Dick Clerkin bursts past Graham Geraghty, left, and Niall McLoughlin, Meath,NFLDivision 2 Final

Name: Dick Clerkin
Age: 28 ONLY!!!
Ht: 6ft 1in
Debut: NFL vs. Cavan, Breifne Park, 1999
Club: Currin
County: Monaghan
Position: Midfield
Honours: Railway Cup 2007, NFL Div 2 2005, Dr McKenna Cup 2003, Ryan Cup 2007 (DCU)

How is pre-season preparation going for Monaghan so far?
The McKenna cup was a success in terms of giving new players on the panel sufficient playing time and to see whether they can make the step-up, and some of them have certainly shown that to be the case. A few of our more experienced lads had injuries and took some time out to recover, therefore allowing the new lads to cut their teeth with a couple of competitive games each. The addition of Paul Grimley to the backroom team has certainly brought a new impetus to the training sessions. Marty is one of the best in the business and has had us in peak condition for the past three years so between both of them the training we have done so far this year is as intense and involved as I have ever experienced.

How has your own training been coming on after the winter break?
To be honest, aside from a few days off in between St Stephens’s day and New years I didn’t really get a ‘winter break’ this year. Our club scene didn’t finish until mid December and due to my involvement in a boxing fundraiser over Christmas I’ve been kept busy. Thankfully I have no major injury concerns at present (touch wood), so not getting a long break was not that big of an issue and I have been back training at full tilt since we started back.

What are your personal short and long term goals for the year?
My short-term goals at this time of year are the same as every year. Firstly get my fitness levels up to the required level and then get myself into the team for the national league. Following on from that, I aim to put in a consistent level of performance that justifies my selection come Championship time, its as simple as that. Competition for places looks like it will be more intense than ever this year so I can’t take anything for granted. If you look at any successful team the key factor behind their success is the competition for places within the panel and the knowledge that any dip in performance, no matter how long you have been on the scene, will leave you watching from the sidelines.
Further to that I would like to bring back the more creative/attacking element to my game. One of the biggest criticisms levelled against me in recent years, and is probably a fair enough assessment in ways, was that I played too defensively minded and this certainly plays out in the statistics when you look at my scoring record over the past few seasons. Considering that I started my days with Monaghan as a forward and used to regularly chip in with a point or two in games, I need to get back to contributing on the scoring/attacking front on a more regular basis. When I tell people that I used to take the frees for Monaghan back in 2005 they laugh at me, but having failed to score a point in any of the past 3 Championship seasons its hard to blame them!!

And what is Monaghan’s outlook for the year? Can Monaghan pull Ulster out of the bag?
Considering the calibre of teams in Ulster, being good enough to beat anyone on ‘your day’, as we arguably are, is not sufficient to win an Ulster title. What is needed is a level of consistency that the Tyrone’s and Armagh’s of this world have had over the past ten years. That is something we need to bring to our game if we are to have any notions of lifting the Anglo Celt come July. We have had bad luck with regard to draws over the past few years but when you put it in the context of getting to an Ulster Final, I would argue that this years draw is the best we have had for some time. Ulster aside I have no doubt that we can go further than Clones this summer. Look at Meath last year and Wexford the previous year, over the past few seasons we have been a better team than either of them and they both reached an All Ireland semi. So as far as this Monaghan team is concerned there is nothing we can’t achieve with a higher level of consistency and a bit of luck on our side.

Ulster Championship- A class action shot of Shane McDermott and Mark Murphy, Fermanagh, in action against Eoin Lennon and Dick Clerkin.

With Armagh or Derry being the first test for the team this year, are you optimistic about the game?
Well if you look at our record against both teams over recent years I would be very optimistic. Since 2007 we have played Derry 4 times in the championship and we have each won twice. With regard to Armagh we have played them twice in the league and once in the Championship and won on all three occasions. Combine that with the fact we will be playing at home, there is no reason why we shouldn’t have every confidence going into our first game. It will still take a huge effort, as whatever team comes out of Celtic Park with a victory will be full of confidence and have the benefit of having a match under their belts, so we will have to be ready for whoever comes our way.

There is no doubt that on your day you’re one of the best midfielder’s in the country, do the expectations set upon you by the media and the Monaghan faithful bear heavily on your shoulders?
It’s fair to say that as Monaghan’s stock has risen over the past year, so has the expectations of everyone involved both inside and outside the county. With such expectation your performances are going to be analysed and criticised to a greater extent than what we would have been used to. I would like to think the pressure of big games and the expectations from both media and supporters does not have that much of an influence on my performance. Whether it’s praise or criticism, I take everything on board and use each as either confidence building or motivating tools to build on my performances from one game/season to the next. I suppose like anything you have to learn to take the rough with the smooth as the one thing I was quick to learn in football is that ‘it is a very short distance between a pat on the back and a kick in the arse’!!

How do you cope with the inter-county pressure? (Have you any preparation or traditions that you carry out?)
To be honest I have tried numerous routines over the past few years to get me ready for big games but I can’t honestly say that one has worked better than others. That being said I would always follow the professional advice about nutrition and hydration and over the past few years I have tried to work more on my mental preparation using various recommended techniques. Usually on the Saturday before Championship matches I would head away for the day with my girlfriend to try and take my mind off the match as best I can. On match days I generally try to keep relaxed and not to get too uptight and I wouldn’t really be one for putting the ipod on and keeping to myself. I did have a thing there for a couple of seasons that I would buy a new pair of fancy designer boxers for each championship game. I always went for a weird design or colour and that generated a bit of craic in the dressing room and helped to lighten the mood, but after a while I was well stocked up and to be honest, it was costing me a fortune so I had to knock that on the head!

Seamus Scanlon, Kerry, keep close tabs on Dick Clerkin in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Qualifier

Is it difficult juggling work with the intensity of inter-county training?
At present I am working as a production engineer in Drogheda and living in Monaghan so it is not too difficult, especially considering the location of our training grounds which is basically in between the two. I have always made it a priority as much as possible not to allow my football career to conflict with my professional life and try to give equal levels of energy and enthusiasm to both sets of interests. However I wouldn’t be human if I said there weren’t mornings when going into work felt a struggle especially after a really tough session or after a bad defeat the day before.

How is the squad shaping up for the year ahead? Any new names to watch out for?
There were a few lads who definitely showed plenty of promise during the McKenna cup, so I can confidently say there will be a few new faces on show during the course of this year, which is a major positive for the squad. Great strides have been made at underage and school level in Monaghan over the past few years and these players are starting to come through and will hopefully continue to do so over the next few years. If I had to suggest who might raise a few eyebrows over the coming months I would say Dermot Malone and Marty McElroy should get the terraces talking!

Can you list any major influences in your GAA career, people, a certain game or anything that has stuck with you?
My family and especially my father have probably been the biggest influence on my career to date in terms of giving me support, advice and criticism when necessary. I generally don’t talk too much about football with friends and family but when I do he will be the first person I go to for council. I grew up going to watch him and my uncle Ray McCarron playing and winning with Monaghan back in the 80’s so it has always been a huge desire for me to try and emulate their achievements.