Conor Devaney was named as the new captain of the Roscommon senior footballers earlier this week and while the Kilbride clubman said he was pleased with the honour, he insists it doesn’t change anything.
“It’s an honour of course but it won’t change my game. I’m looking to follow on from Ciaráin (Murtagh), I would have been taking some notes and I hope to follow in his footsteps because he is someone who always led by example,” Conor told Roscommon People on Wednesday.
Roscommon vice-captains for the year will be Diarmuid Murtagh and David Murray and Conor says it’s definitely a collective effort.
“We have a lot of leaders in the team, lads like John McManus, Seanie Mullooly, Seanie Mac. They are demanding and they won’t settle for people not putting the work in in training.
“Diarmuid Murtagh and Davy Murray are the vice-captains and it was clear last year that those two really pushed it on in training and matches. Everyone is demanding though and we all hold each other accountable.”
While the All Star nominee describes 2017 as “a great year”, he quickly adds that the humbling defeat to Mayo in the quarter-final replay in Croke Park was an eye opener.
“We drew with them the first day out but the second day shows that there is a huge gap. We learned a lot from the second day and I think we can close that gap.
“We would expect to be in the Connacht Final again in 2018, whether we win or not and I hope we do, our goal is to be in the Super 8.
“We want to be competitive in the league too. The first game is against Meath at the Hyde and then we’re away to Tipperary after that so two wins and we’ll be on the right track,” he adds.
For now though, preparations are going well and there has been an increase in intensity when it comes to A v B games in training. That collective effort and group accountability along with the return of experienced players such as Cathal Cregg and the Daly brothers will push this Roscommon team on as they bid to bounce back to Division One and retain their Connacht title.
