What's you preferred pre-match meal?
For the modern competitive athlete who plays a high intensity sport, a standard chicken and pasta dish is normally the universally approved meal choice. And when Fermanagh's Seán Quigley probed his marker about this in a qualifier against Laois, that was the answer he received.
Quigley on the other hand, was much more of a maverick about his pre-game nutrition ahead of that tie. In an conversation during the game, Quigley told his opponent how he ate pizza in the wee hours the night before the game.
Speaking in the Irish Times, he said:
"The Laois full back was a nice lad and we were just chatting away as the game went on about the different things we do for preparation and whatnot. I was asking him about what they ate before a game and that and he said the usual chicken and pasta in the hotel or whatever. Then he asked me and I was telling him all the same oul’ bullshit."
"But then I started laughing and I said, ‘Here, to be totally honest about it, I ate a half a pizza last night about two o’clock in the morning. Then I got up for a drink of water about four o’clock and I ate the other half.’ He burst out laughing. I’d say he thought I was taking the piss. But I was totally serious."
You'd be forgiven for assuming that Quigley - the antithesis to modern day attitudes to food in GAA - was quickly hauled ashore for performing poorly. His game should have been hampered by a lack of hydration and sleep.
But shockingly, that wasn't the case. Not only did he win the man-of-the-match award, he picked off 2-8 along the way.
Fermanagh exceeded expectations last year by making it all the way to the All-Ireland quarter-final where eventual winners Dublin overpowered them in Croke Park. Tomorrow, they face Donegal in Ballybofey.
Will Quigley have enough time to squeeze in a few slices of pizza before the showdown?
Tune in to Off The Ball and check out Newstalk.com for updates on Donegal v Fermanagh tomorrow. Throw-in is at 2pm.
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