FIRST TASTE….Kevin Cassidy has a fond time of his first night in The Bot

HAVING won both Trench Cup and Sigerson Cup in my younger days, I looked on with a hint of envy as the participating colleges headed for Belfast this weekend.

Sigerson weekend in Belfast holds a special place in my heart as it was there that I won my Sigerson medel, defeating James McCartan’s Queens University in the decider.

There was a feast of football on offer this weekend with some of the brightest young stars in the game lining out for their colleges.

Most of these young guys are on county squads so it has been difficult for them over the last number of months trying to juggle both commitments and trying to keep both managers happy, but it will be all worth it now.

When we won our Sigerson with IT Sligo, there was a large Donegal contingent on the team, which was nice. Brian McEniff was our county manager at the time and he was more than accommodating.

Brian’s demands were simple. We could train with the college but we were to make ourselves available for National League matches at the weekend.

After we had won the Sigerson final, the team bus headed back to Sligo because there was a number of our lads playing for their county teams the following weekend so the management felt that it was only fair on our county managers that they didn’t book us in for a night of partying in Belfast.

We went to the clubhouse for a beer or two after with full intentions of heading home but we should all know by now that it never stops at one.

The two McGees, Christy Toye and I had the car with us so we informed our manger that we would make our own way back and continued on with the celebrations.

It was the first time I had experienced Renshaws and The Bot in full swing and let’s just say they didn’t disappoint.

The next morning our phones were hopping. Our college team manager has obviously been speaking to Brian McEniff and informed him that the Donegal registered car hadn’t left Belfast.

We were playing Tyrone at the weekend so naturally Brian wanted to know where the hell his players were.

The four amigos held council in The Bot the next morning to discuss our plan of attack and it was quickly decided that we would hop in the car and head to Sligo to continue the party, after all we were Sigerson champions.

The next time football entered my head was when I was standing outside the Brewery Bar in Sligo and this young fella came up and handed my a phone and said “this man wants to speak to you.” I took the phone and who was on the other end of the phone but Brian McEniff.

“Cass do you know how long I’ve been trying to contact you? I had to get a mother from Bundoran whose son was at college in Sligo to go and try and find you.” What could I say but make up some excuse about loosing my phone, etc?

“Listen son are you ok for these Tyrone boys at the weekend?”, he said. “I’ll be grand Brian, but maybe just start me on the bench” I replied, half hoping he would agree but his reply wasn’t the one I was looking for after two or three days of celebrations.

“Listen to me carefully you will tidy yourself up and get off the diesel and you will follow Brian Dooher over every blade of grass on that pitch do you hear me?”

Brian Dooher was a nightmare to mark at the best of times never mind you in bad form! Anyway I agreed and we left it at that. Word had filtered into the bar to the rest of my teammates that I was chatting to Brian on the phone outside so when I re-entered the bar they let out an almighty roar and asked what was said. “Agh nothing much, he just told me I’m on Dooher at the weekend so get me another Fat Frog, (which was the alcoholic cocktail on the go at that time) I’ll need all the energy I can get.”

This year’s competition saw Jordanstown, UCD, DCU and surprise package UL make it through to the semi-finals on Friday. The array of talent on view is simply frightening. Some of these college teams would hold their own in the All Ireland series.

Whatever team wins for God’s sake lads, just travel home with your teammates and stay clear of The Bot and Renshaws as those places can lead you down the wrong path – it can happen to the best of us.
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