NAME: Shane Curran DATE OF BIRTH: 3/4/71 HEIGHT: 6' 11/2" WEIGHT: 12st 10lbs CLUB: Castlerea St. Kevins COUNTY: Roscommon HONOURS: All underage medals with club, Connacht Minor medal, Leinster Senior Cup Soccer medal INTER COUNTY DEBUT: November 1991, versus Down PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT: Scahill's Furniture and Electrical Shop TOUGHEST OPPONENT: Mike Keegan (Clann na nGael), he must be 40 and I still can't score on him FAVOURITE GROUNDS: Croke Park, The Brandywell (Derry) FAVOURITE POSITION: Full forward SPORTING AMBITION: To win an All-Ireland with Roscommon and become a professional footballer DO YOU PLAY ANY OTHER SPORTS? I like to play snooker and racquetball BOYHOOD HEROES: Pat Jennings, Jimmy White and Brian Mullins FAVOURITE PLAYERS: Club - Martin Costello (class), Vincent Glennon ANY GOOD SPORTING YARN: Two Castlerea players playing on the same win, unfortunately were near sighted and when the ball appeared on that win, one player (I cannot name them) gained possession only to be tackled by the other, who said he had seen the ball first BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON CAREER: My dad, Tony McManus, Bro. Mel and Danny Burke WAYS OF IMPROVING THE GAME: To pick the ball off the ground would alleviate a lot of injuries and two referees DISLIKES ABOUT THE GAA: The conservative minds who run the organisation (high ranking) and I also believe that players should benefit from some form of commercial sponsorship BEST GAME SEEN: 1977 semi final, Dublin versus Kerry PLAYERS WITH A PROMISING FUTURE: Don Connellan and Dermot Washington, a real gem HOPES FOR 1993: Well, I hope to be alive at the end of the year to drink to a couple of notable successes at both club and intercounty level ('Sam') TELL US ABOUT YOUR CLUB - CASTLEREA: The club was formed in 1954 and quickly established itself as one of the leading clubs in the county, when in the late 60s and early 70s it won four senior county titles, one of which my father captained, and one Connacht title, eventually succumbing Bellaghy in the All-Ireland Final. In 1972, Mickey Freyne became the first club player to win an All Star, followed by Harry Keegan and Tom Heneghan. The club however, went into decline in the early 80s, until Mickey Freyne inherited a talented bunch of young players to win the 1987 Intermediate Championship. Castlerea were beaten by Clann na nGaels in the 1990 club senior final DEREK DUGGAN ALSO PLAYS CLUB FOOTBALL WITH CASTLEREA. IT MUST BE NICE HAVING SUCH A TALENTED PLAYER AS DEREK PLAYING ALONGSIDE YOU IN ATTACK: Not only locally, but nationally Derek's ability is known at club level. His skill and strength will be an important factor in our club challenge for honours this year. He is a great passer of the ball and he has already established himself as one of the best freetakers in the game. All and all, we work fairly well for our club apart from when I think he should pass it, he'll go on and put the ball in the back of the net CASTLEREA HAD ANOTHER COUNTY PLAYER, MATTIE REILLY, BUT MATTIE TRANSFERRED LAST WINTER: When I first came into the county panels, Mattie was the one player who was always willing to give me great advice. Last year we sadly missed his presence from our club team, however, I believe Mattie may become a Castlerea player again and the sooner the better. He is a magnificent player and would be a great leader of our side if he could be enticed back, he would give our side a bit of steel and experience it needs CASTLEREA HAD A GREAT TRADITION OF SUPPLYING THE COUNTY TEAM WITH PLAYERS OVER THE DECADES. WHO WOULD BE THE BEST KNOWN OF THESE GREATS? In the past the club provided players of the calibre of Adrian Swann, Jimmy Finnegna, Joe Heneghan, Harry Keegan, Colm Larkin, John Callaghan, Padraig O'Callaghan, Eddie Egan and many more, but perhaps the best known player the club has supplied to the county side would have been the flamboyant Mickey Freyne who played full forward for a decade in the Blue and Yellow. A Liverpool supporter, it would have been worse if he was a Man. Utd. supporter. A Great Player! YOU PLAYED AGAINST LEITRIM IN LAST SUMMER'S CONNACHT SEMI-FINAL CLASH, BUT HAD TO RETIRE INJURED JUST BEFORE HALF TIME: Injuries to the first team regulars gave me a chance to make my championship debut against Leitrim last year. I had been doing ok when 'Junior' McManus put me through and suddenly Muhammud Ali appeared in Hyde Park. Their keeper accidentally collided with me WERE YOU DISAPPOINTED AT NOT REGAINING YOUR PLACE FOR THE CONNACHT FINAL? Unfortunately, I wasn't able to train for 3 weeks after the Leitrim game, so I wasn't in a position to challenge for a place and the way Tony played put me back a step instead of going forward. But that's football CASTLEREA IS NOT FAR FROM THE MAYO BORDER. THERE MUST BE A GREAT RIVALRY IN THE AREA IN THE LEAD UP TO CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES BETWEEN ROSCOMMON AND MAYO: In view of the fact that my boss's wife is from Mayo (Madeline) I feel like I'm living in Mayo rather than beside it in the build up to the championship. There is a lot of Mayo people living in Castlerea and our local pub, Horse and Jockey, has great craic when Mick Flanagan (better known as QPR) and Dara Bruen start singing anti-Mayo songs to the bewilderment of the Mayo supporters, who are well able to give a bit of stick themselves which is great fun YOU HIT THE NATIONAL HEADLINES A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN YOU OPTED TO PLAY FOR ATHLONE SOCCER TEAM IN PREFERENCE TO THE ROSCOMMON SENIORS FOR AN IMPORTANT NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE GAME: There seems to me to be a media speciality in covering soccer v gaelic arguments and whenever a player finds himself in a situation where both are on the one day, it becomes big news. I don't know why, but being contracted to Athlone Town, I felt obliged to play for them. Certainly, I won't fall out with anybody over it and I am looking forward to playing football of some kind for the rest of the year DID TEAM MANAGER DERMOT EARLY GIVE YOU HIS PERMISSION ON THE MATTER? I was always told I'd make a great politician, so I'll say 'No Comment' DO YOU PLAY MUCH SOCCER: I am now in my second season with Athlone Town and I enjoy the game very much. I would play about 25-30 games per season when I'm not out of favour, in other words dropped which was a regular feature this season, but thankfully I have regained my place and hope to see out the season as first choice goalkeeper SHANE CURRAN AND THE HEADLINES OFTEN WENT HAND IN HAND. TELL US ABOUT THE PENALTY INCIDENT IN THE CONNACHT MINOR FOOTBALL FINAL OF 1989: When you're eighteen, 20,000 people watching the game and you're a bit of a header, stupid things run through your head, an intelligent person wouldn't do the stupid thing but not being exactly bright , I did. Looking back I caused a lot of hassle for a lot of people who didn't deserve it, not least the referee John Cosgrove and the Roscommon County board who were fantastic at the time. That said, I'm glad it finished in the back of the net THE GAME AGAINST GALWAY WAS REPLAYED AND YOU WENT ON TO WIN: Due to a sporting gesture from the Galway County Board, the game was replayed. Even though I played poorly on the night, every one of the lads had a great willingness to win and that we did, with a late goal from Eddie Ennis. The Roscommon support that night was unbelievable when at least 5,000 of them made their way to Castlebar. So far it would be one of the best sporting nights of my life DERRY LATER BEAT ROSCOMMON IN THE ALL-IRELAND SEMI-FINAL: Beat us, they hammered us. Not making excuses, but I do feel on reflection that the Derry side was probably the best minor side of the time. As it happens, we were two points up at half time but they completely dominated us after the break. Having said that, it was great to be part of a fine panel of players that year even if it had it's ups and downs. Incidentally, Sean and Martin Costello are clubmates of mine and played that day and are twins IS DERMOT EARLEY THE MAN TO LEAD ROSCOMMON TO ALL-IRELAND GLORY? Yes, I feel that if Roscommon are going to win the ultimate prize, he is the man to do it. He has a great presence about him, one in which the players can identify with and one which will provide a deciding factor in Roscommon's quest for honours HOW DOES DERMOT COMPARE TO PREVIOUS MANAGER MARTY MCDERMOTT? Certainly, both men are quite intelligent and both compare favourably with each other in footballing terms from my experience. Marty brought me into the Roscommon panel in 1990 and if he had a little bit of luck along the way e.g. versus Cork 1990 and Meath 1992, semi-finals, he could have won the All-Ireland. In my dealings with him, he was a gentleman and was always willing to give me advice even though I gave him some problems. Dermot has the same managerial qualities, however I feel he may also have the luck to go with it ROSCOMMON WERE TIPPED AS POTENTIAL ALL-IRELAND WINNERS LAST SUMMER. THE CONNACHT FINAL DISPLAY MUST HAVE BEEN A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT: Certainly our final performance was one which we were none too proud of but I think that Tommy Grehan's sending off was a major factor in Mayo beating us, certainly the players feel they have something to prove this year as we let down a lot of Roscommon supporters as well as ourselves WHAT DO YOU THINK OF NEXT SUMMER'S CHAMPIONSHIP DRAW: At a glance, it seems we are in the harder section of the draw. We face the winners of Galway versus Leitrim clash and either of these games will prove difficult, however it has the advantage of giving both teams a hard game before the final. Mayo face Sligo or London in the other semi final, with all due respect to both of these sides, I feel Mayo should be strong and will advance to the final YOU OBVIOUSLY INTEND TO BE ON DERMOT EARLEY'S FIRST FIFTEEN: At the moment there is a 32 strong panel which will be cut down to 25 or so and to be part of that 25 would be great. That said, there will be a lot of competition for places and to make the championship fifteen would be a real bonus CAN THE PRIMROSE AND BLUE REGAIN THE PROVINCIAL TITLE AND GO ON TO FINAL GLORY? There is certainly a nice mixture of youth and experience in the squad at the moment, with what I believe to be the best keeper and full back (Gay Sheerin and Pat Doorey) in the country, along with Seamus Killoran, John Newton who form a formidable midfield partnership. Junior McManus gives the attack, along with Paul Early, vital experience. Then you have the powerful Mattie Reilly, who gives great advice to the young and inexperienced players in the squad, of which Martin Fallon, Derek Duggan, Don Connellan, Luke Dolan are prominent. All and all I believe the players are there to bring success back to the county and hopefully we won't have to wait too long RECENT PRESS SPECULATION HAS LINKED YOU TO AN ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE SIDE: To become a professional footballer would be a dream come true but as stated, it is only speculation. It would be lovely to make a living from playing ball. I'll have to see what the future will bring, who knows, maybe the GAA will go professional 'next century'. Taken from Hogan Stand magazine 5th March 1993 Vol 3 No 9 Tweet

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