IT’S ST PATRICK’S DAY so what better way to celebrate the day than by delving into a selection of Donegal sports stars who shared their name with the Patron Saint?
Packie Bonner (Pictured above)
THAT moment. Those gritted teeth. That dive. That save. Packie Bonner’s penalty save from Romania’s Daniel Timofte at the World Cup in 1990 remains one of the most iconic images in Irish sport. It was a save that – coupled with David O’Leary’s successful penalty – helped fire the Republic of Ireland into the World Cup quarter-finals.
Bonner was the last signing made by legendary Celtic manager Jock Stein in 1978 when the goalkeeper was snapped up from Keadue Rovers. He played 641 times for Celtic and won 80 caps for Ireland, including appearances at Euro ’88 and at two World Cups, Italia ’90 and USA ’94.
Pa Sharkey
THEY were different days back in 1956. Sixty years ago, when Ronnie Delaney became the first Irish gold medallist at the Olympic Games in Melbourne, winning the 1500m, Kincasslagh native Pa Sharkey was a member of the Irish team.
Pictured is the Irish Olympic team in 1956 in Melbourne
The heavyweight boxer was living and working in Australia at the time and joined up with the Irish team when they arrived by boat from San Francisco.
Sharkey was beaten by Swedish boxer Thorner Ahsman.
Such were conditions of the era, Sharkey had to leave the camp after his defeat. The Irish team had no money to keep him thereafter.
Patrick McBrearty
THE whispers grew lounder as the 2011 Ulster Championship grew nearer.
A youngster from Kilcar was set to be handed his Donegal seniort debut. When Patrick McBrearty was ushered down the Sean MacCumhaill Park tunnel after playing for the Donegal minors against Antrim, it became apparent that it wasn’t just Chinese whispers.
Sure enough, McBrearty came on as a 52nd minute substitute for Dermot Molloy and has played a part in every SFC game for Donegal since. The mantlepiece now holds an All-Ireland winners medal from 2012, as well as Ulster SFC medals from 2011, 2012 and 2014, while he played for Donegal in the 2014 All-Ireland final defeat to Kerry.
Paddy Hegarty
A LGENENDARY figure, particularly in his native Glencolmcille, Hegarty won the Donegal SFC with Naomh Columba in 1990 and lined out for Donegal in the mid-late 90s. Hegarty delivered some memorable displays for Donegal over the year. He now oversees coaching in primary schools and is heavily involved in Donegal development teams.
Paddy McGrath
PADDY McGrath has played 70 times for Donegal and has moulded himself into one of the toughest corner backs in the business. It could all have gone so horribly wrong, too. He made his debut in a qualifier against Armagh in 2010 and conceded two early goals to Jamie Clarke. Lesser men would’ve buckled, but the fearless McGrath put that behind him and is now a mainstay of the Donegal team.
He played through the pain barrier with a broken jaw with the Donegal Under-21s in 2010 and under Jim McGuinness won an All-Ireland and three Ulster SFC titles. This year, McGrath scored his first ever point for the county, against Down in the Dr McKenna Cup.
Paddy Campbell
ONE October Sunday in 2005 changed it all. Naomh Conaill, a young, exuberant team full of promise and empty of fear, drew with St Eunan’s in the Donegal SFC final, their chance looked gone. But the Glenties men came back to defeat St Eunan’s 0-10 to 1-5 in the replay.
Full-back Paddy Campbell was their captain that afternoon and he became the first Naomh Conaill man to lift Dr Maguire that day; an image that will remain forever in Glenties history.
Campbell subsequently lined out for Donegal and has had a spell as manager of Naomh Conaill since.
Paddy McGranaghan
IT SEEMS hard to believe that it’s over ten years since Paddy McGrenaghan played his last game for Finn Harps. McGrenaghan played 393 times for the club in a career that went from 1995 to 2005.
The Fanad man was an enigma at Finn Park and his dribbles down the left wing were a real feature of his time. McGrenaghan’s style frustrated supporters, but there could be no doubting the talent he possessed. A fans favourite and a cult hero all at once.
Paddy McGrory
PADDY McGrory, who passed away in December 2006, is a true legend at Finn Harps. He played in the first-ever game in the League of Ireland, a 10-2 loss to Shamrock Rovers, in 1969, but five years later he lined out as Harps defeated St Patrick’s Athletic 3-1 at Dalymount Park to win the FAI Senior Cup. He left Harps in 1975, but the Derry man is fondly remembered down Navenny Street.
Patsy Gallacher
ON March 16, 1891, 125 years ago yesterday, Patsy Gallacher was born in the workhouse in Milford. Little did people of the time realise, but a future legend was in their midst. To this day, Gallacher remains one of the finest players to have worn the green and white hoops of Celtic FC.
Read Alan Foley’s profile of Patsy Gallacher here
Patsy McGonagle (senior and junior)
A FATHER-AND-SON team for whom the story is all about the Olympic Games.
In 1948, Patsy Gonagle senior was part of the Ireland football team for the London Oympics. He’d played for Derry City and Bohemians and was in the Irish Army at the time of the Games.
His son Patsy McGonagle has taken the baton and will manage the Irish athletics team at his fifth Olympic Games this year in Rio. He has led some of Ireland’s best ever athletes and been at numerous European and World Championships as well as the Olympic Games.
Pat Hegarty
BALLARE man Pat Hegarty, still pounding the Donegal roads at the local 5ks, is one of the finest athletes to have worn Finn Valley AC’s blue and white singlet.
Hegarty won the Donegal cross-country title in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990 – six-in-a-row,
He won numerous Ulster cross-country titles and has helped the Finn Valley men’s team to medals at national cross-country championships.
Paddy Doherty
BALLYSHANNON man Paddy Doherty (pictured with Jason Quigley) won a Commonwealth Games bronze medal in 1970. Competing at light-heayweight, Doherty won bronze in Edinburgh.
A double Irish champion, Doherty turned pro after winning Commonwealth bronze and was 4-3 in seven pro fights. He fought six times in London and also defeated Bobby Ruffe in Croke Park by Tko in July 1972.
Patsy McGowan
THE story of Finn Harps can never be written without mention of the always-controversial and ever-colourful Patsy McGowan. He helped Harps gain admission to the League of Ireland in 1969 and had five spells as manager at Finn Park. He was manager when Harps won the FAI Cup in 1974.
McGowan was never far from the headlines when he was manager and he remained in the public eye through a column in the Donegal Democrat. Has had a long-running feud with the FAI and in 2009 was convicted of assault on a fellow Board member at Finn Harps. McGowan had returned to serve on the Board of Directors during that time.
Packie Mailey
IN 2007, Convoy teenager Packie Mailey made the move from Institute FC to Hibernians in Scotland. Although he didn’t make a first team appearance at Easter Road, he went on loan and played 12 times for Stenhousemuir.
After his return home, he played briefly for Dungannon Swifts, but signed for Finn Harps in April 2009.
In his two spells at Harps – in between which he had a stint with Drumkeen United in the Ulster Senior League and he played for Donegal in the 2012 Dr McKenna Cup – he has been Player of the Year twice and was named club captain ahead of the 2010 season.
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