Gary Brennan: Only one non-negotiable ahead of Championship high noon...

Though match preparation has changed radically over time, some habits are hard to break

 Gary Brennan of Clare. ©INPHO/Tommy Dickson

When I was four years old, my father was managing a team locally that made it to the county intermediate final. 

As a reward for pestering them at many training sessions, I was given the honour of being team mascot – running out onto the field with the great Senan Culligan and standing in for the team photo. When my mother saw the picture in the paper the following week, she asked why I didn’t smile: “Mam, you’re not supposed to smile before the match."