GAA player with Donegal roots joins New York footballers for Sunday's clash

An Irish American with Donegal roots has been selected for the New York football panel ahead of their Connacht SFC match against Mayo this weekend in the Bronx.  

Tadhg O'Riordan is from Tappan in Rockland County, New York, where he grew up playing Gaelic football, soccer, and lacrosse, the latter of which he played at the World Championships last year where he represented Ireland. 

But this Sunday in Gaelic Park, the GAA world will be watching as he and his New York comrades, consisting of home-grown and Irish-born players attempted to cause an amazing upset when Mayo visit the ‘City that Never Sleeps’ in the opening round of the Connacht championship. 

O’Riordan’s mother, Emer is from Donegal Town, while his paternal grandfather and grandmother are from Cork and Galway, respectively. 

Despite being from Rockland County, O’Riordan grew up playing Gaelic Football at Gaelic Park where his family always remained connected to their Irish heritage. He would travel for games with Rockland GAA and from an early age got a taste of what sport meant to the Irish community in Riverdale while also winning a New York championship along the way. 

He’s a recent graduate of Manhattan College in New York, where the 24-year-old majored in civil engineering. 

Appetities have clearly been whetted by New York's history-making match against Leitrim last year when they won a match in the Connacht SFC for the very first time. 

Those in Gaelic Park for that occasion witnessed an astonishing display of football as New York eventually came out on top in an extraordinary battle that required extra-time and Mikey Brosnan penalty to settle it.