McCarthy grasps shot at glory

OPPORTUNITY knocks at the strangest of times. In June 2006, Ronan McCarthy’s football days came to an end after Douglas crashed out of the fourth round of the Cork SFC against Duhallow.

He’d first togged out for the Douglas top-level adult outfit in 1991, soldiering through the intermediate ranks until they won the county crown against Castletownbere in 1997. A nine-year senior career had been uninterrupted with success and that Duhallow loss proved the parting shot.

The natural inclination was to enjoy some time in the retirement suite, with thoughts of a coaching gig another few years off. But then an opportunity arose, and regardless of it being unexpected or unplanned, it was there to be grasped.