By Cian O’Connell

Throughout the country different GAA units are finding solutions to assist local communities with the Roscommon senior footballers currently in the middle of a commendable fundraiser.

Due to the Covid19 crisis the Mayo-Roscommon Hospice has been forced to close stores in both counties with in the region of 30,000euro being lost per week.

Having heard about the situation the Roscommon footballers were ready, willing, and able to assist and goalkeeper Colm Lavin was eager to stitch a plan together.

“It was my auntie, she was talking to a person who works for the Mayo-Roscommon hospice, that person was just explaining to her how they are down about 30,000 euro a week with their shops and fundraisers called off,” Lavin explains.

“It was actually my auntie who enquired whether the team do something to get behind it because there has been a good relationship between the hospice and the Roscommon football team in the last few years. So then we were throwing ideas back and over.

“The shave and dye was probably the easiest one to do with everyone being at home and they can do it by themselves.

“I just threw a couple of messages out to lads seeing would they get on it and then I threw it into the main WhatsApp group. We got over 40 replies from lads who said they would get behind it too. The number is at 51 now between players, backroom, and management team taking part.”

So far over 20,000euro has been gathered by the Roscommon players which is close to their intended target according to Lavin.

“Our goal is 30,000euro - it seemed a realistic one, that is what they are down a week,” Lavin replies. “If we could get that it would be great.

“We are blown away by the response it has got. Our PRO Hugh Lynn has been great, he has been advertising it well through social media and the Club Rossie team, their marketing team have really helped us out with different tips and pointers on how to go about things. So a lot of it is down to Hugh and the Club Rossie marketing team.”

The polls on Roscommon GAA’s social media channels have been buzzing and Lavin is delighted about the interaction.

“It gets a lot of people talking and it gets them to forget about the situation we are in at the moment,” Lavin says.

“Anybody I've been talking to is asking what is such a player going to be doing and they are delighted to engage with the polls. We have polls on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter where you decide if a player shaves or dyes their head.

“People are really engaging with them. We had more than 5,000 votes yesterday, so it is just something to take people's minds off the current situation we are in which is great.”

A national school teacher in Ballymun, Lavin acknowledges that the Roscommon players are finding ways to adapt to the current situation with no training and matches on the agenda.

“Your routine is gone out the window completely,” Lavin admits. “For me anyway as a teacher with no school. We have got advice from people. Setting goals, setting out a weekly plan of what you want to get done.

“Whether you read a book for half an hour, get your training in at such a time, get as many sessions as you can in during the week. Having a timetable and a bit of a schedule definitely helps keep you on track, it takes your mind off other things.

“You aren't sitting there twiddling your thumbs, you can have a quick look at the timetable to decide I'm going to read a book now here for a while or bring the dog for a walk, do a bit of gym for a while or whatever.

“Definitely a timetable helps in that regard. It is very strange, not being able to go anywhere or even down to the local pitch for a kickaround. You are confined to your house and being within the 2kms to go for a walk or a run.”

Lavin’s younger brothers are also part of the Roscommon custodian’s training regime presently. “I'm lucky enough I have two brothers, 20 and 22, who aren't too happy about the amount of training they are made to be doing with me,” Lavin laughs.

“We have a fairly big garden. You can get a similar enough goalkeeping session done with the size of garden we have here apart from obviously kickouts. I'm not too bad in that sense.

“We have some lads still up in Dublin or in Galway, they are just getting out for a road run or down to a park and you don't want to be staying out too long. It is a lot harder on those lads than us in Roscommon here.”

Without the interaction and normality of training interaction with the rest of the Roscommon panel has obviously been reduced, but the fundraiser has provided assistance and a focus.

“It is a challenge because you don't want to be glued to the phone all of the time either,” Lavin remarks. “With the fundraiser we actually split lads into groups. Each group has about seven or eight players and management in the group.

“It is easier stay in touch with seven or eight rather than a main WhatsApp group where you wouldn't be putting as much content into it. If there is seven or eight you can have a conversation to find out what lads are up to, if they have any suggestions for Netflix or any book suggestions.

“A few lads I know are trying out a bit of cooking. With the smaller groups it is handier than just having the big WhatsApp group.”

The Roscommon effort remains united and the good work continues.