Ulster glory would be a huge bonus, says Laverty

KILCOO captain Conor Laverty steadfastly refuses to dwell on the possibility that 24 hours might just not be enough in any given day for him.

If there is a walking advertisement for living a fulfilling life to the full, then the modest and unassuming Laverty is just that.

As Kilcoo prepare for their Ulster Club Championship opener against newly crowned Derry champions O’Donovan Rossa, Magherafelt in Newry on Sunday, Laverty’s focus is very much on what is viewed as an attractive encounter, but not to the extent that he is taking his eye off the ball in other spheres.

A dedicated family man, he is also the GAA Development Officer at Trinity College, Dublin, as well being a newly-acquired member of Seamus McEnaney’s Monaghan management team.

A daily commute to Dublin coupled with over a decade of ceaseless action with Kilcoo might be enough to persuade people of lesser durability to lob in the towel, but if anything Laverty’s commitment is at a zenith just now.

His club have won seven of the last eight Down titles but have yet to strike gold in the Ulster club series.

For the pragmatic Laverty, who is held in the highest respect within the GAA as a whole, Sunday’s assignment against Adrian Cush’s born-again O’Donovan Rossa side is a big challenge but one that he prefers to keep in context.

“We are in bonus territory now because at the start of the season our target was to win the Down title again, which we lost to Burren last year, and we were very happy to achieve that,” points out Laverty. “Warrenpoint are a very good side and they made it difficult for us in the final.”

Having served Down in the past, Laverty’s experience, selflessness and guile are currently underpinning a Kilcoo team which is still without long-term injury victim Darragh O’Hanlon but which has unearthed a midfield gem in the lion-hearted Dylan Ward.

Martin McCourt, Miceál O’Ru