Kevin Cassidy has fondly recalled his Sigerson Cup success with Sligo IT in 2005 in his latest column with The Gaelic Life.
Cassidy and fellow Donegal teammates Neil McGee, Eamon McGee and Christy Toye were part of the Sligo IT team that lifted the prestigious colleges title eleven years ago in Belfast.
However, with Donegal playing arch rivals Tyrone that weekend, the boys were expected to return home and prepare properly for a league match with Mickey Harte’s men.
That didn’t materialize, and Cassidy, along with the two McGee’s and Toye stayed on in Belfast to enjoy their famous win.
The next day, Cassidy and the rest of the lads decided to head back and continue the celebrations in Sligo.
McEniff was now aware his players were ‘on the diesel’ and was frantically trying to get in contact with them.
Cassidy wrote, “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?”
“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.”
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