In the end it was a case of having to concentrate on one sport. A choice that many aspiring competitors have to make.
Ikem Ugwueru chose Gaelic football, after a rugby career that did show promise. Starting out with Ennis RFC, Ugwueru went on to represent Munster up to U-19 level and also lined out for Shannon in the AIL. He played youth soccer in the Clare league and at at he age of 11 represented Ireland in judo against England.
Ugwueru played a bit of Gaelic football during the summer months, so as to keep himself in shape before the rugby season resumed. During those longer days, however, people took notice and a call-up to the Clare U-20 squad followed.
Colm Collins, no doubt impressed by Ugwueru's performances for his club Éire Óg Ennis (for whom he won two county medals), sent out an invitation to join his senior set-up. The invite was initially turned down; the lure of rugby still strong, but Collins felt Ugwueru could add value to the Banner cause, in transferring his skills from one code to another.
On 22 April last year, Ikem Ugwueru made his championship debut as Clare beat Limerick to qualify for the Munster final. Exactly a year on, the first black man to play football for the county was on from the start in the win over Waterford that secured a successive provincial appearance for the Banner. Another date with Kerry looms; Cusack Park the venue for next Sunday's decider.
"They came up to me and said it was a good thing I was doing. I play the game because I like playing the game but then people come up to me and say 'you doing this is really good for my son, my friend, or my daughter'.
"When I hear stuff like that it does kind of move me. I play football because I like it and if I'm inspiring people by the way I play I'm just going to continue doing that. I would hate if my brothers or sisters were treated differently by the way they look or the way they are by playing a sport. Sport is for everyone. There is no rule to say it is for a certain type of person; it's for everyone. It does hurt me that people get racially abused.
"We know about the Lee Chin situation; it's really bad that somebody like him is receiving something like that. He is one of the best sport athletes in Ireland and he's doing his bit for Wexford hurling.
"I'm happy to be a role model for the younger kids, and to show them that if they really want to do it, they can. There is nothing to stop you, only yourself can stop you."
Though a natural sportsman, Ugwueru admits that his kicking is still a work in progress as he continues to try to make himself a better Gaelic footballer.
"I feel like you always have to work on your skills if you want to be better," he outlined.
"Obviously coming from rugby there was more running, stepping and physicality. I do use that in football but you can't just use that only. You still need to be able to solo the ball at pace, pass the ball at pace. Obviously shooting isn't my biggest go-to trait, but I am still working on it.
"Whatever you're good at, work on it, and then use it to your advantage. That's what I'm doing right now with my pace and my step and physicality. I'm using that to my advantage."
In referencing more from the rugby text book, Ugwueru continued: "Because I watch rugby, there was a fella that was the same build as me and people thought he wouldn't be able to make it but his step was unbelievable and no-one was able to defend him. So I was, like, okay, he's using that so I might as well use it too.
"A New Zealand player who's retired now, Nehe Milner-Skudder. He had an ubelievable step and used it to his advantage at pace, no-one could stop him.
"I feel like I'm kind of in the same boat as him so I might have to brush up on my sidestep and use it too."
After a decade in charge of the Clare senior side, Colm Collins stepped down last summer. With retirements and players opting off the panel, it was a much-changed squad that began the league under the care of new boss Mark Fitzgerald.
Promotion back to Division 2 was still a prospect heading into the final day. In the end, Down were too good in that crucial game. As expected, Waterford were then accounted for en route to that back-to-back Munster final appearance.
Ugwueru, who will hope to keep his place at wing-back for Sunday's date with the Kingdom, praised Fitzgerald's far-from-fussy management style.
"Obviously with a new manager, everyone was like, 'Is he gonna be good or is he not gonna be good?' Everyone was so used to Colm, and Colm did such a good job with Clare football, so obviously it's gonna be big shoes to fill.
"To be fair to Mark, he has done a good job so far in my opinion. He's in the middle of the training, he is just as enthusiastic as we are so that's obviously good to see. He's just telling us to play our own game, he's not putting no pressure on us. If you met him, you wouldn't think there's any pressure on him. He's just taking it in his own stride and that's a credit to him.
"He hasn't come in to try change anything crazy. He's obviously come in to play his own style of game and I feel like it's working for us. He just wants us to express ourselves on the ball, really. Don't be too bogged down about the other team. We're there to play so we should play our own style. He's done really well so far, in my opinion anyway."
Kerry ran out 14-point winners last May and many expect a similar winning margin for Jack O'Connor's side this weekend. Ugwueru does not want to dwell on the past, adding that the squad has a new-found enthusiasm heading into Sunday's showdown.
"We just have to park those bad performances and don't let them creep in or bog you down before the game.
"Last year was last year, this year is this year and it's a different team that we have this year - and it feels like everyone is more confident in a way. Even though people might not think we'd be more confident with the players that we've lost.
"At the end of the day it's down to the team and whatever you believe in, because if you don't believe in it then it won't happen. If we're going to go in thinking that we've already lost, then you've lost. You have to go in enthusiastic.
"You never know what could happen on the day. It's championship football, it's completely different to the league. Anything can happen, really. Obviously we're underdogs but we'll be happy with that."
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