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3rd April 2017
06:40pm BST

"I played a lot of underage soccer," McCarron explained on The GAA Hour. "I went up to Dublin for the emerging talent thing and I played against St. Kevin's Boys with Monaghan United. On that St. Kevin's team at the emerging talent, Robbie Brady and Jeff Hendrick were up training as well so I played against those two."There came a time though - as it comes for every athlete - that McCarron had to make a decision and, with his father and former All-Star Ray McCarron taking charge of the club team at Currin, the youngster chose to stick to his roots.
"He [Jack's dad] took over the club team when I was 16 just coming onto the team and I just decided that it was either going to be one or the other. "I was involved with the county minors at that stage too so I had to put all the eggs in one basket."It wasn't like picking a winner out of a hat, it was so much more than that for McCarron. He has been steeped in this way of life, it's ingrained in his family's history and Monaghan GAA runs to the core of all that he has done growing up. His sister Ellen was playing for the county ladies team before the Dublin clash at Clones on Sunday.
His uncle is only Dick Clerkin.
https://twitter.com/jackmc13/status/793918704455184385
And it's safe to say that his dad knew how to play ball.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMljlI_DLwA
By every definition, this way of life is in his blood.
Now, McCarron is forming one half of what could just be the most frightening duo in the land alongside Conor McManus.
He's been outscoring one of the best forwards in the country throughout the league, not that he's getting carried away.
"He's been a great help to me," McCarron said of his Clontibret ally. "He's proved over the last three or four years to be one of the best forwards - and players - in the country. It's good to have him in there with the experience he has to give you a few wee tips and that. "Conor's still the main man in there, he's proven that. He's been phenomenal. I've played a couple of good games, that doesn't mean anything - just a couple of good games."If that's just a couple of good games, Lord only knows what the championship might have in store. Listen to McCarron's full interview on The GAA Hour below (from 23:30).
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