Cork's Darren Ronan NAME: Darren Ronan DATE OF BIRTH: 4/11/76 HEIGHT: 5' 11" WEIGHT: 12st CLUB: Ballyhea COUNTY: Cork HONOURS: Won a few underage north Cork medals with Ballyhea (Under 12 - Under 21) and four county medals; 5 National School medals; 2 Secondary Munster and County School medals; Munster Minor Championship, All-Ireland runners-up; Senior Oireachtas runners up this year INTER COUNTY DEBUT: First round of the Minor Championship against Clare in May 1994 TOUGHEST OPPONENT: Brian Whelehan FAVOURITE GROUNDS: Thurles (Semple Stadium) OTHER SPORTING INTERESTS: Football, golf (any sports) FAVOURITE POSITION: Full forward (I'd play anywhere as long as it's somewhere in the first fifteen BOYHOOD HEROES: Jimmy Barry Murphy FAVOURITE PLAYERS: Brian Corcoran, DJ Carey BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON CAREER: I suppose my father. He is what you would call a hurling fanatic and I think that it would have been difficult for me not to be influenced some way or another. But generally hurling is the main religion on both sides of my family. You'd be considered an outcast if you weren't born with a hurley in your hand THE HIGH POINT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE: There is not really one high point. I've been lucky that a lot of things have gone my way. Scoring the point off Brian Whelehan against Offaly felt good but I suppose it would have to be playing in the Minor All-Ireland Final. Even though we lost, it was a great day and it was a great feeling, running out onto the pitch. It's a thing you dream about as a kid and to have it come true was incredible and I don't think I'll ever forget it OTHER PLAYERS WITH A PROMISING FUTURE: There are a lot of players coming through at the moment. Brian Corcoran looks promising. But seriously ... Kevin Egan and Sean Og hAilpin are two prominent players coming onto the scene and look like they'll have a big future WAYS OF IMPROVING THE GAME: First of all, I hope that the new rule in hurling goes as it totally limits the forward and in effect reduces scores in a match. I think the game has to be promoted more with tv coverage. People would get more interested in the game again and this would also be of benefit to the players DISLIKES ABOUT THE GAA: No comment. Well, I suppose the price of tickets for some games is a bit costly for the average punter. I think that if they were reduced you would see an increase in the attendance of League games for example HOPES FOR 1995: To be a part of the Cork senior panel this year when they win the All-Ireland. Just to make both the senior and Under 21 panel this year would be without doubt a dream come true for me. I don't want to tempt faith too much WHAT IS IT LIKE TO WORK UNDER SOMEONE LIKE JOHNNY CLIFFORD? Johnny has a very tough job. When things are going bad it is him who gets the stick for picking us. But he never criticises us. He may have a few 'harsh' words now and then but he is putting his neck on the line for us by playing so many inexperienced young players. You'd have to admire him. He puts a lot of time and energy into the Cork GAA WERE YOU SURPRISED AT YOUR EARLY CALL UP TO THE COUNTY SENIORS? To be honest, I was shocked. At the start of the year my aim was just to make the Under 21 panel and maybe be called onto the senior panel in a few years time. If someone told me last year that I would be playing with the seniors this year, I'd have laughed at him and have told him to come out of the fog HAVE THINGS GONE WELL SO FAR? Things have gone unbelievable well for me, as this time last year I wasn't on the minor panel and a year later I'm playing in the play-offs of the league with the seniors. I'm afraid that things have gone so well for so long that something is going to happen and that things will chance, but I'll just keep my fingers crossed and play away until then Taken from Hogan Stand magazine 21st April 1995 Vol 5 No 16 Tweet

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