Connor McAliskey: ‘After big games we celebrate’

The suspicion that the modern inter-county player is a joyless soul with an unhealthy preference for protein shakes over pints, is deep-rooted in our psyche now.

Joe Brolly labelled this generation as “slaves” locked inside excessive training regimes and the lazy perception is that players either don’t know how to, or just don’t want to, have any fun any more.

Even Mickey Harte admitted recently he sleeps easier these days, knowing his current bunch of footballers are not out misbehaving in the wee small hours, but Connor McAliskey is happy to shatter the myth that it’s all work and no play: “Nobody has handcuffed me to Garvaghey!”