Ian Maguire: ‘I hadn’t experienced the pat on the back from supporters’

For Ian Maguire, it’s all about learning from the experiences.

Whether it be how to close out games properly like Cork should have done against Donegal two years ago, or taking the good things out of St Finbarr’s epic battles with Nemo in last year’s county finals, or even taking the advice of clubmate Rory McCarthy on not filling himself up with jellies before big championship games, there’s always something to be learned, something to improve on.

Even though he’s only 24, there’s no doubting that Maguire is one of the leaders on this Cork football team. He was a shining light on a dark day in Killarney last summer and this year has found himself in the captain’s role. It seems to rest easy on him, however, as he’s learned from, well, experience.