Sean Purcell has been a key figure for Roscommon this year.
In this week’s ‘My Club’ feature Roscommon senior footballer Sean Purcell tells us about his involvement with Boyle GAA.
Having claimed the Roscommon Intermediate title in 2014, Boyle made a welcome return to the senior ranks last year.
Purcell discusses an encouraging stint for Boyle, who are working hard at underage level to ensure the club enjoys a bright future.
Evan McGrath featured for Roscommon in the EirGrid Connacht Under 21 Championship this year.
Boyle’s last Roscommon senior crown was secured in 1927, but Purcell feels that significant strides have been taken in recent years.
Abbey Park is Boyle’s home ground, further details about the club can be obtained at https://www.facebook.com/BoyleGAAClub/
Sean Purcell and Jason Doherty collide at Dr Hyde Park.
**Q: **How did you get involved in sport?
A: I just started playing in the garden growing up, I think I first played at under 8s. I was down there playing when I was able to be, trying to play. When we were young we always just wanted to play football.
Q: Has Gaelic Football always played an important role in the town?
**A: **Yes there is a good history there, everyone has a big interest in it really. I suppose like most towns in the country the GAA matters. There is a big focus on it.
Q: Have you won any county medals?
**A: **I haven't won a senior, but I've won two intermediates. There is a big distance in between them unfortunately. Last year we went back up to senior, and we reached the quarter-finals.
**Q: **You won an Intermediate title in 2014?
A: We won it which was great, and we kept going well in senior last year in 2015. It was good to get back up there. We are very happy to be back. The way the Championship is structured there is 1A and 1B now. We were in 1B last year, we got promoted to 1A. No matter what we have two years of senior football guaranteed, but hopefully we will be able to push on.
Q: You decided to take time out of the Roscommon inter-county set-up for a couple of years, did that benefit the club?
A: The first year probably wasn't the best for the club because I went travelling during the summer for a few weeks. Last year, though, I gave it as much as I could. It was great, and there was a great buzz around. You have to remember about the sacrificies club lads are making, they are training just as hard. It was nice to be around, to sample the whole atmosphere of it going into a Championship. We performed well, but unfortunately got knocked out in the quarter-final.
Q: Has there always been strong links with Boyle represented on Roscommon teams?
A: You'd have a good few guys involved throughout the years. One of the more recent guys would be David Casey, Garry Wynne, Tom Ryan, I hate naming people in case you miss out on someone, but there always has been good guys involved in the club. There has always been a good Boyle representation on Roscommon panels through the years.
Q: Do you do any coaching with the club?
**A: **I just don't have time at the minute, but if someone asks me to do a session I've no hassle going in. I wouldn't be able to take a team. A good few of the lads in the senior team have taken underage teams, and they will do so again this year. That is great to see. The young lads love that link and the club are trying to keep everyone together.
Robbie McDaid fends off Sean Purcell.
Q: Is it something that would interest you in the future?
A: I will go into coaching in a few years, but I'm just focused on playing at the moment. Every lad that plays usually does a bit of coaching at the end so I can definitely see myself coaching. I've done a few summer camps in the past, I did enjoy it.
Q: Having retained senior status there surely is a bit of optimism in the club again?
**A: **Definitely, we performed very well last year. With Clan na nGael breaking St Brigid's dominance everyone thinks they have a chance now. There is a chance there now, everyone thinks that they can win it. That is the way a Championship should be.
**Q: **With so many strong Roscommon underage teams there seems to be a great spread of young players in the county now?
**A: **That is fair to say, there is a lot of competition between a lot of the teams. A lot of the underage teams have performed well, you can see good players coming through now. That is good to see, you need competition. That is healthy.
Q: Is that evident in Boyle too compared to in previous decades?
A: There are probably a lot more teams starting younger. It wouldn't say there is better quality coaching, but things are more organised across the board. Clubs have developed an awful lot, they are only going to develop even more.
