Mayo's Tom Parsons has had an extraordinary 2008 so far and the next couple of weeks promise even greater things for the 20-year-old. On Sunday, he lines out for Charlestown against local rivals Ballaghaderreen in the Mayo SFC final; the following day, he jets off with Ireland to face Australia in the International Rules series. All in all, it has been a right roller-coaster ride for the prodigious young midfielder: "If someone told me this time last year that I'd make my senior league and championship debuts for Mayo, have played in Croke Park, and get picked for Ireland in the space of twelve months, I'd have laughed at them. But it's funny how things pan out. "Things just happen to have gone my way. I've been lucky with injuries but I know there are better players than me out there who didn't get the same breaks, weren't as lucky with injuries. "It can be tiring a little between club, county and now country but when you're winning and being successful, you're going to enjoy it. When you can see potential - whether it's a county medal, an All-Ireland medal, or a place in an Irish squad - then you're mad keen to play." Tweet

Most Read Stories