Two Ulster titles and an All-Ireland while still a teenager, there was a fear Paddy McBrearty might struggle for motivation in ‘later’ life.
On his 75th appearance for his county back in July he produced a virtuoso display to kick 11 points against Cork – the biggest tally ever racked up by a Donegal man in Croke Park.
No one is doubting the 23-year-old’s motivation to play for Rory Gallagher’s side. Ask him about the defeat to Dublin in the All-Ireland quarter-final, but particularly the Ulster final loss to Tyrone and you get a sense of what it means to McBrearty.
“Probably as players we had chances and didn’t take them,” said McBrearty at the launch of the AIB GAA club championships. “We had chances in the second half. We felt we did not execute right and man-marking jobs we didn’t execute, we let their key men into the game.
“People can talk about the managers all they like but it is the players who have to execute,” added McBrearty of the criticism levelled at Gallagher after the loss to Tyrone. “People probably read too much into that. As players we have to take a big amount of responsibility.”
Having shocked Jim Gavin’s Dublin to reach the 2014 All-Ireland final, Donegal found them a very different prospect in the last eight two years later. McBrearty noticed a more restrained approach as the all-singing, all-dancing Dubs were less naive in defence, squeezing out a 1-15 to 1-10 win.
“Dublin have tightened up a lot. Their man markers are very good, they have a great full-back line. Losing a full-back like Rory O’Carroll should be a massive loss but they have a man who slips in and contributes just as much.”
Two days after that defeat to Dublin McBrearty and the McHughs, Ryan, Mark and Eoin, were back in training with Kilcar, preparing for their next match against St Michael’s. They won that and every other game, up until last week’s hugely impressive semi-final defeat of reigning champions Naomh Conaill.
This Sunday, in their first final appearance in 23 years, they face Michael Murphy’s Glenswilly.
“For everyone in the team this is a first county final,” said McBrearty. “The town is in a real buzz.”
McBrearty rejects the suggestion that battling with his clubmates is more enjoyable than his intercounty career with Donegal.
“Intercounty you have big crowds,” he said. “I have had lot of big games out with Donegal, winning an All-Ireland… You go out with Kilcar and do one thing, go out with Donegal you do something else. As long as you’re winning you enjoy it. We haven’t won anything with Kilcar yet, but hopefully this year.”
With Ryan McHugh, in McBrearty’s “top five most consistent players in Ireland” this year, Kilcar have a real shot at breaking their 23-year duck. Even if they are facing off against Murphy – Donegal captain and club championship sponsor in his capacity as owner of Michael Murphy Sports and Leisure.
“He is definitely intimidating, the size of him even is intimidating. He is definitely going to need watching. It is about how we control him and control Neil [Gallagher], is probably going to come down to it.”
Manage that and McBrearty and his team-mates can end a drought that stretched back to 1993.
“[Winning] would be up there with the All-Ireland in 2012. Kilcar is 900 people and football is the only thing there,” said McBrearty. “Twenty-three years is too long for Kilcar to be in a final, never mind win one.”
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