NAME: Paul Mulvehill DATE OF BIRTH: 19/8/74 HEIGHT: 6'1" WEIGHT: 13 1/2 stone CLUB: Killeigh/Raheen COUNTY: Offaly HONOURS: Bord na Scol U14 Hurling and Football, U14 County medal, Feile na Gael U14 Hurling, Leinster U15 medal, Offaly, Fitzpatrick Shield winners, Offaly Minor in 1991, Captain of St. Finian's college Senior team INTER-COUNTY DEBUT: 1990 U16 football PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT: Repeating Leaving Cert in Killina, near Tullamore TOUGHEST OPPONENT: Vinny Byrne (Gracefield) FAVOURITE GROUNDS: O'Connor Park, Parnell Park FAVOURITE POSITION: Centre half back SPORTING AMBITION: Winning All-Ireland Senior medal with Offaly DO YOU PLAY ANY OTHER SPORTS: Hurling, squash, basketball, soccer BOYHOOD HEROES: Matt Connor, Jack O'Shea FAVOURITE PLAYER (CLUB & COUNTY): Club: Billy Guinan County: Brian Corcoran BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON CAREER: It is very difficult to name just one person but Dinny Kelly, Pat O'Connell, Pat Donnelly, Tom Flynn and Fr. O'Mahony WAYS OF IMPROVING THE GAME: Referees should let the game flow more, especially in Offaly DISLIKES ABOUT THE GAA: Late start in club matches BEST GAME SEEN: 1982 All-Ireland PLAYERS WITH A PROMISING FUTURE: Ronan Mooney, Offaly; Trevor Giles, Meath HOPES FOR 1993: To keep my position on the senior team and to have a successful League and Championship NOT TOO LONG AGO, TWO JOHNNY MOONEYS PLAYED FOR OFFALY. BOTH WERE FROM THE RAHEEN CLUB: That is right, both were on the Raheen team that lost to Edenderry by one point in the 1985 county final. They also played with Offaly in the League, the younger of the two is on the present Offaly panel NO RELATION TO THE OTHER MULVEHILL - LIAM: I have been asked that several times, but no, my name is spelt differently, Mulvehill ARE THE OFFALY FOOTBALLERS TRAINING HARD AT THE MOMENT: Right from the start of the season the training was hard, but every team knows the importance of fitness if you want to get to the top HOW IS MANAGER, PAT FITZGERALD, GETTING ON WITH THE PLAYERS: Pat gets on very well with all the players. He has created a good atmosphere in the team. I am glad that he is there because he gives players like myself a chance to prove themselves OF LATE, OFFALY HAVE INTRODUCED A NUMBER OF GOOD YOUNG PLAYERS. WHO WOULD BE THE BETTER PROSPECTS IN THE COUNTY AT THE MOMENT: Ronan Mooney, Mark Daly, Padraig Moran IT IS SAID THAT THE GHOST OF THE GREAT OFFALY SIDES FROM THE 60S, 70S AND EARLY 80S HAUNT ALL FOOTBALL TEAMS EMERGING FROM THE FAITHFUL THESE DAYS: They were great teams, but I have no doubt that Offaly have the potential to make the breakthrough in the near future YOU ARE REPEATING YOUR LEAVING CERTIFICATE. DO YOU FIND THAT ALL THE FOOTBALL INTERFERES WITH THE STUDIES? Sometimes it can be tough, but I know what is ahead of me, I know what it takes to manage both WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS SUMMER'S LEINSTER SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP DRAW: It is very wide open this year and we all know from last year that anything can happen in the championship. I think Meath are a team to watch OFFALY AND PAUL MULVEHILL TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION! I hope so! WERE YOUR SURPRISED TO GET A CALL UP TO THE OFFALY SENIORS IN 1992. AFTER ALL, YOU WERE THEN ONLY A MINOR: Yes, being only 18 I was very surprised, it was like a dream come true. The players and the mentors have been very encouraging and supportive, helping me to settle into the team WE HAVE HEARD GREAT REPORTS CONCERNING YOURS TRULY FROM OFFALY. YOU WERE OBVIOUSLY HAPPY WITH YOUR DISPLAYS IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE TO DATE: Yes, things are going very well for me in the League so far, especially as I didn't think I would get a place on the team so soon YOU PLAY IN A CENTRAL DEFENSIVE ROLE. VERY RARE FOR A MINOR AT COUNTY LEVEL. HAVE YOU FOUND THE PHYSICAL SIDE OF THINGS A LITTLE BIT TOUGH: The games are physically demanding, but I'm not afraid to mix it with the other players AND THE PACE AT INTER-COUNTY LEVEL. A VAST DIFFERENCE FROM NORMAL CLUB FARE: There is a lot more emphasis on physical fitness, and you have to concentrate for the whole game TELL US ABOUT YOUR CLUB - KILLEIGH-RAHEEN: Killeigh/Raheen is a large club area wise, Killeigh being the hurling end and Raheen the football. Fortunately, I am right in the middle and benefit from both ends. We have a senior football team and intermediate hurling. I am involved in both. Unfortunately, lately we have been unable to claim any championships MICK O'ROURKE, THAT GREAT OFFALY CORNER BACK FROM THE EARLY '70S, PLAYED FOR KILLEIGH-RAHEEN: Yes, Mick was a great player. He was a strong footballer and hurler, and has always encouraged young players in the club to take part in both games AND MICK IS STILL GOING STRONG? mick is very much involved with the hurling and football teams in the club, and most recently he was involved in the development of the new pitch ANY OTHER COUNTY PLAYERS, PAST OR PRESENT, FROM THE AREA: The area has produced several good players, Charlie Wren, Larry Coughlan, Sean Ryan, Johnny Mooney (2), Martin Fitzpatrick, Hugh Bolton, John Guinan, Brian Guinan Taken from Hogan Stand magazine 22nd January 1993 Vol 3 No 3 Tweet

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