Donegal All-Star brings vast experience to International Rules test

One of football’s most formidable defenders, Neil McGee, is also becoming one of the international game’s most experienced backs. Saturday should be his fifth cap after playing in all four tests during the 2011 and 2013 series.

An All Star this year and short listed for the Footballer of the Year award, McGee has few conceits about his strengths as an international player.

"I was just talking to Michael [Murphy] about this and the two of us would enjoy it. It suits some players. It mightn't suit the likes of Martin McHugh or Karl Lacey, who are very good footballers."

Raw memory

McGee with his team-mates had to process losing September’s All-

Ireland

final against Kerry and the memory is still raw of what turned out to be All-Ireland winning manager Jim McGuinness’s last match in charge.

“You are thinking about winning. You are thinking about coming up the road with the cup. Then for it not to happen, it was just a big blow. The way it happened, made it worse. We didn’t perform on the day . . .”

Diversion

International duty has taken his mind off county matters for a while, and he says that he greatly enjoys the diversion and different challenges of the hybrid game.

“It’s nice, you know, getting away from the pure intensity of county training. The sheer intensity of county training, you have to be preparing yourself for it from first thing in the morning.

“We went out there for a wee kickabout and a runabout; it’s enjoyable. Obviously we will pick the intensity up. But every time you go to county training, you nearly have to be focused from when you get out of bed in the morning, especially the way we have trained during the past four years, and no doubt that is the way we will continue to train.”

It's McGee's second trip to Australia, having been here three years ago with Anthony Tohill's management team.

“It’s fairly similar. You had Mike McGurn and Kieran McGeeney that time. We have Nicholas Walsh and he is coming from a professional background too. He organises a lot of the training, which is top class. He is a top class and we really enjoy working with him.”

Familiarity with the Australians in the past two series probably won’t be hugely applicable for Saturday, but McGee has seen enough of the AFL players to be able to see where the advantages might possibly lie.

“They are players who probably carry the ball a lot more. We would probably be more explosive players. Winning primary possession, I suppose, speed and strength would have a lot to do with it. The big thing for us in the past couple of years was our kicking ability. That is the big one. That is the thing that we have over them. If you’re kicking with over 80 per cent accuracy, then you are in with a good shout.”

Despite having to shelve his work as a roofer and builder for two weeks in order to travel, the Gaoth Dobhair footballer wouldn’t have it any other way.

“In fairness, the fella I work for is very good. He is a big GAA man. That is half the battle. It’s no problem. You can’t really refuse it. Somebody said to me ‘the gravy train will stop some day, so make the most of it while you can’.”