There are a lot of things motivating Tyrone footballer Colm Cavanagh right now. One

is winning an All-Ireland as a starting player; the only worry is not knowing how much longer he can keep trying.

Like many players of his vintage – including older brother Seán – Cavanagh finds the demands of the modern game increasingly difficult; he works in the same accountancy firm as his brother, in Dungannon, and can hardly imagine how younger players starting out now can balance their work and playing careers.

“It is difficult,” says Cavanagh, who turns 29 in July. “Coming from a professional background and studying all my life, and trying to juggle that with the demands of football, it is tough. I’ve been lucky enough in my career that I’ve had an understanding employer. Two GAA guys who are understanding if I need time off.

“But it would be very, very difficult starting out now. Guys in college now are almost living like professional players because the demands are so high. When they come out, going into a professional role or self-employment, there is so much time given up to football – training, being away weekends – so it’s difficult to do.

“It’s about finding the balance. The balance can be achieved but you have to plan your time very well. My wife would tell me I’m the most regimented person around, because it’s the same process every day.”

Progress

Cavanagh has played a key part in Tyrone’s progress back to Division One of the Allianz Football League in recent weeks, mostly at midfield, but also in more defensive positions: he was only 21 when appearing as a substitute late on in Tyrone’s 2008 All-Ireland win, their last outright victory, and he doesn’t deny that marching around Croke Park in late September is very much on his mind this days.

“It is driving me. I’d be very open and honest about that. We won the All-Ireland in 2008, but I had a lot of injuries, was never fully part of the whole team. I came in and out, when I wasn’t injured.

“I’m getting on now, and you just don’t know how many more years you have left. The demands are so high. It will all depend on injuries. But I would love to be there or thereabouts to take one more home before I retire. If I can do that, it would be great. I’ll keep going until I’m not needed or injuries force me out.”

Major setback

For Cavanagh, championship preparations may be on track but his club, Moy, suffered another major setback over the weekend when, for the second time in six months, their newly built club gym facility was burned down in an apparent arson attack. He’s slow to point the finger at any sectarian motivation, but it is nonetheless troubling for the area

“It’s a difficult one. It was attacked again a couple of nights ago, burnt the place, and it’s gone. The gym only opened on February 1st for all the lads and it’s gone again, and it will be another while before it’s up and running again. It’s disappointing to see that happening. It will set the club back again for another while,” he says.

“And the Moy is not an area this happens. The Moy has been such a nice, peaceful village for years and years. It still is and no one can really understand it. There were rumours that it was a couple of young lads, their immaturity showing. No one knows for sure.”

Asked if he thought the attack was in sectarian, Cavanagh says: “I genuinely don’t know. There were things on the internet about it, but it’s hard to say. I couldn’t comment on it because I genuinely don’t know. The Moy is traditionally not like that at all. Traditionally the two communities come together in various places, in the gym as well, and everyone works in well.”