In The Spotlight - Lee Moore (Craigbane)

In the build-up to this weekend’s club championship semi finals, we are catching up with someone from each club left in the race for the Intermediate and Senior titles and putting them in the spotlight.  First up is Craigbane and Derry forward Lee Moore.

Back in 2005 when I was having trials for the Derry U15 squad, I phoned Craigbane’s Sean McGuiness about the players they were sending to Owenbeg.  I asked him about the prospects of a certain L Moore that was on their list.  I always remember his words.  “If you have six better forwards than Lee, you’ll have some team”, was the assessment of McGuiness.

During the trials Lee shone through and the talent he had was evident.  Following on from that, the Craigbane forward progressed to St Columb’s McLarnon team and then the county minors.  In our first league game in 2007, he scored the first point against Tyrone, latching onto a long ball from Craigbane colleague Carlos McElhinney within seconds of the throw in.

Here is a slightly different story of Lee.  The following year, Lee picked up a hamstring injury early in the season.  He was studying for his A-Levels at the time and decided to apply the RICE treatment (Raise Ice Compress Elevate) to his injury, as he buried his head in the books.  They say men can’t multitask.  However, rather than a short 5-10 minute application of the ice pack, Lee kept it on for a few hours.

The ice pack stuck to the back of his injured ‘hammie’ and he basically had to tear it off.  So not only had he to get rehab on an injury, but he had to get treatment for an ice burn.  I remember we had a player information evening a few weeks later.  When the physio brought up the issue of ice packs, all eyes switched to a certain embarrassed individual from Craigbane.

However, this weekend when he takes the field against Drumsurn, the U15 trials, ice packs and A-Levels will be far from his thoughts.  He will be aiming for a final against Moneymore or Swatragh.  I am sure he will also have ambitions of pushing himself further up John Brennan’s pecking order for the 2012 campaign.

Name: Lee Moore

Nickname: Mooreman

Club: Craigbane

Age: 21

Height: 5' 11

Weight: 12st 7lbs

Occupation: Student

Boots/Gloves: Adidas predator and Gaelic performance gloves.

Favourite Film: Inbetweeners Movie.

Favourite Song: Sinking Ships by General Fiasco.

Favourite Food: Chicken.

Favourite Drink: Ice Cold Harp.

Favourite pitch: Any good surface that will take blades.

Best thing about playing football: Meet a lot of new people.

Worst thing about football: Wet nights in Owenbeg.

Pre Match Meal: Chicken and Pasta.

Pre Game Superstition: None.

Toughest opponent: Donegal corner back Paddy McGrath.

Best player played with: Eoin Bradley

Sporting Highlight: Making my inter county debut v Dublin in 2010 NFL.

Biggest Disappointment: Losing the 2007 All Ireland Minor Final.

Childhood idol: Paddy Bradley.

Biggest influence in your career: My father and family.

Advice for young players: Always listen to advice you get from older players, everything they tell you is for your own good.

Best trainer in the club: Gavin Conwell.

Worst trainer in the club: Ruairi (sicknote) Gormley.

Other Sports played: Soccer.