Elder statesman O’Brien reinvigorated by the youth

GAA: National Football League Division 4 Round 6 Preview

By Steven Barry

WICKLOW v TIPPERARY

Echelon Park, Aughrim

Sunday, 15th March

Throw-in @ 2.00pm

Referee: James Regan (Mayo)

Steven O’Brien says Tipperary must grab their opportunity to bring the Division 4 promotion race to the final day of the league.

Niall Fitzgerald’s pre-season target was to be in the mix heading into round 7. They will tick that box if the third-placed Premier get a result away to fourth-placed Wicklow on Sunday.

“It's very important,” said O’Brien when asked about the prospect of reaching Division 3. “You want to get more competitive matches. You want to see signs of progress.

“People always say, ‘It's a young team. Is it too early to be getting promoted?’ These opportunities don't come up every year.

“Unfortunately, the last couple of years, we didn't have much to play for going into our last two league games. Now, we do. It's knockout football from here on in.

“That's when you get to see everyone's true colours. It's something that we're relishing. Going up to Aughrim is not going to be easy.

“The big goal here is to try and get promoted out of Division 4. It's tangible now, so we'll really be going after it.”

Tipp aren’t in full control of their own destiny. They require second-placed Longford to drop points against either Leitrim or Wicklow, or table-toppers Carlow to slip up against both London and Leitrim.

“We can only control what's in front of us. Another two points will put us another step closer,” said O’Brien, who will be lining out in Aughrim for the first time in his career.

“Look, it's Division 4 football. Results are random. Teams who you might have written off after the first couple of games are back in the hunt again. That's what makes it exciting.”

At 31, O’Brien is one of the team’s elder statesmen. Among a cohort of recent U20 graduates, he’s beginning to feel it too.

“What's massive is I'm nearly the outsider now. These lads have all played 20s for the last three or four years. They're coming through all together.

“It's more me trying to integrate back to them, as opposed to them integrating into the senior squad.

“It's brilliant, and long may it continue that we have lads like them who are talented, competitive, skilful, all putting their hands up to play football with Tipperary.”

His Ballina clubmate, Charlie King, keeps O’Brien in the loop.

“You go into the dressing room and you don't know what they're talking about. It's hard. You have to ask the lads on the way to training. What does this mean or what does that mean? But it’s good craic.

“Charlie keeps my youth. He's great. Charlie's a brilliant leader. He knows the boys inside out. The lads get a hop off Charlie, and Charlie is a great player. It's great to have him playing with me as a clubman.”

O’Brien has sidestepped injury to complete five consecutive starts. He continues to mix and match between midfield and attack, scoring 0-6 against Leitrim and catching the kick-out for Seán O’Connor’s goal.

“I prefer being out around the middle eight in the rough and tumble of it, so while I can, I will be,” he said.

“But it's a lot of ground to cover, so sometimes you have to take a break and let someone else do the shift. To be fair, everyone's willing to do it, so it's great.