GAA – 13/12/16
By Tony McGee
Slaughtneil dual star Brendan Rogers has had a weekend to remember, one that few, if any, players will ever experience and he has taken it all in his long stride.
On Friday, he graduated from Queen's University, having studied Software Development and Geography, On Saturday he flew to London with the rest of his club football squad, on Sunday he played his usual solid role at full-back as Slaughtneil defeated London champions St Kiernan's, at Greenford, in the All-Ireland football quarter-final and, on his return home, collected the Ulster GAA Writers' Quinn Building Products Merit Award for November.
“A great and exhausting weekend,” he agreed. “We had a great time in London. I'm delighted to have won this award for November, on my return home, and I thank the Writers for giving it to me,” he added at a reception in Quinn's Corner.
“It was a good month for us all. Winning the Derry hurling championship for the first time was just great but to go on and win out of Ulster was brilliant. Then to make it a double provincial success was more than a dream.”
There were others who, also, shone last month and they all good serious consideration but, overall, Brendan was the clear winner.
Rogers (22) is now waiting to hear from a Belfast-based company following a job interview he had weeks before he graduated, officially. “I imagine that it will be into the new year before I get the result of the interview I had,” he reflected. “In the meantime, I'm unemployed.”
In sporting terms he won't be long employed as he has been called into the Ulster panel, by manager Pete McGrath, for next weekend's football interpro final, against Connacht, at Carrick-on-Shannon.
The lanky lad played at both ends of the field in November's Ulster finals – sometimes all over it – as he was full-forward in the hurling final against Loughgiel and full-back in the football decider against Kilcoo. He scored in both games, too, a goal in the hurling match and two points in the football game, as he foraged up the field on his many trips into the Kilcoo defence.
“There is no problem mixing the two codes as the managers have the plans well laid,” he stresses. “The two sports compliment each other and preparing for one takes the mind off the other. In that respect, it was easy to combine both sports and, surely, the outcome was well worth the effort.”
To earn the Monthly Merit Award he beat off major challenges from Donaghmoyne footballer Catriona McConnell, Rock player Aidan McGarry and Slaughtneil colleague Shane McGuigan.
Representing Quinn's Building Products at the presentation was Product Sales & Marketing Director Seamus McMahon. The winner receives an engraved Belleek China vase, specially designed silver cuff links from Carlingford Design House, training gear from O'Neill's International Sports, a medical kit bag from 3FiveTwo, on behalf of Kingsbridge Private Hospital. and two tickets to our annual presentation function next month.
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