Neil Lordan on the pride of playing for UCC: It means everything 

They might have won 10 top flight football titles on Leeside with the most recent one coming in 2011, but there is little talk of UCC as they face Duhallow this evening in the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC.

The college are underdogs coming into this encounter in the divisions/colleges section semi-final which throws in at 7.30pm in Mallow but as we have seen many times before, never underestimate the Skull and Crossbones and the history that is associated with the jersey.

For Neil Lordan, who is currently on the Cork senior football team since the end of last year, it means so much playing for UCC.

“I know it’s cliché when people go on about wearing the UCC jersey, but honestly when you wear it once, you never want to take it off,” the Ballinora dual player says.

“Whether it’s playing Sigerson, intermediate league or club championship, anytime you get an opportunity to play for them you snatch someone’s hand off just to make the team. It means everything. I know people give out about UCC entering the Cork championship but I think UCC have just as much a right to play as the likes of Duhallow, Muskerry and Carbery and all these clubs.

“On another level, I come from an intermediate football club and a lot of the lads on the UCC team come from junior teams. It’s a great opportunity for players to play senior football at the highest level in Cork. It gives exposure to lads. I would say the main reason I was brought into the Cork senior football panel at the end of last year was because of the Sigerson Cup. I gained exposure from that.” 

UCC were rank outsiders in 2011 when they claimed the Andy Scannell Cup and a quick look at the odds today sees them at 33/1 to claim the famous trophy. It’s a very long shot. One step at a time. Everyone involved with UCC will travel up to Mallow for this evening’s contest with Duhallow believing they can progress to the final of the divisions/colleges segment. The winners of this section go into the championship proper at the quarter-final stage.

“I know preparation hasn’t been ideal but you never see a college team play a rigid system in the club championship,” Lordan said.

“UCC always go out there and have a go and I would say that’s why the 2011 team did so well. The players were just allowed to let loose, whatever happened, happened, and they ended up winning a county out of it. I would give ourselves a great chance in this Duhallow game. They are an excellent side though and reached the semi-finals of the championship proper last year. We always fancy ourselves no matter who we are playing.

“It’s great for Cork football when UCC are going well. I know we won’t win a popularity contest if we won the county, but we aren’t trying to win a popularity contest. We are just trying to win the next game and that is what always really matters and in this case it’s Duhallow.”