An 'alternative Donegal GAA team' using the 'Granny Rule'

Donegal’s interest in the All-Ireland Championship ended with the defeat by Tyrone in the last round of the Super 8s in Ballybofey.

But there is still a big interest in parts of the county in Sunday's meeting of four in-a-row chasing Dublin and Tyrone.

The Rosses are divided and there is huge interest also on Tory Island, Falcarragh and Donegal Town in the final.

In Doochary, the red and white flags show they are supporting Tyrone. The Red Hands full-back, Ronan McNamee, has strong ties with Doochary. His mother Anne Ward, is a native of the area.

In Lettermacaward, Donegal Town and Ballyshannon they are rooting for Dublin. Dublin midfielder Michael Darragh Macauley has his roots in Lettermacaward. Eoghan O’Gara, the versatile Dublin forward’s mother hails from Donegal Town and the Sky Blues defender John Small’s grandmother was born and reared in Ballyshannon.

The King may be a Dubliner but Tory Island are behind Tyrone this weekend. The Red Hands newest pin-up attacker Cathal McShane has strong ties with the Island, his grandmother Bridget Doogan, is a native of the Island and Cathal has many cousins and relations on Tory and in and around Falcarragh.

GRANNY RULE

If the granny rule applied in the GAA like it does in other sports all of the  above would qualify to play with Donegal.

The same applies to many others down the years.  And so we have trawled the record books and come up with a team of 15 players, all by and large playing in the positions they are playing in or have played in past.

The players are drawn from five counties with Dublin topping the represenTation with five, Tyrone four, Meath, Mayo and Galway two each.

Four of the five players, Ronan McNamee, Tyrone and John Small, Michael Darragh MacAuley and Eoghan O’Gara, Dublin -  are expected to feature in Sunday’s final.

The rest are drawn from players that have featured over the last three decades. And they have been pretty high achievers too with six All-Stars and seven of them All-Ireland winners who between them boast 23 All-Ireland medals. They are all provincial championship winners and between them they have amassed 54 provincial winners’ medals in three provinces.  

No. 1

Pascal McConnell (Tyrone)

Pascal  is the holder of three All-Ireland and five Ulster winners’ medals. He succeeded his brother Finbar, an All-Star netminder,  between the Tyone posts.

He qualifies through his great grandmother on his mother’s side Madge Roarty, who hailed from Dungloe.

No. 2

John Lynch (Tyrone)

John from Castlederg was corner-back on the first Tyrone team to qualify for an All-Ireland senior final in 1986. He won an All-Star for his performances in Tyrone’s ‘86 championship campaign. He also played international rules for Ireland.

John’s mother is Una McGinley from Derryconnor, Gortahork.

No. 3

Ronan McNamee (Tyrone)

Ronan is the current Red Hands full-back. His mother Anne Ward hails from Lettermacaward in the Rosses and his uncle Brendan is a former Na Rossa player and is now a member of the Mllford club. Ronan is the holder of one Ulster senior winners’ medal.

No. 4

Noel McGinn (Tyrone )

Noel McGinn is the second member of the Tyrone team defeated by Kerry in the 1986 All-Ireland final. Noel was the centre half-back. It was his late stunning goal against Derry, in the first round of the ‘86  Ulster Championship in Omagh, that set Tyrone on the road to the county’s first All-Ireland final appearance.

Noel’s mother was Teresa Blake from Letterkenny.   

No. 5

Colm Coyle (Meath)

Colm was a member of the great Meath team of the 1990s and is holder of three All-Irelands and two Division One National football league winners’ medals. He is also the holder of five Leinster Senior Championship winners’ medals.  

Colm is the son of Paddy Coyle from Gaoth Dobhair and Donegal star of the 1950s.

No. 6

John Small (Dublin)

John  is member of the current Dublin squad and is the holder of three All-Ireland, three National League and three Leinster winners’ medals and has been the regular centre half-back. He had his first outing of the championship, due to ongoing injury problems, against Tyrone, in the Super 8s. His grandmother Mary Cassidy was from Chapel Street in Ballyshannon.

No. 7

Sean Og De Paor (Galway)

The An Ceathrú clubman  is a double All-Star and he was a member of the Galway All-Ireland winning teams of 1998 and 2001. He  also won six Connacht senior championships in a 14 year intercounty playing career.

Sean Og’s grandfather, Frank O’Donnell, was born and grew up in Kilraine, Glenties.

No. 8

Tom Parsons (Mayo)

Tom suffered a horrific cruciate injury in this year’s Connacht championship meeting with Galway. He is the holder of two Connacht senior championship medals.  

Tom’s mother, Carmel Barry, is a native of Bundoran and his uncle Peter Barry played minor, U21 and senior football for Donegal before emigrating to Canada.

No. 9

Michael Darragh Macauley (Dublin)

Michael Darragh is the second man on the Dublin  team with strong ties to the Rosses. His late father, who sadly died in 2012, Dr Michael Macauley, hailed from Lettermacaward.

Michael Darragh is a five time All-Ireland winner and eight time Leinster championship winner and five time National league winner. He also is a double All-Star.

No. 10

Ciaran McDonald (Mayo)

Ciaran McDonald was one of the most stylish forwards in the game in the second half of the 1990s and the early 00s. He is a one time All-Star and the holder of five Connacht championship medals and an All-Ireland club winners’ medal with his club Deele Rovers, Crossmolina.

Ciaran’s father, Danny McDonald, is a native of Clonmany.  

No. 11

Val Daly (Galway)

Val Daly is a double All-Star and the winner of five Connacht senior championships. His son, Michael, is a member of the current Galway squad.

Val will be best remembered by Donegal followers as the man that broke Donegal hearts in the 1983 All-Ireland semi-final with his late goal which snatched a dramatic 1-12 to 1-11 win for Galway.

Valy Daly is the son of Nellie Cannon from Magheroarty, Gorthahork.

No. 12

Evan Kelly (Meath)

Evan is the holder of two All-Ireland medals and three Leinster medals. He played for Meath for ten years and is now involved in club management in the Royal County.

His paternal grandmother Kathleen Egan is formerly Kathleen Cullen, from Newmills, outside Letterkenny

No 13

Dessie Farrelll (Dublin)

Dessie Farrell is a former All-Star forward and All-Ireland winner with Dublin. He was a member of the Dublin team defeated by Donegal in the 1992 All-Ireland final. He managed Dublin to an All-Ireland U-21 championship in 2017.

Dessie’s mother is Anne Carr from Crove, Carrick and his uncles Seamus and Noel Carr played for Donegal in the 1980s/90s. He is a first cousin of Ireland and Everton star, Seamus Coleman.

No. 14

Eoghan O’Gara (Dublin)

Eoghan is a four time All-Ireland winner with Dublin. His trophy cabinet also boasts of six Leinster and and three National League winners’ medals.

Eoghan’s mother is Anne Brennan from Donegal Town and his uncle Manus Brennan is well known in GAA and basketball circles in Donegal.

No. 15

Kevin Bonar (Dublin)

Kevin plays with the St Bridget’s club in Dublin and was a leading forward in the Dublin senior team in the second half of the first decade in the new millennium. He is the holder of five Leinster Senior Championship medals.

Kevin is the son of the late Seamus Bonar from Donegal Town and member of the first Donegal team in 1972 to win the Ulster championship.