Tyrone footballer, Conor Meyler, pictured as AIB announces a five-year extension to its sponsorships of the GAA All-Ireland Football Championship and the AIB Camogie and GAA All-Ireland Club Championships. AIB is extremely proud to be extending their support of #TheToughest championships, as well as the players and communities involved in Gaelic Games nationwide.
By Cian O’Connell
“There is a throwback,” Conor Meyler laughs when asked about a particularly memorable Sigerson Cup triumph in 2017.
Meyler captained St Mary’s Belfast to victory at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence against UCD in a fiercely contested decider. Talented footballers were liberally sprinkled across the two panels.
Eoin Murchan, Michael Fitzsimons, Stephen Coen, Jack McCaffrey, Jack Barry, Conor McCarthy, Eamonn Wallace, Paul Mannion, and Colm Basquel featured for a John Divilly managed UCD.
The Ranch, with Paddy Tally in charge, included Aaron McKay, Conall McCann, Oisín O’Neill, Kieran McGeary, Kevin McKernan, Matthew Fitzpatrick, and Cathal McShane. Class was everywhere, but during that campaign many valuable lessons were learned.
“It was probably one of my proudest moments to be honest,” Meyler adds. “Just the manner in which it all unfolded. I always liked it as a competition.
“Before I went to university I watched Sigerson teams and I would have went to watch Sigerson games. I just think it is a fantastic competition.
“For me it is a case of how do you give it the credit it is due in the fixtures calendar. I know it has got lost in the last number of years.
“When we had it you had the weekend and at that stage too you were probably given a bit more time from the county to focus on it too. It was really prioritised, I'd actually love to see can something be worked out - to be given that opportunity.”
Meyler’s passion for the Sigerson endures. “I've been involved with St. Mary's in the last couple of years, just doing a bit of coaching when I can in my free time,” Meyler says. “There is still a drive and love for it when you're in it. The boys are mad keen to play it because they know you don't get that opportunity very often.
“An opportunity for them to play - for where we went with St Mary's - a lot of lads who won't play inter-county football. For them that is the peak - that is the highlight. You are getting the chance to play against top inter-county players in other universities and colleges.”
Conor Meyler remains a key performer for Tyrone. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
At that time with so many emerging footballers did it increase Myler and his colleagues belief that they could flourish on the national stage? “That is another good point, the teams we came up against we were underdogs every week,” he recalls.
“That definitely gave you confidence. At that time we probably didn't realise the quality of the squad. In hindsight looking back now some of the players that went since - myself, Cathal McShane, Kieran McGeary, Conall McCann - nobody was really a regular with Tyrone at the time.
“You had other fellas on the bench that day Aidan Nugent and Niall Toner, who are now starring for Armagh and Derry. You had quality throughout the team, but at the time you probably didn't realise how good you were.
“It definitely gave huge confidence when you realise you were coming up against All-Star players from Kerry, Cork, Mayo, and Dublin, in particular. You were going toe to toe with them and coming out on top. It definitely gave me huge confidence.”
Defeated in the Ulster SFC by Monaghan, Tyrone are now busy preparing for the All-Ireland SFC group stages. The fact that three matches are on the agenda is significant according to Meyler.
“Definitely a renewed focus, I think we are chomping at the bit now to get a game,” he says. “The group stage format for me is exciting too, you are just getting an opportunity to play more games against top teams at this level. So a renewed focus, for sure.”
In the new format the ability to deal with setbacks and defeats quickly will be crucial. “Without a doubt,” Meyler acknowledges.
“For us there was huge disappointment after losing to Monaghan, but you are looking at the format now, we have had a bit of time to push really hard in training, get ourselves right, analyse ourselves - where did we go wrong?
“What are we going to work on. That time has been really valuable. So hopefully it stands to us now when the group stages come.”
Tyrone are back in action in just over a fortnight. Meyler is ready, willing, and able for the impending challenges.
