NAME: Gerard Colgan DATE OF BIRTH: 22/11/71 HEIGHT: 6' 3" WEIGHT: 14st CLUB: An Riocht COUNTY: Down HONOURS: Ulster Hurling Championship Minor 1989; Ulster Colleges All Star Hurling 1990; Sigerson Cup 1991; Ulster Football Championship Runners-Up Under 21 1991 INTER COUNTY DEBUT: National League match against Meath 1992 PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT: Student at UUJ TOUGHEST OPPONENT: I haven't found one that isn't tough yet! FAVOURITE GROUNDS: Clones and Croke Park; Dunavil (club grounds) FAVOURITE POSITION: Midfield SPORTING AMBITION: To win an All-Ireland and obtain an All Star DO YOU PLAY ANY OTHER SPORTS? Hurling BOYHOOD HEROES: Jack O'Shea and Pat Spillane FAVOURITE PLAYER: Greg Blaney (Down) BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON CAREER: Jerry Sheehan (School Master) WAYS OF IMPROVING THE GAME: Better standard of refereeing DISLIKES ABOUT THE GAA: Ticket allocation for big matches BEST GAME SEEN: All-Ireland Final 1991 - Down versus Meath PLAYERS WITH A PROMISING FUTURE: Kieran Doyle and Daniel Flynn, both An Riocht HOPES FOR 1993: To keep my place on the Down senior team TELL US ABOUT YOUR CLUB AN RIOCHT: An Riocht was formed in 1982. There was hurling, camogie and football. Camogie has enjoyed the greatest success with provincial titles at senior and Under 14 (Community Games). Hurling has lapsed temporarily. Emigration has taken its toll with the average age of the senior footballers just 23, and many at college or working away from home, but they remain loyal to the club. With this base, An Riocht will be a force in Down football. There is a major youth programme in coaching ANY OTHER COUNTY PLAYERS, PAST OR PRESENT FROM YOUR CLUB? Sean O'Rourke (club mentor) played in the late sixties and seventies; Brendan Morgan (manager) plays for the Down Masters; Pat Donnan (goalie) played hurling with An Riocht; Malachy Cousins, who plays goals for An Riocht seniors, played for Down in the National Football League in 1985 as a half forward THERE IS A PARTICULAR STORY GOING ABOUT HOW THE CLUB GOT ITS NAME: This is added to with each telling. A new club needed a new name. Our catchment area begins at the start of the ancient kingdom of Mourne and is marked by a roadside sign telling tourists etc., so what better name? On the tourism theme, the club annually organises exchange visits with other clubs all over Ireland YOU ARE GOING FAIRLY WELL IN DOWN'S SECOND DIVISION AT THE MOMENT. WORD HAS IT THAT YOU ARE IN LINE FOR PROMOTION BACK TO THE SENIOR RANKS: There is a strong push for promotion between us and Newry Shamrocks, Rostrevor and Tullylish. A victory over Tullylish has meant we now need to win our last two games and hope for a few results to go our way. We're not out of contention just yet! We have two home games left YOU MADE A BIG IMPRESSION AT MIDFIELD AGAINST MEATH IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE LAST SUNDAY WEEK. WERE YOU PLEASED WITH YOUR PERFORMANCE? I was happy with my fielding but I felt my distribution could have been a lot better. I didn't find myself with much time on the ball, but I was generally happy with my overall performance THAT PARTICULAR MATCH GOT A LOT OF BAD PRESS. WAS IT THAT ROUGH? No. It was a game of tough football. It was a hard-hitting game which probably looked worse than it was. The game was simply a case of two highly motivated teams battling it out in a hard game of football WAS THIS YOUR FIRST COMPETITIVE OUTING IN THE MOURNE COLOURS? I had played in three challenge matches, previous to the match with Meath, against Armagh, Louth and Tyrone. But Meath was my first match of major importance EAMONN BURNS AND BARRY BREEN FORMED A TERRIFIC MIDFIELD PARTNERSHIP FOR DOWN IN 1991. WAS THERE ANY PRESSURE ON YOU STEPPING INTO THEIR BOOTS FOR THE MEATH GAME? There was a bit of pressure on me but I was determined to do well. I had Peter McGrath's backing and Eamonn Burns gave me plenty of advice, so the pressure wasn't too bad. I was confident enough in myself so I didn't feel the pressure so much MANAGER PETER MCGRATH - HAS HE BEEN A BIG HELP Peter McGrath has given me his full backing in playing for Down. He has told me that he will give me plenty of chances to develop myself at senior level. He has also improved me as a footballer since he first was in charge of me, two years ago at Under 21 level AND PADDY O'ROURKE AND THE OLDER PLAYERS? They have been a big help. They have encouraged me and given me complete confidence in myself. I have also received a lot of good advice from them which is befitting me greatly OBVIOUSLY DOWN'S ALL-IRELAND SUCCESS 0F 1991 HAS EVERY YOUNG LAD FROM THE NATIONALIST COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTY WANTING TO PLAY GAELIC FOOTBALL: Football in Down was give a much needed boost by this success. Players, old and new, appeared from everywhere, football became very competitive and very popular MICKEY QUINN FROM YOUR CLUB WAS ON THE DOWN PANEL FOR THAT ALL-IRELAND SUCCESS: Mickey Quinn is an outstanding footballer who richly deserved the success he achieved with Down. He was an excellent ambassador for the club and it was good to see our club represented at that level. I hope to be as successful as he was in every way CAN DOWN GET BACK ON THE WINNING TRAIL AND REGAIN THE ULSTER AND ALL-IRELAND TITLES NEXT SEASON? There is no reason why not. The talent is there and so is the will to win. Put it this way, Down will not be far away next season AND GERARD COLGAN TO BE INVOLVED? I hope so. If I can remain free from injuries, I will give it 100% and I hope to be there or thereabouts Taken from Hogan Stand magazine 30th October 1992 Vol 2 No 79 Tweet

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