Hey everyone, Michał here. I’m back with another weekly off-season interview. This week, I interviewed Athlone Town AFC goalkeeper Andrew Stuart Trainor and my hometown club Kerry FC goalkeeper, Darragh Foley. First up will be my interview with Andrew, followed by my chat with Darragh. So without further ado, let’s get started!
Michał: How would you reflect on this season with Athlone Town?
It was definitely a difficult season personally and as a club what we did in matches definitely didn’t reflect how we trained throughout the year hopefully next season we will be able to bring our form back to the pitch.
Michał: What do you think was the biggest challenge you faced this year?
For me personally definitely game time was a challenge for me early on in the year I was lucky enough towards the end of the year to get a run of games but it was difficult for me to keep training hard early in the season when game time was limited. I was very glad in how I performed in the games that I did play and hopefully continue that form into next year.
Michał: As a young goalkeeper, what areas of your game are you most focused on improving right now?
At the moment it’s definitely game management and decision making as I’m making the step from underage football to men’s football it’s a lot more physical and the games are faster paced so it requires serious timing etc.
Michał: Are there any goalkeepers, in the League of Ireland or abroad, that you look up to or try to learn from?
I like to try base my goalkeeping off Neuer, I think he changed the game forever and he’s someone I definitely look up too. In the League of Ireland there are definitely a few the two lads that were with me in Athlone Lee Axworthy and Matthew Connor were both great with me all year and players with the experience to learn from it’s great for any young player. Previous to that when I was with bohs James Talbot was amazing to work with definitely one of the best keepers the league has seen!
Michał: What are your personal goals heading into next season?
Personally I’d like to cement myself as the number 1 and get playing every week for my development it’s something I’ll definitely be working hard to achieve.
Next up, my interview with Darragh Foley.
Michał: You’d been on the Kerry bench since the last game of the 2023 season, and this year you finally got the chance to make your senior debut. How did it feel to step onto the pitch for the first time?
It was an amazing experiance. It was so much nicer considering how long I was waiting for it. Before my debut I was expecting to be very nervous going into the game, but it all happened so fast on the day and since I came on at half time, I didn’t have time to be worried about anything and it was easier to focus. It was a nice way to start my senior career and I’m happy it finally happened.
Michał: Looking back, is there a particular game or moment this season that gave you real confidence?
I was always playing consistently with the U20s and I loved playing games with them but I feel the Athlone game in my first start for the Seniors was a major confidence booster. Keeping a clean sheet and saving two penalties ( I admit I was definitely off my line for the first one 
) was an insane feeling and helped me with my confidence to play at senior level.
Michał: As a young goalkeeper, what’s one part of your game you’ve been focusing on improving this year?
The main thing for me this year was my confidence and focus. With the jump in quality going from U20s to seniors and even in training all year, I needed to adjust and improve. I was lucky that I was surrounded by an amazing group of goalkeepers in Tim, Mathyas, Matt and our GK Coach Michael. They helped me develop loads and prepared me well for when I got my chance in the first division.
Michał: Playing in the FAI Cup semifinal against Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium must have been a dream, despite the result. How did it feel to play in that match, and what did you take away from the experience?
Honestly, it was a bittersweet moment. lt was only my third full senior game and to play it there against players I’ve been watching for years was surreal and even in front of 1000 of our own fans was an insane experience. But of course we were disappointed with the result and and believe we should have done better both as a team and individually, myself included. The main thing I would take away from the game would definitely be the experience and I’m happy to have gotten it so early in my career as I’m sure it will help me in the future.
Michał: Speaking of Shamrock Rovers, you beat them with Kerry U20 in the Shield Final at Mounthawk Park. Was that match as nerve-wracking as it must have felt, and how did it feel to see the fans and your teammates celebrating your first ever trophy with the club?
Michał: Looking ahead, what are the main things you want to achieve next season?
In Kerry our aims are always to keep on improving on the last season, so we want to aim for bigger and better things year on year. What is being done down here in the kingdom is a process, and will continue to be a process for a while, that comes with being a new club. But that doesn’t stop us from aiming high for playoffs or semi finals and finals of the Munster Senior Cup or the Fai cup. On a personal note, I just want to keep going in the direction I’m going. Keep improving all round and hopefully make more appearances and contribute more to the team. I’m looking forward to the new season already!
I would like to thank both Andrew Stuart Trainor and Darragh Foley for taking part in this interview. I wish them the very best of luck in their future careers and beyond. I would also like to thank every one of you for reading this article. I hope you enjoyed it! See you in a week’s time for another weekly off-season interview.