Q&A WITH: Cork and Castlehaven footballer Rory Maguire

Castlehaven clubman Rory Maguire was a breakthrough star with Cork football in 2022, and has high hopes for club and county in 2023

**********

If you could relive one sporting moment from the past year, what would it be and why? It would be between our (MTU Cork's) Sigerson win against UCC in January or the Munster senior football semi-final against Kerry in Páirc Uí Rinn. Both games had an unbelievable atmosphere, but I have to say the win over UCC as it would be tough to replicate that feeling after the full-time whistle.

Help needed: Olympic and World rowing champions Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy need two more people to fill out their lightweight four – pick two West Cork sportspeople to make this boat unbeatable? Brian Hurley and Shane McSweeney would add serious power to the boat.

What will you miss most about 2022? It will be very hard to forget running out onto Croke Park for the first time, when we played Dublin in an All-Ireland senior football quarter-final.

Who do you think is West Cork’s biggest sports star? I have to say Conor Hourihane. He has played in the Premier League with Aston Villa and has represented Ireland over 30 times.

Outside of your sport, what sporting moment from 2022 captured your imagination? Real Madrid’s comeback in the semi-final of the Champions League against Manchester City. They looked dead and buried but managed to score twice in injury time to send the game to extra time. They scored again in extra time to knock City out, an unbelievable win.

Which local sports star should we keep an eye on in 2023? I’ll be a bit biased here so I will say a couple of the younger lads playing with Castlehaven. Both Tomás O’Mahony and Robbie Minihane broke into the senior team last year so I’m looking forward to seeing their progression this year.

Those January blues are upon us, what’s your advice to survive the month? Get out into the fresh air every day and meet your family and friends regularly.

Finish this sentence: In 2023 I want to … Bring Andy Scannell back to the Haven and get back to Croke Park with the Rebels.