Under 21 Leinster Final 2015

Our latest feature comes from our four Kildare Under 21 footballers and S&C coach Liam Callaghan, it’s great to see so many of our senior footballers representing the club in the Under 21 Leinster Final tomorrow night. 

Best of luck to Ryan Houlihan, Ryan Moore, Tom Kinsella, Liam Healy and the Kildare Under 21 team in the Final of the Leinster Championship tomorrow night 2nd April.

Also best of luck to Liam Callaghan who is S&C coach for the team.

Kildare v Dublin
Pairc Tailteann, Navan, 7.30pm
“Nothing Beats Being There”

Name: Ryan Moore.

Date of birth: 12-07-94

Height: 6ft 2.5inches.

Position: Midfield.

Position you would like to play: Centre half back.

Favourite club player:

James Lonergan

Favourite county player:

David Moran from Kerry

Biggest influence on your football career:

My Dad gets the nod here.

Best advice someone has given you:

Keep the head and don’t get involved. I get that before every game off him

Do you have any unusual pre-match routines/superstitions?

Me and Houlie have Eddie rockets the night before every game. Also I need to wear a hat doing the warm up!

Best grounds you’ve played in:

Moore Park in Portlaoise

Best player you’ve played with:

Ronan Sweeney

Best player you’ve played against:

Michael Murphy played against him with the PBS against DCU

Sporting hero:

It’s between Henry Shefflin and Tony McCoy as there is nothing that they haven’t achieved in their respective sports

Career high:

Winning two championships in a row with Moorefield seniors, and hopefully a third to come this year

Career low:

Losing to Celbridge in the U21 semi-final in 2014

Name:  Ryan Houlihan

Date of birth: 15/02/95

Height: 5’10

Position:  Wing Back

Position you would like to play: Corner Forward

Favourite club player:

Ciaran Kelly

Favourite county player:

Diarmuid Connolly

Biggest influence on your football career:

My father, has always been my biggest supporter

Best advice someone has given you:

‘The ball moves faster than you’ll run’ I forget it sometimes though

Do you have any unusual pre-match routines/superstitions?

Eddie rockets the night before big games with Ryan Moore

Best grounds you’ve played in:

Croke Park

Best player you’ve played with:

Ronan Sweeney

Best player you’ve played against:

Keith Higgins of Mayo in an army vs banks match

Sporting hero:

Steven Gerrard

Career high:

Last year’s Senior Championship win!

Career low:

The last two Leinster semi-final losses

Name: Tom Kinsella

Date of birth: 22/08/1994

Height:   6 ft. 4″

Position: Goalkeeper

Position you would like to play: Goalkeepers have it handy so I wouldn’t like to play anywhere else

Favourite club player:

Eddie Heavy he loves a good kick out

Favourite county player:

Has to be Stephen Cluxton

Biggest influence on your football career:

My dad was always a gent for the boots and gloves

Best advice someone has given you:

Every day is a school day

Do you have any unusual pre-match routines/superstitions?

Always put my left sock and boot on first

Best grounds you’ve played in:

O’Moore Park Portlaoise

Best player you’ve played with:

Ronan Sweeney isn’t too bad

Best player you’ve played against:

Paddy McBrearty

Sporting hero:

Jerzy Dudek

Career high:

Saving the “controversial” point against Sarsfields 2013 County final

Career low:

Losing to Portlaoise in the Leinster semi final

 Name: Liam Healy

Date of birth: 22/8/94

Height: 6ft

Position: Corner Back

Position you would like to play: Midfield

Favourite club player:

James Lonergan

Favourite county player:

Colm Cooper

Biggest influence on your football career:

Parents, managers through the years and team mates

Best advice someone has given you:

Play as hard as you can for as long as you can

Do you have any unusual pre-match routines/superstitions?

Not really, I try getting some chicken and a bit of fruit in before a championship game

Best grounds you’ve played in:

Haven’t played in many I like st.conleths though

Best player you’ve played with:

Ronan Sweeney

Best player you’ve played against:

Anton Sullivan from Rhode, very pacey and direct

Sporting hero:

Lionel Messi

Career high:

Winning a second senior championship medal with Moorefield last year

Career low:

Losing to Rhode in Leinster and then to Celbridge by a point in the u21 champiohship in the space of a week

Name: Liam Callaghan

Position? Corner back, happy enough anywhere in defence

Position you would like to play? Someday I’ll get the number 15 jersey

Favourite club player:

There’s been a few, paddy Murray, Roli, Podge…I’d have Ger top of the list though.

Favourite county player:

Tomas O’Se

Biggest influence on your football career:

My father would always have a quite influence on both me and my brother, outside of him Sos played a huge factor on me both playing the game & leaving behind any soccer aspirations. Coaching wise Barry Solan would have been huge influence; with Kildare last yr and seeing him work first hand.

Best advice someone has given you:

Don’t lie to Sos about still playing soccer,..Think Roli offered this advice after the event in question!!

Best grounds you’ve played in:

Been a few with the club, Gaelic grounds in limerick & always enjoy o Moore park in Portlaoise.

Best player you’ve played with:

Roli, Kev o Neill, Paddy Murray stand outs from a big list.

Best player you’ve played against:

Again a few, Colm cooper the obvious one but lately I struggle running the long way around Niall Hurley lynch in training…it’s the weekend takeaways he says!!!!

Sporting hero:

Michael Jordan and Jonny Wilkinson

Career high:

Leinster club win along with any of 5 county titles.

Career low:

08/09 both those years are hard forgotten

How did you get into Strength and Conditioning?

I always enjoyed that preparation side of team sport and felt I wanted to learn more about that area, so began my degree with Setanta College.

Since you’ve become involved in S&C, has this had a positive effect on your own game with Moorefield?

Definitely, I’ve learnt and continue to learn a lot which I envy about these 21’s getting the coaching, preparation and detailed work from an early age, something I’d have loved to have had from day 1.

What advice would you give to younger footballers when it comes to strength and conditioning?

Don’t assume you know it all from copying a YouTube clip!!Listen to what good coaches are teaching you and begin from there.