Connaughton keen to put Athlone back on the map

There have been plenty of footballers who have won All Star awards during their time in third-level education, but it is rare to have somebody enrolling in an undergraduate course while being a reigning award winner.

Westmeath’s Gary Connaughton was the All Star football goalkeeper for 2008, and the following year he undertook a business degree in Athlone IT, with graduation planned for this summer.

The 32-year-old freely admits that winning a Sigerson Cup medal was not a primary factor in attending college, but Athlone are just two games away from that. They host this weekend’s Sigerson finals, starting with UCC in a last-four clash today. As an elder statesman in the squad, Connaughton is happy to help the less experienced team members.