Cathal, Laura and Neil Gallagher.
BY CHRIS MCNULTY
THE Donegal senior football championship final between Glenswilly and Killybegs on Sunday promises to be a real family affair.
Sunday is a huge day for the Gallagher siblings from Seacor in Breenagh in more ways than one.
Not only are brothers Neil and Cathal set to feature for Glenswilly in the county final in Ballybofey, but their sister Laura has a big game of her own on Sunday afternoon. Laura is the goalkeeper for the Termon ladies, who are taking on Donaghmoyne from Monaghan in the Ulster Senior Ladies Championship final in Clones.
Termon’s game starts at quarter-past three, so Laura will be eager to tune in to the closing stages of the Glenswilly-Killybegs game, which has a 4pm throw-in time.
“It’s a big day for us all with the three of us in finals. It would be brilliant if the two teams could win the finals,” said 2012 All-Star midfielder Neil.
“Laura and the Termon girls are putting in a big effort, too. Hopefully they can do the business in Ulster.”
Neil and Glenswilly are appearing in their third final in seven years, having lost in 2007 and won in 2011.
For the Gallaghers, Sunday truly could be a day to savour.
There is another link between the Glenswilly and Termon teams. John ‘Brockagh’ McFadden is one of the senior members of the Glenswilly squad while sister Marie plays at corner-back for Termon.
Glenswilly’s squad is like a band of brothers with an amazing six sets of brothers contained in Gary McDaid’s squad. As well as the Gallagher brothers, Sunday will also be a proud day for the McFadden (Gary and Kealan), Kelly (Caolán and Leon), McGinley (Darren and Dermot), Crawford (Ruairi and Oisin) and Molloy (Ciaran and Barry) families.
Glenswilly’s star player, Michael Murphy is the son of club chairman Mick Murphy and it’s a massive weekend for the full-forward who is set to captain Ireland in the first test of the International Rules series against Australia at Kingspan Breffni Park in Cavan tomorrow night, Saturday.
There are also two sets of brothers on the Killybegs panel: Eoghan Ban and John Ban Gallagher are joined by club captain Benny Boyle and his brother Ronan.
On Sunday, the 1988 Championship-winning Killybegs team is being honoured on the 25th anniversary of their win. There are strong links to the current team, with Hugh McFadden, Denis Carberry, John ‘Baker’ Boyle, John Ban Gallagher and Charles Tully all having sons on the current panel.
The Donegal County Board estimates an attendance of 6,000 for the game at Sean MacCumhaill Park.
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