QUICKFIRE with STEFAN OKUNBOR

FIRST SPORTING MEMORY

It was probably the summer camps in Na Gaeil. They were really great days, you hadn’t a care in the world. You would be training all day and having a blitz at the weekends. And then you wash it all down with a can of fanta as you were eating your bag of crisps! The summer camps were brilliant for me, because you star t to build your friendships there.

SPORTING HERO GROWING UP

I’ve always been quite fond of Colm Cooper. Once I turned 17 or 18 years of age, I star ted adapting my game towards the way that Jack Barry plays. It’s the way that he conducts himself, the way he carries himself on and off the pitch. I really star ted looking up to him.

SPORT TO WATCH ON TV

It’s UFC fighting. Without a shadow of a doubt, I’m very fond of that. On Conor McGregor? He’s a bit of a character and he changed the spor t. There’s probably a fair few people now hoping to see the back of him, but I reckon he will be back again.

I do think that he is one of many people who have put Ireland on the map, especially when it comes to the fighting industry.

SPORTING EVENT YOU WOULD LOVE TO ATTEND

The All-Ireland Club Junior Championship Final with Na Gaeil in action. As simple as that. PLAYERS YOU ADMIRE TODAY

Being exposed to the AFL, you adapt as a player and as a person. There are traits that I look out for in people, and our captain at Geelong, Joel Selwood, is a man who I really do admire. There is nothing bad that you can say about him whatsoever. He is a real leader, both on and off the field.

WINNING ALL-IRELAND MINOR TITLE

It’s a feeling of just pride. Being proud to play on the biggest stage as an amateur footballer, just putting on that jersey and playing with your mates who you have trained with, all of us with the same aspirations of success and then achieving it. Working under Peter Keane, who is a great manager. I loved playing for him. It was an unreal experience to be exposed to that high level of football. Winning the All-Ireland was just a great day.

BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN YOUR LIFE

It has to be my mother, Lidia. She has dropped me off and then picked me up for every training session down through the years. She has always been behind me, and never put an ounce of stress on my shoulders. She would always tell me that I had a great game even when I knew that I didn’t! She lets me walk through doors, she never pushes me through them. Even when I wasn’t nailing down a regular spot with the Kerry minors, she was always very suppor tive. She inspired me to never put the head down or take my foot off the pedal. All my coaches in Na Gaeil have also had a huge impact, but it’s mainly my mother.