DCU is home to one of the most talented friendships you’re ever likely to see in any college

It’s always interesting watching the Sigerson Cup.

And it’s the same with the Fitzgibbon Cup too, seeing all these different county stars play side by side for their college.

There is always a talented bunch, UCD has Jack McCaffrey and Jack Barry for lord’s sake.

And DCU isn’t short on talent in either of their codes with Dublin’s Eoghan O’Donnell and Mayo’s Paddy Durcan both studying there.

In fact, the pair are both in final year of business in the college and have struck up a friendship.

Putting the Dublin-Mayo rivalry aside, O’Donnell says that Durcan is a great man to keep him in check throughout the year and that his commitment levels are second to none:

“Paddy Durcan, the Mayo footballer, is in college with me and he’s exceptionally committed. I don’t think I’ve met someone like him to travel up and down to Mayo and obviously, he’s involved with Castlebar Mitchels who won the county final there on Sunday.

“He’s a great lad to have around and he’s a great lad to keep you focused and motivated when you might be tempted to have a Mars bar or whatever, he’s a great man to judge you for that.”

O’Donnell also gave a mention to another member of his college friend group, a friend of the site, Daragh Ryan.

Ryan is a 21-year-old personal trainer and senior footballer for Whitehall Colmcille and has been on SportsJOE giving tips on how GAA players can help increase size in both their shoulders and biceps.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaZxutclUZS/?hl=en&taken-by=daragh_ryan

Speaking about his fellow clubmate, O’Donnell said:

“Daragh Ryan, he’s a good man, he’s very talented. He’s probably the next up and coming thing in gym and strength and conditioning so I’m looking forward to seeing what he does actually so it will be interesting.”

Enda Smith recently told SportsJOE the importance of choosing your friends in college, he was also in DCU and reckons it is a lot easier living with people who are in the same boat as yourself:

“The good thing about DCU was there was a good few of us under the same umbrella. We were living together, and I suppose when three of your mates are staying in with you it’s nowhere near as bad. If you’re living with lads who are going out all the time, it’d be a bit difficult. The lads were playing games as well, so it didn’t affect me,” 

The FootballJOE quiz: Were you paying attention? – episode 10