Newly elevated to the starting line-up, Donegal's Brendan Devenney describes his job with Cadbury's as being a sort of "Milk Tray Man" ("I suppose you'll make something out of that," he accurately forecasts). His performance last Friday left a less cryptic calling card as he ended up the game's top scorer with 14 points.

His presence in Australia seems to have genuinely taken him by surprise. By the end of the summer, he had signed up for National League soccer duty with Finn Harps. This caused complications but also had its advantages.

"I used never be fit enough in recent years when it (International Rules) came around. There were always a few weeks between trials and the end of championship. Guys involved in the All-Ireland have better fitness. But this time I'd done some pre-season training with Harps. Maybe I signed for Finn Harps in a bit of a rush.

"Then Brian (McEniff) asked me to trials and the first few went well, which gave me impetus so I asked Finn Harps to give me some time to get ready. Jonathon (Speak, manager of Finn Harps) is a good friend of mine and realised a trip to Australia wouldn't come around every year."

A long-standing desire to try out senior soccer was part of the motivation. Five years ago he played a year of non-league competition in England before returning home. But there was also the surprisingly vivid disappointment of Donegal's defeat in this year's championship. Edged out by a point by Kildare in Newbridge after one of the best matches of the summer, the long journey south deterred nearly all of the county's support.

"It hurt me a lot going out in the championship," he says. "But the support we got hurt me even more. That was a major factor in me playing soccer. After the game they'd such fantastic support and I know it was awkward on a Saturday and that. But if you know it matters to people in the county it gives you a hell of an interest. It was horrible that there was no one there. You ask 'why am I playing? Does anyone care about it?'"

His call-up to the international panel prompted some grumblings of favouritism, given that manager Brian McEniff is also from Donegal. Devenney appears almost shocked by the suggestion.

"I suppose knowing Brian is a help. I like people who have faith in me, managers who have faith in me. One of the reporters was saying maybe he brought me because I was from Donegal. I didn't know anything about that. Just having him there and him knowing my game was great. He believed in me and I didn't want to let him down. I know he was under pressure for the series so there was a tremendous lot of reasons for playing here."