Gary O'Donnell (Gaelic footballer)

Gary O'Donnell
Personal information
Irish name Garraí Ó Domhnaill
Sport Gaelic Football
Position Centre Back
Born (1988-01-06) 6 January 1988
Galway, Ireland
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Club(s)
Years Club
2004–2008
2009–
St. Colman's, Gort
Tuam Stars
Inter-county(ies)
Years County
2008– Galway
Inter-county titles
Connacht titles 3
NFL 1

Gary O'Donnell (born 6 January 1988) is an Irish sportsperson, who plays inter-county Gaelic football for Galway. He is a first cousin of double All-Ireland-winning former Galway footballer and two-time All Star Jarlath Fallon. O'Donnell's parents are both from County Mayo and he has uncles who have played football for that county at a number of levels.[1]

O'Donnell, who first played football with St Colman's, Gort, also played hurling in his youth and was on the same under-age teams as later Galway senior inter-county players Aidan Harte and Greg Lally. Gort's football team disbanded in 2009 and O'Donnell moved to Tuam Stars, as it was the club his cousins, the Fallons, played for.[1]

Having been an unused substitute in Galway's 2008 Connacht final victory over Mayo,[2] O'Donnell made his inter-county debut with in 2009. In 2016, O'Donnell was named Galway captain by Kevin Walsh, having previously captained the side on occasions when Paul Conroy wasn't available.[3] On 17 July 2016, Galway won the Connacht Championship, and O'Donnell became the first Galway player since Pádraic Joyce in 2008 to receive the J. J. Nestor Cup.[4][5]

References

  1. 1 2 "Hurling links and Mayo family roots but focus is on leading the Galway footballers". The42. 18 June 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  2. "Gary O'Donnell and Galway all out to stop Mayo's drive-for-five". Irish Examiner. 9 June 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  3. "Conroy injury blow for Galway Football". Connacht Tribune. 20 May 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  4. "Wait for a Connacht title 'far too long', says O'Donnell". Hoganstand.com. 18 June 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  5. "Galway finally going places, says former captain Ray Silke". RTÉ Sport. 19 July 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
Preceded by
Paul Conroy
Galway Senior Football Captain
2016–2017
Succeeded by
Damien Comer
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