He is seen as a tough, old-fashioned full-back, but is versatile and can play in almost any position. Adrian McGuckin said of McCusker "He has a great footballing brain, his positional sense is unreal and he never wastes a ball".[2] Fellow Derry full back and captainKevin McCloy says "I'd rather run into a train than run into Niall McCusker".[3]
Playing career
Inter-county
McCusker made his Derry Senior debut in 1998.[2] In 2000 he won the National League with Derry, defeating Meath in the final.[4] McCusker was named Derry vice-captain for 2005.[5] He sat out the 2006 and 2007 campaign, but was recalled for the 2008 campaign.[6] He was part of the Derry team that won the 2008 National League where Derry beat Kerry in the final.[7][8] He was instrumental in the final where he marked Kieran Donaghy and kept him scoreless, and in fact outscored him when he scored a great 50-metre point.
McCusker has been appointed Derry vice-captain for the 2009 season.[9]
Ballinderry defended the Derry Championship in 2002,[1] but lost in the semi-final stage of the Ulster Club Championship to Errigal Ciarán. McCusker was once again runner-up in the Derry Championship in 2003, losing to An Lúb in the final. He gained his third Derry Championship medal with the club in 2006.[1] Ballinderry once again reached the Ulster Club final, but lost narrowly to Crossmaglen Rangers. For the 2007 season McCusker was captain of Ballinderry. In 2008 McCusker and Ballinderry won the Ulster Senior Club Football League and the Derry Championship again, and again were runners-up in the Ulster Senior Club Championship.
