Wanderer returns as Cork’s spearhead
The enormity of being chosen to make his championship debut with his county at senior level hadn’t quite sunk in, 24 hours after receiving the news.
Like most young players of his age — he’s 24 — David was torn between travelling and wanting to play Gaelic football at the highest level. He spent three years in the States but the lure of home proved too great. Eventually.
“I went to the airport 15 times to come home and each time I turned back wanting to stay there just a little bit longer,” he recalls.
“Between coming and going I spent roughly three years in the States and loved every minute of it.”
During that time David turned to caddying on golf courses to make his ‘fortune’ and working with professional sports people proved a welcome bonus.
“I carried clubs for a couple well known baseball players like Charles Naggie who was a pitcher for the Cleveland Indians, and Rick Dees who owns his own golf course but he was better known for his radio shows.
“I did have the pleasure of seeing Tiger Woods partner Jack Nicklaus against Sergio Garcia and Lee Trevino in $1 million dollar purse at the course where I worked, and that was an incredible experience. What I would have given to carry the clubs of any one of those four players.
“Caddying was very seasonal work but I did manage to get work in an Irish bar in Chicago and fell in with the St. Brendan’s club and won a North American SFC medal with them which was great. They certainly looked after me in every way.”
On one of his trips home, David bumped into Colin Corkery who asked him to line out with the Nemo intermediate team in the championship.
Billy Morgan was at the helm and cornered the youngster after the game.
“Billy was annoyed with me when I went away first, but spoke to me that night before the intermediate game and I recall him saying that: ‘it’s about time you decided to return home, got yourself established on the Nemo senior team. You missed out on an All-Ireland Club medal but there will be other chances’.
“I went back to the States shortly after that but what Billy had said to me was always on my mind. I eventually came home on March 10th, 2005, but not before a lot of soul searching.
“It took me some time to adjust but what a tremendous season I had in my first full year back. Nemo won the Cork and Munster championships and I also got to play in a county hurling final.”
Niblock is also a very accomplished hurler having honed his skills in Farranferris and also played minor for the county.
“An added bonus for me was to be invited into train with the county senior footballers. That brought me on by leaps and bounds in terms of fitness. I did put in a massive effort. Everything I did was geared towards firstly, getting fit, and secondly, getting some of the ball skills back, and thankfully everything has gone well for me.
“I made my debut with Cork in this year’s National League game against Dublin which we won, and that was a real baptism of fire. It took me 20 minutes to acclimatise to the pace of the game particularly playing at centre forward which was a new position for me, and things have gone very well.
“Making my championship debut against Limerick is a dream come true. I have come up through the minor and U21 grades winning Munster medals in both, but this is where every player wants to be. I think back to two years ago when I was in Chicago and watching TV at 9am in the morning and Cork playing championship at home. I kept saying to myself ‘have I missed the boat?’ Now it has finally happened it’s hard to comprehend. Thankfully it’s not a dream.
“It’s for real and I’m looking forward to Sunday’s game like no other. It’s going to be a great occasion for me and the others who are playing in the championship for the first time and we are certainly going to enjoy the experience. As a group we are mindful of how far Limerick football has come. On the last occasion Cork met them in the championship we were on the receiving end of a 10 point defeat, so there is no room for complacency.
“I’m of the view that apart from four counties, there is only a kick of a ball among about 20 others and I include Limerick in that bracket. We have been warned by the backroom boys to take nothing for granted. I’m looking forward to an extended run in the championship but it’s one hurdle at a time.”
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