Ben O'Carroll: 'It is great to be involved with UCD and Brigid's'
Pictured at the launch of the Electric Ireland GAA Higher Education Championships is UCD’s Ben O’Carroll. This season, through its #FirstClassRivals campaign, Electric Ireland will spotlight players from across the Championships in the Electric Ireland ‘Player POV’ series and continue to celebrate the unique alliances that form between county rivals as they come together in pursuit of some of the most coveted titles across GAA.
By Cian O’Connell
“It is very busy at the moment, it is very exciting, and it is great to be involved with UCD and Brigid's at this time of the year,” Ben O’Carroll says ahead of the AIB All-Ireland Club SFC Final.
The gifted Roscommon attacker is preparing for another Croke Park decider for St Brigid’s, who face Daingean Uí Chúis at the Jones Road venue on Sunday.
At this stage, Brigid’s have previously lost to Glen, and were subsequently beaten by Pádraig Pearses in a dramatic Roscommon SFC Quarter-Final. Since then, though, the response has been emphatic with county and Connacht titles collected. “Both losses were tough to take, they probably spur you on, to try to get back, to try to compete again. Those two losses do spur us on.”
Valuable lessons were learned by an emerging crop of Brigid’s players. Significant work was carried out in the underage ranks with O’Carroll part of an exciting crop of footballers, who continue to flourish. “There is a lot of lads around the same age from a few minor teams that were successful five or six years ago,” he explains.
“There is a cohort of 10 or 12 lads, there might be three or four years in the difference, but you've a good cohort of lads on the team now.”
Growing up watching Brigid’s compete in Roscommon, Connacht, and nationally inspired that generation. “I would say 100 per cent, definitely,” O’Carroll responds.
“You're watching and going to the All-Ireland series games, and Connacht games, they were brilliant to be involved in.
“When you were young, you thought it was unbelievable for Brigid's to be making it that for, to All-Ireland finals and Connacht finals. It was definitely an influence on a lot of lads that are playing now.”
St Brigid's Ben O'Carroll in AIB All-Ireland Club SFC Semi-Final action against Scotstown. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
The playing links with that era remain strong too with Senan Kilbride’s recent return to competitive action supplying another story. “It is brilliant to have Senan back,” O’Carroll says.
“You've other links, Ronan Stack would've been playing, Eoin Sheehy, Cormac Sheehy, Gearoid Cunniffe was captain, he's still involved, and is training away with us.
“He's still very good, so you've a good few links between the 2013 team and now, Senan is an obvious one, he is a big link.”
Before and after that cherished triumph Anthony Cunningham has taken Brigid’s teams at various levels. “He has, he's from Galway, but has been living in the parish for many years,” O’Carroll responds.
“John his son is obviously on the team, but Anthony has had a big impact on the club over the years. He's still doing it, to be fair.”
Brigid’s adventure means O’Carroll’s Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup involvement has been curtailed, but it is a competition the UCD forward thoroughly enjoys. “It is brilliant, it is good craic, too,” he says.
“It is different than other football you'd play, you don't do as much training before games. You can't really because nearly everyone is involved in county teams. It is very much get out there and play, a bit more so than the other competitions you'd be involved in.”
O’Carroll will return to action with UCD shortly. St Brigid’s tussle with Daingean Uí Chúis is the main item on O’Carroll’s agenda this week.
