Finnbarr Roarty not feeling the pressure as he balances sport's glory with academics

It might be a busy time for Finnbarr Roarty, but he doesn’t look like a man under pressure just yet. 

The Naomh Conaill player was happily smiling as the final whistle blew to signal the end of the All-County Minor Division 1 League final, in which his side emerged victorious on a 3-20 to 0-6 scoreline over Naomh Colmcille. 

It’s been a great season for Roarty who has also made his breakthrough onto the Naomh Conaill senior ranks, playing for the boys in blue throughout the All-County Football League Division 1 campaign - where they lifted the title -  and in their opening two Donegal SFC matches against Cloughaneely and St Eunan’s. 

With his minor league win on Thursday, his Leaving Cert results being announced today, Friday, followed by another senior championship game for the club on Saturday at MacCumhaill’s, there is little rest for the 18-year-old - but he’s taking it all in his stride. 

“Yeah, we’re happy to get the win tonight, it was a good team performance and great to get a bit of silverware but I suppose there’s always stuff we can work on in the future going forward and there’ll be tougher games ahead for us,” Roarty told Donegal Live in Convoy following his side’s win. 

Reflecting on his first year playing senior football for his club, Roarty admits that he’s growing and learning as a footballer every week in the adult ranks. 

“Playing for the club at senior level is savage, especially when you have the more senior players there with you, because they make it almost easier for you, in that they help you and make you improve every week as a player,” he said. 

“You think you know a lot about football already but then when you play senior football, you’re always learning new things. The lads are brilliant at helping you out and that’s great in terms of making us young lads better players. 

“Senior football, look it can be nerve-racking but the senior boys make it easy for you, they’re so encouraging, they’re never putting you down, it’s just positive all the time and we’re never getting too far ahead of ourselves. It’s a savage experience.” 

No doubt in footballing terms, Roarty’s mind is now fixed on his championship clash with MacCumhaill’s on Saturday for Martin Regan’s team, but before that, he’ll have the small matter of receiving his Leaving Cert results.

“Naw, no pressure, the work for that is done, so we’ll just see what happens,” he laughed. “We had a game tonight and we have a senior game on Saturday so you can’t really celebrate the minor win or you can’t celebrate Friday night either with the game on, but that’s the way it is.” 

There have also been rumours over the past week of AFL talent scouts hoping to have a look at the Naomh Conaill ace when they hold their latest combine trial in Ireland and no doubt this will only bode well for Roarty who no doubt will be to hook up with the county senior squad when they get back down to business in late 2024. 

“I think a few lads in the papers knew about the story before I did, which was mad. But at the same time, it’s great,” he said regarding his link to AFL trials.  “I know there’s a trial down in Dublin, so we’ll have to see what happens. I think more than anything I might have to get the mother’s approval first before I go anywhere!”.