Louth's Alan Rooney NAME: Alan Rooney DATE OF BIRTH: 3-8-71 HEIGHT: 5' 11" WEIGHT: 13st 7lbs CLUB: St. Marys, Ardee COUNTY: Louth NOTABLE SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS (GAELIC): Winning county Senior Championship with St. Marys Ardee, 1995 (OTHER): Player of the Year (1994) Club, St Marys; Sportstar of the Month (October 1995) Argus Paper, Dundalk INTERCOUNTY DEBUT: June 1992, Croke Park, Louth v Laois TOUGHEST OPPONENT: Seamus Clancy of Clare FAVOURITE GROUNDS: Pairc Mhuire Ardee, home of St. Marys HOBBIES: Greyhound and horse racing, swimming, snooker, darts, golf FAVOURITE POSITION: Midfield or centre half forward FAVOURITE PLAYERS: Charlie Redmond and Peter Canavan INFLUENCES ON YOUR CAREER: My late father Frank Rooney RIP (Meathman); Paddy Lynch, retired school teacher, Ardee; the late Michael Gosling (Ardee) RIP; Declan Smith (coach St. Marys, Ardee) THE HIGH POINT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE: Winning county Championship with Ardee St. Marys; captain of county team versus Meath BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Apart from losing two county finals in 1989 and 1993, having £50 on Barton Bank winning the King George Chase at Kempton, when he fell at the last fence 10 lengths clear of the others OTHER PLAYERS WITH A PROMISING FUTURE: My brother Mickey if he lost two stone; Niall Sharkey, St. Marys Ardee; Alan Balfe, St. Marys Ardee WAYS OF IMPROVING THE GAME: Being able to lift the ball from the ground. Bring back the scoring goals with the hand pass, example Kerry versus Dublin in the 1970s DISLIKES ABOUT THE GAA: Constant demand on county players (no closed season). Admissions to games far too expensive (Croke Park) DO YOU HAVE ANY RELATIVES INVOLVED IN GAELIC GAMES?: Yes, three brothers Ken and Mickey - players, Gerry - selector. All St. Marys Ardee PERSON YOU WOULD MOST LIKE TO MEET: My future wife! FAVOURITE PERSONAL SAYING OR TERM OF ABUSE: 'You're two races lower than a rat' PET HATES: People smoking, people staring at you, getting up early in the morning FAVOURITE MUSIC: All sorts of music FAVOURITE FILM: The Shawshank Redemption IDEAL DATE: Lady Di HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED: As the man who scored the winning point for Louth in an All-Ireland Final from a sideline kick fifty yards out! Taken from Hogan Stand magazine 22nd March 1996 Vol 6 No 12 Tweet

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