a good few of them doing really well