Sporting star set to make history

When he takes his place on the pitch at Hunky Dory Park on Friday night, Conan Byrne will have the remarkable honour of playing his 100th successive match for Sporting Fingal.

"To make a hundred games consecutively is something I will treasure," Byrne told Extratime.

"There's not really that many players that have done that before. As a League of Ireland fan, as well as a player, to look back on that when I'm older will be something I'll treasure."

Speaking after Tuesday's 1-0 win over Bray Wanderers, Byrne expressed his delight but was quick to underline the importance of other people in his success.

"Personally it's brilliant. The physio at the club Shay Caffrey has been instrumental in keeping me fit," he revealed.

"In the last two preseasons I've had hamstring injuries and he's got me fit and ready to start the new season. With the players as well - it's a team effort."

At his previous club, UCD, Byrne had his fair share of injuries but has been fortunate to stay injury-free in his time at Fingal.

"I had a lot of injuries at UCD. The full-time set-up here helps because you're looking after yourself more," he said.

"I was in college as well at UCD and exams were there as well so you were tired a lot.

"I'd put a lot down to the full-time set-up now. Since I've joined here we've had good people in the backroom staff as well, who will tell you to look after yourself physically and mentally. I'd put a lot down to that as well."

An active part of Sporting Fingal both on and off the pitch since his arrival in 2008, Byrne gives his views on how far the club has come in the last two years.

"I've been part of it since it started in 2008 when I joined as the marketing executive of the club. I was in charge of getting the money in as well as playing football as well - it was tough work," he said.

"When we moved our training sessions to the morning-time my job moved more to the promotion side of things. I was going into the schools and the clubs and I'm still doing that today.

"I love it and wouldn't change it for the world because as a footballer - you might finish at one o'clock and what do you do then? Football doesn't last forever so in a few years I'll have something to fall back on. The degree with UCD helped as well to make me do the line of work that I'm doing."

Sporting have secured planning permission for a new stadium, to be built in Lusk, and Byrne says that the construction of the stadium is the most important thing in securing the club's future

"We've great people at the club that were able to bring the project where it is today," stated Byrne.

"We just need Lusk to be built because this is really an athletics stadium and to draw the crowds in to this is difficult.

"If we had our own stadium it would make things much easier, especially with the location where it is in the middle of Fingal."

Asked whether his appetite for football had diminished at all, Byrne is quick to state that he will play in any game, no matter how important it is.

"As a footballer you want to play every game. Whether that's a Leinster Senior Cup game, a League Cup game or an FAI Cup final it doesn't matter," he confirmed.

"If the gaffer asks do I want a rest, I'll still want to play and I think most footballers are like that.

"At the moment I've no injuries, I'm not tired and I'd consider myself fit and able. So as long as that continues I'll still want to play. I still have the hunger to play in every game - as I said I treat every game the same whether it's a League Cup game or a Cup final it doesn't matter.

"I go into the game with the same routine. As long as I keep doing that I don't see why I can't go for a hundred more but I'd maybe ask the Gaffer about that one."