McKiernan: Only exam that counts is All-Ireland final

CAVAN captain Gearóid McKiernan says he will gladly fail his college exams next month if it means getting his hands on the Clarke Cup on Sunday.

The Swanlinbar midfielder is doing his best not to get caught up in the excitement that has gripped Cavan ahead of the Cadbury All-Ireland U21FC final with Galway.

“There is no recession in Cavan,” he laughed. “Everyone is talking about this game.”

But he is deadly serious about what he would sacrifice to secure All-Ireland glory.

“I’m studying in DIT (business) at the moment but I would happily fail every exam to win on Sunday. I am trying to concentrate on the exams in two weeks — revising keeps your mind off the game but it is very hard to do. All that is in my head is football at the moment. I will try and get my head down and do some projects. But if we win on Sunday I will happily fail.”

Getting to this year’s final is the culmination of an incredible amount of work by McKiernan who dislocated his knee during a club game two years ago.

It’s also particularly satisfying for the team given their loss to Donegal in last year’s Ulster final. McKiernan maintains they have learnt from that painful experience as they prepare to play in front of an expected 20,000 Cavan supporters on Sunday.

“The first time the boys played in an Ulster final the occasion got to us.

“We won’t let the hype of Croke Park get to us. It’s just a field with two goal posts at either end.”

Meanwhile, McKiernan’s opposite number Colin Forde believes the frenzy about the game in Cavan has benefited Galway.

The Tribesman’s skipper knows his side are fancied to win on Sunday after overcoming fancied Munster champions Cork.

But he feels the talk about Cavan has taken the focus off Galway.

“Cavan will be slightly different opposition to what we have encountered. They play a slightly more defensive style of football so we’ll have to be more patient.

“There is a lot of hype, which will probably counteract the fact we’re probably favourites having beaten Cork. But after that game we realise the favourites tag counts for nothing.”

Part of the reason for Galway’s win over Cork, Forde explains, was not reading too much into their opponents 22-point win over Kerry.

“We had played Kerry after the Sigerson, they were missing a few, we were missing a few, but we played them and beat them and knew they probably weren’t the strongest Kerry team to emerge from the county.

“We knew Cork would be a formidable outfit and if we were to win it would take something special on the day. The platform the two lads gave us in midfield really built the foundation for the victory. We were fortunate they were so dominant that day.

“There was no pressure on us. We just gave it a lash and a lot of lads played well that day and got us over the line. We’re hoping the next day the big spaces might suit some of our forwards.

“Playing in Croke Park the defenders have their heads in their hands and the forwards are rubbing theirs with glee.”