All Star says football can wait while his club's hurling adventure continues
Brendan Rogers is a key man for 12-in-a-row Derry champions Slaughtneil as they bid for another Ulster club hurling title this weekend.
Brendan Rogers says that the Derry footballers will have to take a back seat while the Slaughtneil hurlers bid for major honours.
Slaughtneil, who have won 12-in-a-row in Derry, are favourites to take their fifth Ulster title, all since 2016, on Sunday evening against Portaferry, on the back of their rousing extra time victory over Cushendall earlier this month. The winners will go through to an All-Ireland semi-final against the Munster representatives on the weekend of December 14/15, by which time Derry will be well into their preparations for the Allianz League under new boss Paddy Tally, but Rogers insists that his head won’t be turned if Slaughtneil are still afloat at that stage.
Of course, getting past whoever comes out of Munster, particularly if it’s Ballygunner, would be a tall order, but Ulster teams are invariably competitive at that stage of the competition, with Slaughtneil themselves memorably pushing Ballyhale Shamrocks all the way in 2020. The All-Ireland series wraps up on the weekend of January 18/19, just a week before the Allianz Football League starts though that’s an issue that Rogers will happily deal with if he has to.
READ MORE: New Derry boss Paddy Tally's major coup as he lands All-Ireland winning backroom man
READ MORE: St Mary's Ardee stalwart eyeing big prize at 38 after leaving relegation battles behind
"Traditionally, and what it probably will be, is that you stay with your club until such time that it's over,” said the 30-year-old, who was chosen at midfield on last year's All Star football team. “Even with the Glen lads and stuff in years gone by and I suppose with ourselves getting a few runs in the football, you just stay with your club.
“You're just trusted on the basis that you keep yourself at a good level so that when you come back, the transition is a lot simpler. There's an element of trust there from the management but I think it's only right to pay the respect to your club, that it's your full focus and you give them everything that you can."
Although Slaughtneil’s prominence in football has waned in recent years, they are still one of the best dual clubs in the country and their hurling manager Paul McCormack, who played both codes for Armagh, is naturally understanding of the demands.
"Massively,” Rogers acknowledged. “We've had a lot more dual sessions now. Paul, being the GAA man he is, he would have come and watched football sessions, knowing that the hurling was on after. When hurling was over first, then he would have stayed to watch.
“He has a watchful eye on everything around the club and that helps him to understand what players' volume is like, what their skill-sets are like, what they're good at, and he's keen to see boys flourish in both codes. He wouldn't have just said to focus on hurling only.
“I think he would have tried to develop the person because he knew it was for the betterment of the club. It's good to have that experience. I think it's a different dynamic in our club so having that bit of background in both makes for a better mix for what we need."
Sunday’s final has a peculiar throw-in time of 5pm at the Box-It Athletic Grounds though Rogers isn’t perturbed.
"I suppose it doesn't bother me. I think the game might be on TG4 and maybe that's part of the scheduling as well. Maybe you're thinking more can you play hurling under lights because it might be dark at that stage or whatever, but we kind of showed against Cushendall that games can be held later when there are lights.
“Look, I don't think it really matters. It wouldn't matter if you played it on a Friday night, people would get ready for it and adapt to it one way or the other. You just get on with. I don't really see it as a negative."
To keep up to date with all the latest GAA news, sign-up to our GAA newsletter here.
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
