Chicago timeout has helped McDaid recharge his batteries

FOOTBALL has been a very central part of Daire McDaid's life from his most formative years. 22 years of age, he has went from secondary school in Colaiste Choilm in Tullamore to University of Limerick where he is studying to be a secondary teacher in PE and Irish – he is currently on placement in Colaiste Naomh Cormac, Kilcormac..

He has been busy on the football fields, playing minor, U20 and senior football for Offaly, firmly establishing himself on the senior team this year.

The club scene has provided a packed itinerary and they have competed in every senior football final since he progressed out of underage ranks. A hugely effective, attacking defender, McDaid regularly crops up in scoring positions – he got an important two pointer in Tullamore's semi-final win over Rhode.

It has been all about football to an extent for him and he grabbed the opportunity to take a timeout this year, travelling to Chicago on a sixty days playing sanction where he played football but also lived some of a young man's life.

“It was nice to get a bit of a break for a while over in Chicago but I was playing football over there as well so it wasn't too much of a break at the same time. Training was tough over there in the heat. It's good to be back now for good.”

He worked over there but confessed to not doing “too much” or “killing myself”.

He was home but ineligible to play in Tullamore's first round win over Bracknagh and was back for the facile wins over Shamrocks and Clonbullogue.

Now three years on the Tullamore senior team, he is conscious that golden eras like this don't happen the whole time for Tullamore.

“Obviously, before a few of us young lads came up, it wasn't the norm for us to be winning the whole time. It's nice to be winning at the moment, but I know that it can change so easily as well. There can be dark days as well, I suppose we're lucky with what we have at the moment and hopefully it can go the same way next weekend.”

They meet Ferbane in their third consecutive county final on Sunday and McDaid is unsure if this familiarity is an advantage or a disadvantage.

“You can probably look at it both ways. We know Ferbane are a very good team and the battle between us has never been easy. The last two years hasn't been easy at all in the last two finals. They have some very good players. We look forward to it anyways but we know it's not going to be easy.”

Tullamore had things a bit too easy in the group and he agreed that this didn't help them ahead of their semi-final against Rhode.

“Maybe a little bit, because we didn't really get as big a test maybe as some of the lads in the other group now. It was the plan all along to top the group, to push on into the semi-final so I suppose we kind of stuck to that plan and we got there, got to the semi-final and now the job was done so into the final now.”

He was asked about Stephen Rochford's impact as coach.

“Yeah, he's been good. I suppose we've been lucky enough now to have very good trainers as well. It's great to have him as well to kind of keep that standard up as well in the club.”

Tullamore played a lot of challenges against clubs from outside Offaly this year and McDaid enjoyed those.

“I suppose it's good to play a few different teams like that and see what they're doing and see what strategies they have and how they're working away. So it was good to get a few of them challenges as well.”

Last year, Paul McConway was beside McDaid in the Tullamore dressing room as a player. Now he is the manager. It has changed the relationship a bit.

“It changes a little bit but Maccer was always very down to business anyway. It's not too much of a difference in that sense. He knows what he's at and he always kind of did. We're happy to have him anyways.”

He is enjoying football under the new rules.

“Yeah, I would say so. It can be difficult in the full back line now because you're a little bit more isolated than usual. I think it makes for a better watch as well. I think the rules have been for the better.

“With the new rules, it's all about playing, who adapts quickly. I feel we've done that well and we knew we had the players to kind of suit the rules as well. Obviously the way we played the last few years probably didn't look as stylish maybe as this year but we've applied ourselves well.”

McDaid was given a torrid time by Aaron Kellaghan early on in the semi-final win over Rhode. Declan Hogan switched over onto Kellaghan after a while and McDaid prospered in a more open, free role that allowed him to attack up the field. He was asked about the importance of keeping his head up when a player like Kellaghan gets away for an early goal.

“That's what I try to do anyways. I've probably learned a bit from the past as well. Just whenever you make a mistake or something, it's important to think about the next ball and just get on with it.”

He spoke about the importance of defenders communicating to avoid three man breaches.

“It is kind of just communication there. Obviously, the lads know that I like to go forward a little bit. They know that sometimes they let me go and other times I let them go as well. We have a good kind of system. It's just all about communicating properly.”

He is aware of Tullamore's history and what three in a row would mean to the town.

“It would be huge now. It was nice to get two in a row now last year and it would be lovely to get three in a row but we know it's not going to be easy. Ferbane will put up a big challenge to us. They had a great semi-final themselves so they'll be confident enough as well.”

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McDaid has heard the talk about Tullamore's potential in Leinster but brushes it off.

“We wouldn't really be looking at that. We'd always say the next game is the most important game, so we're looking at the next game. Just looking at Ferbane now. If it does come to that, we'll think about the next game in Leinster after, if it does happen.”