STRIKING THE RIGHT BALANCE
This month, InTouch goes behind the scenes to see how an Ulster Bank League players prepares for match-week while juggling the demands of life outside rugby
By DAIRE WALSH
BALANCING a job as a data analyst with life in the top-flight of the Ulster Bank League isn’t an easy task in the current climate, but for Terenure College’s James O’Donoghue, it is something that he is more than happy to do.
The versatile back has been a key figure for the Lakelands Park outfit in recent seasons, and although it is often difficult to switch from one priority to the next, he is grateful for the support he receives from his employers in the financial sector.
“I’m an MI Analyst in Pepper Finance in Dublin. It is tough, and I’m sure every AIL player has this. Once they start working life, it’s not as easy to be saying to your employer you have to leave for training every day at this time,” he explained.
“In general, I’ve found that as an employer, they’re very flexible with me. They’re very good in terms of letting me make trainings and stuff like that.”
In the week leading up to an Ulster Bank League, Terenure have a precise plan for getting their players in the right frame of mind. This involves two sessions each of gym and field work, but O’Donoghue expands on how preparation can be different depending on what day a fixture takes place.
“We have two days where we’re in the gym, and two days on the pitch. We do gym on Monday and Wednesday, and then we do pitch Tuesday and Thursday. Usually Tuesday’s session is not as much focused on the actual game in hand.
“Thursday is much more game plan focused – what’s happening on Saturday, what are our goals for Saturday. Obviously if you have a game on the Friday night, we might have a longer session on Tuesday, and then a very light one on Thursday. Just a simple half-an-hour, 40 minute run-out.”
If you were to take a cursory glance through the club squads from Divisions 1A and 1B, you would see a number of players who are contracted to provincial teams.
Terenure can look towards current Leinster prop Oisin Heffernan and ex-Academy star Harrison Brewer for tips on how the professional game compares to the Ulster Bank League, and O’Donoghue acknowledges that their input is invaluable.
“Yeah, they’ve a fairly big input in terms of standards. I feel like the level of training, and intensity of training, wouldn’t be a huge difference.
“The difference would be in the standards. They just kind of say that people at the top level, they don’t accept poor play, and bad passes, bad decisions. Sometimes you might find in an Ulster Bank League training session, you might have some lads who naturally would be a J1 player, and they might not be up to the same standard as some of the first players. Whereas obviously at the likes of Leinster, you’re not carrying anyone.
“Their training sessions seem to flow a lot better. There’s not as much stoppage for coaching. It’s very set out, and people just do what they do,” he added.