NAME: John O'Connor DATE OF BIRTH: 8/8/72 HEIGHT: 6' 3" WEIGHT: 14st CLUB: Clones St. Tiernachs GFC COUNTY: Monaghan HONOURS: Winner of Ulster Minor League 1989; winner of club minor League and Championship double 1990 PLACE OF WORK: Ulster Bank, Main Street, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan INTER-COUNTY DEBUT: Senior B Championship versus Westmeath, October 1991 TOUGHEST OPPONENT: James McCartan (Down) FAVOURITE GROUNDS: Croke Park FAVOURITE POSITION: Goalkeeper SPORTING AMBITION: To help take Monaghan to an All-Ireland title and win a Bank of Ireland All Star award DO YOU PLAY ANY OTHER SPORTS: Basketball, Soccer, Swimming, Cycling BOYHOOD HEROES: My fellow townsmen Ciaran and Brendan Murray FAVOURITE PLAYER: Brian Stafford BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON CAREER: My father and Fr. Dan Gallogly (President of Ulster Council) WAYS OF IMPROVING THE GAME: Referees should be more consistent and play the advantage rule more often to increase the flow of football DISLIKES ABOUT THE GAA: The famous RDS saga didn't do the organisation any good BEST GAME SEEN: Of course, the All-Ireland semi-final, Monaghan versus Kerry 1985 HOPES FOR 1992: To win under 21 All-Ireland Championship and Ulster senior title YOUNG PLAYERS FOR THE FUTURE: James McCartan (Down), Derek Duggan (Roscommon), Stephen McGinnitty (Monaghan) WERE YOU SURPRISED AT GETTING A CALL PUP FOR MONAGHAN SENIORS AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE: Yes, you could say I was. However, I played in goals for Monaghan minors for two seasons. I am presently in goals for the under 21 team. I think my height is an advantage for me for the high balls TAKING OVER FROM PADDY LINDEN MUST HAVE BEEN A DAUNTING TASK. WERE YOU NERVOUS? Paddy's advice and encouragement was a great help to me to overcome being nervous. The experienced Gene Sherry in front of me helps to make the butterflys in my stomach at least fly in formation YOU CAME FROM THE SAME TOWN AS BARRY MCGUIGAN. BUT EMIGRATION AND THE BORDER FACTOR HAVE HIT CLONES HARD: Clones is a border town which has been badly hit by the troubles. Most young people are working or at college elsewhere, leaving a mass exodus out of the town each Sunday night. It is hard to get players together for training. Barry was a good friend of mine and a good inspiration for me TELL US A BIT ABOUT CLONES GFC: At the moment Clones have a lot of promising players coming on. The loss of the two Murray brothers was a big blow to the club. The present manager, Gerry McMahon is hoping to bring the club back to the good old days LIAM STIRRAT, THE MONAGHAN MANGER HAS BROUGHT IN A NUMBER OF NEW FACES TO HIS SQUAD. WHO ARE THESE NEW PLAYERS? Aidan Tavey and Edwin Murphy (Castleblayney Faughs); Gregory Flanagan (Cremartin); Pauric McShane (Clontibret); Stephen McGinnity (Drumhowan); Finbar Fitzpatrick (Latton). All these players are also under 21 players this year CAVAN RECENTLY BEAT MONAGHAN IN AN NFL PLAY OFF AND YOU ARE AGAIN IN THE TOUGHER HALF OF THE ULSTER CHAMPIONSHIP DRAW. WHAT DOES 1992 HOLD FOR MONAGHAN? Already we have been promoted to Division One. The under 21 team are in the Ulster Championship final, having beaten Down in Newry by 13 points, which was no easy achievement, and we are happy to reach the Ulster Under 21 football final. We are hoping for a good run in the Ulster Championship and of course, Castleblayney Faughs reached the All-Ireland Club Semi Final Taken from Hogan Stand magazine 10th April 1992 Vol 2 No 50 Tweet

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