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 (age 36)
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
2008–2021
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]

  1. ^ a b "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.