ALAN CADOGAN HAS one key advantage as a dual player — he can turn to his big brother for advice.
Eoin’s message was simple: just enjoy it.
A hectic start to the season has seen the younger Cadogan hurling with the Cork senior squad as well as UCC, while he also lines out for Cork’s U21s against Tipperary in the Munster Football final tomorrow.
Meanwhile Eoin, 27, is back playing both codes after focusing solely on inter-county football in 2013.
“Eoin’s very good to talk to,” Alan said.
“If I’m doing too little during the week or too much during the week, he talks to me and guides me in the right direction. I’m lucky enough compared to fellas in other counties in that aspect.
People hear the word dual player and think you’re out six or seven nights a week. That’s not the case. It’s the extra stuff that you do in recovery that makes the difference.
“[He told me] just to enjoy it really.
“When he was my age, he wasn’t on the senior inter-county teams. He won an All-Ireland U21 in his final year and then was brought on to the senior football team after that.
“He said to focus on U21 and take it game by game. That was the agreement with the managers.”
Cadogan’s decision to focus on the Fitzgibbon Cup and skip the Sigerson this spring has already cost him. In his absence, UCC’s footballers went on to clinch their first title since 2011.
“It’s like a Lotto when you’re buying a ticket,” he said. “That’s the way I look at it.”
