You get the sense that there is something special happening in Galway football. Nothing like a competitive club championship with 3 or 4 standouts
âI decided to step away last year. When injuries keep happening, it can wear you downâ
Galway midfielder Cillian McDaid reflects on his unique sporting journey.
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Cillian McDaid takes a shot at the posts during the All-Ireland final.Source: Bryan Keane/INPHO
CILLIAN MCDAID ANSWERS the phone from the Bank of Ireland offices on Eyre Square.
A business advisor in the bank, life has returned to normal after a rollercoaster summer.
The week after the loss to Kerry, McDaid and his team-mates headed for Ballybrit to take in the Galway Races. By the weekend, most of the panel had flown abroad for a well-deserved break.
A handful of players went to Barcelona together. McDaid and his girlfriend spent a few days in the Portuguese resort of Vilamoura.
By the middle of the following week he was back training with Monivea-Abbey ahead of the club championship. The Galway SFC kicked off that weekend. Three narrow defeats later, Monivea-Abbey are in a battle for survival. The show rolls on.
Six weeks have passed since the All-Ireland final, though the pain still lingers.
âItâs still very disappointing that we didnât get the job done,â he tells The42.
âWe knew that we were going to go in there, give it our best shot, stick to our plan and carry out our roles. And if we did that, we did really believe that we would come out on top.
âI suppose in the last few minutes we, and I include myself in this, made a couple of poor decisions on the ball.
âIt cost us in the end. Kerry didnât make those mistakes late on. They were clinical in their chances. Itâs disappointing to get so close and to not get there. Itâs a tough one to get over.â
Galway shrugged off the cloak of outsiders but fell just short in the end. Shane Walshâs virtuoso display rightly garnered him the plaudits for the maroon men.
That McDaid, as a midfielder, finished level with Walsh as Galwayâs joint-top scorer from play tells its own story.
His potential has long been flagged but itâs only been this season when the 25-year-old has enjoyed an injury-free run in the Galway jersey.
Aside from a rolled ankle and a bout of Covid that forced him to miss a couple of league games, it has been uncharted territory. And a welcome relief from the last few injury-ravaged years.
He didnât start the Connacht opener against Mayo, but he made enough of an impression off the bench to find himself promoted to the starting team for the semi-final against Leitrim.
McDaidâs long-range shooting was a useful weapon for Galway that day. He played the opening period at midfield, curling over three points in the opening 25 minutes, and went to wing-back for the second-half.
McDaid scores a point in the Connacht final under pressure from Roscommonâs David Murray.Source: John McVitty/INPHO
Padraic Joyce kept him at wing-back for the Connacht final. Roscommonâs move to free up a sweeper by dropping back their wing-forward backfired as it effectively gave McDaid free reign. His ability to punch holes created a host of scores for his team in the victory.
Five years after making his debut for Galway, he picked up his first Connacht medal.
âIt was a massive day for an awful lot of us that won our first Connacht championship that day and won our first big game in Pearse Stadium in front of a great home crowd,â he recalls.
From then on he partnered Paul Conroy at centre-field. McDaid took things to another level in the All-Ireland series, finally delivering on his rich promise. His high-octane game and natural athleticism dovetailed perfectly with Conroyâs footballing nous and experience.
McDaidâs storming performance in the quarter-final win over Armagh was a highlight.
He particularly stood up in extra-time, sniping 1-1, including the booming equalising score at the death that sent the game to penalties.
When extra-time started, McDaid had to shrug off the frustration at his foul on Stefan Campbell that gave Rian OâNeill the opportunity to land his stupendous equalising free.
âIâd given away given away a free that they actually scored from. So I was a little bit disappointed naturally enough after the 70 minutes. And then through extra time to be honest I probably carried that disappointment around feeling a little bit sorry for myself.
âOn the pitch in fairness, as players we kind of got ourselves going. Paul was excellent that day, for me anyway, being more experienced around the middle he really got me going. I had a bit of energy in the legs late on but it was great to score in that game in extra-time, the game was in the melting pot.
âArmagh were doing plenty of scoring so we needed something to come back and try and save ourselves. I think everyone made the right decisions at the time, we had nobody going off on a solo run doing their own thing, we kind of just stuck to our plan.â
McDaid is nailed on to win his first All-Star this winter, but thereâs been nothing straightforward about his journey. His sporting story is entirely unique.
To go from not having a club team to play with at 17-years-old to signing an AFL contract two years later is scarcely believable.
Growing up in Craughwall, Gaelic football was almost treated like a foreign sport. His father Garvan came from a football background in Limerick. When he moved to Galway, he played for and later coached Athenry footballers.
After settling in Craughwell, he established an underage football wing in the club.
In 2011, McDaidâs group, that included current Galway senior hurlers Thomas Monaghan and Brian Concannon, won the U14 county FĂŠile football title. They almost completed the double, losing the hurling final the same year.
However, Craughwell made the decision that football wouldnât go past U16 level in the club and no adult teams would be established. As a result, McDaid spent a couple of nomadic years trying to find somewhere to play his football.
âI played for Athenry for one year when I was 16 and when I was 17 we tried to do it again,â says McDaid. âUnfortunately they brought in a rule where they didnât want any outside footballers playing unless they were playing hurling.
âSo then we put a transfer request in to Claregalway which was turned down by the county board. I didnât play any club football when I was 17. When it came to minor we put a transfer request into Monivea-Abbey. Thatâs where Iâve played since. Itâs been messy enough. It was tough.
âYou hear about lads playing with the one club and itâs just disappointing that where Iâm from in Galway, thereâs very little done by the clubs themselves and the powers be to try and get some sort of football going.
âRecently, Craughwell actually brought in a new rule that there would no underage football at all in the club anymore. So thatâs quite disappointing.
âIt does leave a sour taste in your mouth when my own home club didnât do anything for me, really and truly. But I love playing with Monivea, itâs a great village down there.
âIâve been well looked after and my two younger brothers are also members down there, my sister just started playing as well. We couldnât say anything bad about Monivea, but you think of the GAA and what they stand for, itâs just a pity that it hasnât really come to fruition in Craughwell.
âOr in surrounding areas, like Athenry, Loughrea, all them places. Thereâs nothing down there (for football) which is disappointing.â
Shane Bannon, Jack Fitzpatrick and McDaid celebrate the All-Ireland minor hurling victory.Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO
While he was a dual county minor, McDaidâs first taste of the big time came in the small ball code.
Craughwell hurlers were very competitive through U14 to minor, while Presentation College Athenry won three Connacht hurling championships in-a-row. It put him on the map for Jeffrey Lynskey, the minor hurling boss.
âIt wasnât a secret that I was mainly a footballer through that time,â says McDaid. âWe had a very strong school team and it was mainly through being on those teams how I was exposed to it, as opposed to being the star player.â
They defeated Tipperary in the All-Ireland final and from that team Jack Grealish, Concannon, Monaghan, Fintan Burke, Cianan Fahy, Evan Niland and Sean Loftus have all graduated to the senior hurling set-up.
âIt was great to get the opportunity,â he recalls. âI didnât play a huge amount that year. Iâd broken my finger and my thumb, but I came on in the final which was a great experience. A full house in Croke Park towards the end of the game, when youâre only 17, it was great to experience.â
He contests a high ball with Con OâCallaghan in the All-Ireland U21 final.Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO
Two years later he was Galwayâs top scorer when they went down to Dublin in the All-Ireland U21 football final. The Sky Blues, managed by Dessie Farrell, boasted future senior talents Con OâCallaghan, Brian Howard, Paddy Small and Evan Comerford.
By that stage, AFL clubs had been sniffing around McDaid for some time. While he was called into the Galway senior panel by Kevin Walsh and made his championship debut that summer, by that November he had signed a professional contact with Carlton.
Tadhg Kennelly initially reached out to gauge his interest when he was a minor in November 2015. McDaid and current Galway star John Daly went to Dublin for a trial.
Over the next couple of years, McDaid made two trips to Florida for further trials with the AFL academy.
âI played senior (with Galway) right the way through 2017. And come that summer I knew that Carlton were interested.
âIt was a slow burner it was nearly the guts of two years in the system before it came to fruition.â
After impressing at the AFL Draft Combine, McDaid inked a rookie deal with the Melbourne club.
During his time in Australia, the thought of missing out a Galway tilt at the Sam Maguire never left him. The year he departed, the Tribesmen reached the league final and All-Ireland semi-final.
âI always wanted to go, I always wanted to try. Once the offer came, I was never going to say no. But I probably never really let go of Galway completely.
âI think to be successful out there, youâd nearly have to be very, very clear that youâre going to give it minimum two years. âNothing is going to turn my head.â I said Iâd give it a go but I very conscious that Galway, as you saw this year, when we get our ducks in a row and when weâre playing well, we can beat anyone.
âEver since I was young, thatâs what I wanted to do. Coming up in Craughwell where football was never really straightforward. Not having a club when I 17, kind of just falling in between two cracks, I still wanted to play football. I still really wanted to play for Galway.
âSo I knew that was always going to be a risk.â
Injury played a big part in his inability to settle Down Under over those 11 months. A stress fracture in his foot that flared up on three separate occasions left him sidelined for 14 weeks. It limited him to a handful of games with Carltonâs VFL team, the Northern Blues.
McDaid during AFL Europe Talent Combine trials.Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO
He found the experience difficult, even if he has no regrets about making the move.
âThere was definitely some tough times, tough nights where you are a little isolated and alone. I can remember clearly there were times when youâre just not in good enough form to train. Itâs hard to describe. It can be it can be isolating, I suppose, if youâre not settling in as the year goes on.
âYouâre there as a professional athlete and your job is to train. Similar to any team thatâs where you make your relationships. On the pitch, in games and training sessions.
âI wasnât getting the chance to do that. The days were long sometimes, in the middle block of the day when everyone at home is asleep. It can be a bit lonely and it just went on for a few months where I just really wasnât enjoying it.
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âI wasnât outgoing or really trying to mix with other people. I just decided that I wanted to be a little bit happier in my life and closer to my friends and family, and playing Gaelic football again.
âSo I just made the decision to move home. I would never really have been fulfilled if I stayed out there. At the time, Carlton were not good enough to compete, we were bottom of the table.
âI didnât want to go there just as a holiday or just to be professional athlete, I do want to compete and I do want to win. So laying the two of them up against one another, Galway was always going to come out on top.
âIâm very happy I went. I would tell any young player now to go. If thatâs what you want to do, to give it a go. As long as youâre happy at the end of the day in what your decisions are.
âThatâs all that matters. I was comfortable in my decision and obviously close to my friends and with my family. I wouldnât change it. I definitely wouldnât change it.â
He wasnât long home when Kevin Walsh invited him to rejoin the Galway panel. During the 2019 league campaign, the fifth metatarsal that had given him so much bother in Australia gave way against Dublin in Croke Park.
This time it was a clean break, meaning it could be operated on.
âThat was the break that I kind of wanted and needed nearly. I needed the bone to break once and for all so that we could put a pin through it to try and shore it up.
âSo that happened that February, which was great. I was getting frustrated with it where it would it kind of flare up and then Iâd have to just essentially ease off for for six to eight weeks and then try and build yourself back up again.
âThat 2019 season I came back towards the championship, and we lost to Mayo in a qualifier. So that was my first championship start for Galway that day, so it wasnât a great one to remember
âInjuries have just been a bit of a theme since then. Thereâs been some tough enough days as well.â
If 2019 was stop-start, then 2021 was a write-off. That January, McDaid had a small procedure on cartilage in his knee. When the inter-county season returned after Covid, he went over on the knee on his first night back with Galway.
âI was going fine and then I probably pushed too hard one night. I went back training when I shouldnât have. I slipped actually in a drill and I tore ligaments along the inside of my knee.
âSo that essentially ruled me out for 12 weeks. The Connacht final was 12 weeks from that date. So that was a tough couple of weeks as well, just between timelines and frustration, I decided to step away for the year.
McDaid embarks on a solo run during the All-Ireland final.Source: James Crombie/INPHO
âSo I wasnât involved last year. Itâs probably what I needed to be honest. The frustration can build up. And when youâre putting so much in across social life, your work life and you get a little bit of bad luck, it was just time for me to take a step back. To reset again and work on my own schedule.
âGet into a good routine around rehab away from the set-up, where I wouldnât be thinking as much about football or Galway.
âIt worked out in the end, but it was tough watch Galway not being involved. Itâs just hard to watch on but it was the right thing for me. I wasnât much good when I was injured. So it was the right thing to step away and look after myself.
âWhen injuries keep happening, when theyâre repeat injuries, it can wear you down a little bit. It can test your resolve at times but every time you have to take a step back. Try and get a plan in place with the medical staff and set a target that you want to hit every couple of weeks.
âThereâs no beating around the bush, at the end of the day youâre injured and itâs very frustrating but itâs part and parcel of contact sport. So you have to try and find a way to get over it and keep moving forward.
âIt does get to you, but weâre kind of coming out the right side of it at the minute.â
Refreshed after the year out, 2022 wasnât a campaign without its challenges either.
âI remember back at the start of the year in the FBD League, I only played a half the first day. Then the second day I came off before half-time in the FBD final.
âSo I had a lot of work to do personally to get back to be able to play at inter-county level in league even and to get to the pace of a Division 2 league, which took time as well.
âThen to not start the first championship game, personally, Iâm proud of where I came from over the last couple years and from the start of this year.
âThere was person satisfaction from where Iâve come from and the challenges in getting fit and getting back to the level.â
Next season, McDaid is determined that Galway prove 2022 wasnât just a flash in the pan.
âIt gives us confidence that that when we stick to our plan and when weâre all going in the one direction, we are good enough to compete with the top teams in the country.
âWe have an awful lot of work to do. Hopefully we can drive on again, keep everyone together from last year and bring in new faces again to keep the competition level high in the squad.
âNow this is just the one season that weâve done it so a true test will be next year and further into the future. Itâs not going to be good enough to just get there once and fall away.â
Comer came on for after 15 mins against Kinvara and caused us all sorts of issues and nearly did enough to send them through but they fell a few points short. Some unit, our full back was scratching his head.
Why was he doing that?
Annaghdown needed to beat us by 9 points I think and theyâd have qualified for quarters. They came within 7.
Great to see Ger Farragher roll back the years after a very tough 2022.
Why was your full back scratching Damianâs head?
Twas his own head I meant
Did I hear Kevin Cooney didnât play?
He played, played well too by sounds of it.
That article isnât entirely accurate, but McDaid is a class act. I really hope he gets the celtic cross his talent deserves.
Rahoon, Meelick, Kinvara, Killimor. Itâs between Killimor & M-E. It would be some final.
The sun decieved the Sars goalie where a mis hit shot by 'Bridge that the goalie thought was going over the bar dropped short and bounced into the goal beside him as he turned away to ready for the puck out. 
John, Joseph and Kevin Cooney played very well.
TJ Brennan, Evan Niland and young Lee were good for Bridge
Tis time one of them made a burst to get back up Senior. A lot of huff and puff going on with them a while now.