Cuala star O’Connell has an admirable reason for not drinking

Darragh O'Connell doesn't drink.

The Cuala and Dublin midfielder is one of the fittest hurlers in the game. He's the type of midfielder you'll see searing forward, dashing through the heart of the opposition's defence. What's unique about the 27-year-old is his running style. It's so smooth. His posture is upright and his head his in the air. His stride is long, his step is sprightly. He's always up on the balls of his feet, bounding forward, onward. Then, one minute later, you'll see him down in his own full back line getting in that crucial, hook, block or interception. He never stops going. His engine seems like a bottomless pit.   That's no coincidence. One of his former teammates labels him a health freak. O'Connell is insanely driven, ferociously committed to hurling. The man has tunnel vision in getting the best out of his hurling career, and to do that he trains hard, he doesn't drink.

"I try to keep a wrap on things alright. I suppose I don't drink which is a help. That's a start anyway," he told SportsJOE. "I'm not sure I'm as much as a health freak as may have been said. If you're trying to perform and get the best out of yourself, you're trying to prepare as best as you possibly can. I don't think I'm any different to the rest of the lads. That's there in the group. At this stage every team across the country, no matter who you are, if you're trying to perform to your best at the weekend you have to be at your best during the week."

Staying away from those pressurised social influences in college was tough. But the Kerry native and former Kingdom hurler who transferred to Cuala and Dublin due to the strain of the commute home for training got through it.

"I suppose I grew up and I never drank in college - it wasn't something that I was taken to or interested in. It's something that I suppose came from when you were 17 or 18 and then, you know, it's a little harder during college. Once I got over that... I really don't think about it."

"There's always going to be that pub aspect there after games or whatever. I didn't really think about it too much at the time, it was just something that I decided on and nobody is going to question you, I think.

It's no secret that there is a drinking culture in the GAA. Drinking bans are enforced for months, and then when players are free, they let loose. O'Connell was never interested in that lifestyle, and he was never put under pressure to get involved in it.

"It's maybe going back years ago it might have been different but now you have more and more younger people deciding not to drink but it's the individual's decision. That was my own personal decision and it's gone from there."

It's advantageous for his hurling career. Because, although we often convince ourselves that a night on the lash will be no harm to us in the long run, isn't it the missed trainings, the bad food and all that goes with drinking that does the most harm.

"You probably would. Some Monday mornings are easier on me than they are on other lads. Lads playing at the highest level aren't going to be out drinking too often during the season, you don't get too many opportunities."

https://twitter.com/SportsJOE_GAA/status/927613450817327104 Most non-drinkers are stuck with the designated driver duties, he gets away with it.

"No! I try to stay away from that. I'll jump on the bus with them."

The reigning All-Ireland champions have been one of the most consistent club teams in Ireland over the last few years, but they're still hungry.

"I suppose it's like anything, you're just trying to take it one game at a time. You're not looking ahead because if you look ahead you'll get caught somewhere along the line. "We're just trying to get ourselves focused on getting ourselves physically and mentally ready for the next game. I think that's just been it, really, there hasn't been any secret to it."

He's rearing to go. Darragh O'Connell is pictured ahead of the AIB GAA Senior Hurling Club Championship Semi-Final where they face Liam Mellows at Semple Stadium on Saturday, February 10th. For exclusive content and behind the scenes action throughout the AIB GAA & Camogie Club Championships follow AIB GAA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.