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International Rules series a family affair for Sean Powter

Sean Powter

Sean Powter

By John Harrington

The International Rules Series in Australia will be a real family affair for Cork defender Sean Powter.

His father David is a native of New South Wales, Australia, and the trip Down Under will give Sean the chance to meet members of his extended family he hasn’t seen for years.

“My dad seemed even more excited than me when I told him the news,” laughs Powter.

“He was quite disappointed the week before when I only made the stand-by list but then when I told him I'd made the final cut he was nearly jumping up and down.

“I'm buzzing, to be honest. I can't wait. I was told the week before I was on stand-by and you'd be a bit disappointed, but then when you're told you've made the cut it's a whirl-wind of emotions. From a low to a real high a week later.

“I'll get the chance to see family again that I haven't seen for ten years. That just adds to the whole thing, absolutely.

“They'll be coming down to see the game as well, they're around two hours from Adelaide, so it'll be exciting to see them again for the first time in a long time.”

Powter’s parents first met while both were on holiday in Greece, and his mother Marita clearly made a big impression on his father David because he followed her to Ireland.

His mother is an O’Donovan from Skibbereen and there’s a fine tradition of football in her family, but there can be little doubt that Powter’s flair for sport was also passed down from his Australian genes.

“My dad played hockey for the Australian Junior team, and he played cricket as well for his province, New South Wales,” says Powter.

“That's probably where I get my sporting background from. My great-grandfather would have sprinted for Australia too.”

Promising Cork forward Sean Powter.

Promising Cork forward Sean Powter.

In an otherwise disappointing year for Cork football, Powter’s emergence as a player of real class was a major positive.

His drive and dash from the wing-back position has seen the 20-year-old short-listed for the 2017 Young Footballer of the Year Award.

“Personally, I probably wasn't ready for senior inter-county football when I was thrown in first last year, even if I handled it okay,” says Powter.

“This year though I got a full pre-season and I felt what it was like to be a proper senior player.”

Powter says Cork football “should take confidence” from the fact they lost by just a point after extra-time to Mayo in the All-Ireland Qualifiers this year.

He’s also believes they have the raw playing talent to compete with any county, and in newly appointed manager Ronan McCarthy a man with a steady hand on the tiller.

“Definitely,” says Powter. “You saw the drawn and replayed county final between the 'Barrs and Nemo, they were probably two of the best games of the year.

“I know the manager because he's from our local club. He's very good and I think he'll take us to the next level where we need to go.

“He's a very good coach. He took Carbery Rangers for a year and won the County Championship that year. And he brought Douglas to a County Final a couple of years ago as well. He knows what he's doing.”

Before he pours his energy into helping drive Cork back to the top table of Gaelic Football, there’s the not insignificant matter of representing his country in the International Rules tests on November 12 and November 18.

In doing so he’ll be realising a long-held ambition to pull on the green jersey.

“I was at an International Rules match a few years ago in Limerick and I just remember saying to myself, 'I want to do that when I'm older’”, says Powter.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge because you'll know where you're at physically and mentally because they're training every day of the week and you're training four or five times.

“It's their life and you just want to put yourself up against the best and they are the best.”