PETER ACHESON SPENT this summer as captain of the Tipperary senior footballers on their brilliant championship journey but spending the winter in Dubai means his life is now charting a different course.
The 26 year-old made the move with his girlfriend to the United Arab Emirates in the wake of Tipperary’s loss to Mayo in August.
He’s working in business development for an oil and gas company and playing with the Jumeirah Gaels GAA club.
Yesterday he got the chance to link up with Tipperary team-mates Michael Quinlivan, Robbie Kiely and Conor Sweeney, playing in the 2016 GAA-GPA All-Stars exhibition match at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi.
“Can’t complain in fairness – it’s the end of November and it’s about 25-26 degrees during the day,” remarked Acheson after yesterday’s match.
“So you can’t really give out. I’m, enjoying it now, work is going well and myself and my girlfriend are flying it.
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“I’ve made a lot of friends through the GAA club and the soccer club.”
Acheson was managed in yesterday’s exhibition game by his boss with Tipperary, Liam Kearns. The Kerry native has been trying to twist Acheson’s arm about returning as his midfield displays were so impressive this summer and he was instrumental in Tipperary’s rise.
Liam Kearns and Peter Acheson after their quarter-final win over Galway Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
“He’s been on four or five times already. We’ll talk tactics maybe in the new year, but look I’m enjoying it out here so I don’t think I’ll go home anytime soon. Liam knows the craic, he’s a clever lad, we’ll be talking straight.”
Acheson had postponed the move out to Dubai previously.
“For two or three years nearly. So it was either come here or be single very quickly. In fairness I have a very patient girlfriend, she’s waiting two or three years.
“We were supposed to come in February this year but then Liam said play the league and then play the championship…..I’m delighted I stayed now, it was the best year we ever had.
“It is tough to leave after a year like that but at the same time it is the best time to leave too, with great memories after a great year.
“I can’t see myself going home in the next two years. It’s hard to put into words, it’s a great place out here. I had eight with Tipp, it was absolutely brilliant.”
And Acheson is confident that Tipperary can kick on in his absence.
“Definitely. I think there’s 17 new faces, seven or eight from previous years who have come back in, and then another ten on top of that.
“So that’s brilliant. There is going to be competition for places, which maybe we didn’t have in recent years because people mightn’t have wanted to put in the effort.
“In fairness it is a lot of commitment. But now that we got to the semi-final everybody wants to be a part of it. Tipp football is on the up.”
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No return plans for Tipperary football captain as he settles into life in Dubai
PETER ACHESON SPENT this summer as captain of the Tipperary senior footballers on their brilliant championship journey but spending the winter in Dubai means his life is now charting a different course.
The 26 year-old made the move with his girlfriend to the United Arab Emirates in the wake of Tipperary’s loss to Mayo in August.
He’s working in business development for an oil and gas company and playing with the Jumeirah Gaels GAA club.
Yesterday he got the chance to link up with Tipperary team-mates Michael Quinlivan, Robbie Kiely and Conor Sweeney, playing in the 2016 GAA-GPA All-Stars exhibition match at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi.
“Can’t complain in fairness – it’s the end of November and it’s about 25-26 degrees during the day,” remarked Acheson after yesterday’s match.
“So you can’t really give out. I’m, enjoying it now, work is going well and myself and my girlfriend are flying it.
“I’ve made a lot of friends through the GAA club and the soccer club.”
Acheson was managed in yesterday’s exhibition game by his boss with Tipperary, Liam Kearns. The Kerry native has been trying to twist Acheson’s arm about returning as his midfield displays were so impressive this summer and he was instrumental in Tipperary’s rise.
“He’s been on four or five times already. We’ll talk tactics maybe in the new year, but look I’m enjoying it out here so I don’t think I’ll go home anytime soon. Liam knows the craic, he’s a clever lad, we’ll be talking straight.”
Acheson had postponed the move out to Dubai previously.
“For two or three years nearly. So it was either come here or be single very quickly. In fairness I have a very patient girlfriend, she’s waiting two or three years.
“We were supposed to come in February this year but then Liam said play the league and then play the championship…..I’m delighted I stayed now, it was the best year we ever had.
“It is tough to leave after a year like that but at the same time it is the best time to leave too, with great memories after a great year.
“I can’t see myself going home in the next two years. It’s hard to put into words, it’s a great place out here. I had eight with Tipp, it was absolutely brilliant.”
And Acheson is confident that Tipperary can kick on in his absence.
“Definitely. I think there’s 17 new faces, seven or eight from previous years who have come back in, and then another ten on top of that.
“So that’s brilliant. There is going to be competition for places, which maybe we didn’t have in recent years because people mightn’t have wanted to put in the effort.
“In fairness it is a lot of commitment. But now that we got to the semi-final everybody wants to be a part of it. Tipp football is on the up.”
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Allstars Liam Kearns Peter Acheson Tipperary the middle east