The village of Innishannon in Cork has a population of just over one thousand people, but one of those thousand could potentially become a star in the United States over the next few years.
Liam Dineen signed with the NFL Academy program in the United Kingdom in recent weeks. He is the second Irish kicker to sign to the Academy, after Andy Quinn last year.
The questions Irish people often ask when they hear about another athlete giving American football a go are ‘Why?’ and ‘How?’.
Speaking exclusively to RTÉ Sport, Dineen, who recently turned 18, explains his love of sport.
“I kind of grew up playing everything you can think of”, he says. “I played a bit of rugby, played a bit of soccer for Innishvilla, but primarily I played GAA and Gaelic football, which was my main sport for Valley Rovers down in West Cork, in Innishannon.”
Dineen follows many other Gaelic footballers who have attempted to swap their native sport for the American dream, such as Galway man Quinn, Ross Bolger, Rory Beggan, Mark Jackson, Paddy McAteer and Jack Scullion.
The performances of Bolger, McAteer and Scullion have been noteworthy in the opening weeks of the 2024 College football season, with each player excelling in their positions.
Other players entered the NFL Combine in February, Mayobridge man Charlie Smyth signing a contract after a try-out with the New Orleans Saints. He is currently on the Saints’ practice squad.
“Like Charlie, Ross and the other lads, Gaelic football was my one true sport”, Dineen said. “I feel that the sport was my gateway into American football, playing primarily as a goalkeeper.”
Dineen found a Leader Kicking clinic, run by former rugby out-half Tadhg Leader, and went from there.
“It was my gateway, like all the other lads”, he said. “It’s mad, as while Tadhg has been going for a few years now, you are seeing that crop now come through and it’s a real motivating factor.”
Rather than the International Player Pathway Programme, Dineen is aiming to take the ‘traditional’ path of playing at the NFL Academy and then joining a US college team. The next stage after that would be the NFL itself.
Another ex-NFL Academy product Quinn (19) recently revealed that he has a full scholarship offer with Boston College, an establishment with close ties to the island of Ireland.
The former Blackrock College, Connacht Rugby and Creggs Rugby Club man is grateful for the time at the training facility.
“The NFL Academy gave me life-changing opportunities such as playing in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, facing – and defeating – some of the best high schools in America and giving me the opportunity to be one of the best high school athletes in my position in the US,” he tells RTÉ Sport.
“One of the key moments for me was the development in the classroom and as a person with their top-class physiological, educational and obviously athletic programs, which are the backbone of the program. I have no doubt that Liam is in good hands in England.”
Dineen will take to the field at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium today, as the NFL Academy faces De La Salle Spartans from California.
The opportunity to play on a specifically designed field for the sport is one that the Cork man will welcome with open arms.
One slight issue for Dineen this year will be his education.
“I think the biggest obstacle in my way is the Leaving Cert”, he says. “I’m trying to stay on top of that as much as I can – and be the best kicker I can be.
“The NFL is a long way down the road, but you never know.”