Michael Donnellan (footballer)
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Mícheál Ó Domhnalláin | ||
| Sport | Gaelic football | ||
| Position | Centre half-forward | ||
| Born |
28 February 1977 Galway, Ireland | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
1995–2003 2004–2007 |
Dunmore McHales Salthill-Knocknacarra | ||
| Club titles | |||
| Galway titles | 1 | ||
| Connacht titles | 1 | ||
| All-Ireland Titles | 1 | ||
| Colleges(s) | |||
| Years | College | ||
|
IT Tralee | |||
| College titles | |||
| Sigerson titles | 1 | ||
| Inter-county(ies) | |||
| Years | County | ||
1997–2006 | Galway | ||
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Connacht titles | 5 | ||
| All-Irelands | 2 | ||
| All Stars | 3 | ||
Michael Donnellan (born 28 February 1977) is an Irish former Gaelic footballer who played at senior level for the Galway county team. He is the son of a former politician and footballer, John Donnellan, and grandson of politician and footballer Michael Donnellan. All three of them captained the Galway football team during their careers.
Gaelic football career
Donnellan first came to prominence as a member of the talented
In 1998, Donnellan won his first All-Ireland medal as part of the Galway side that won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in 1998. During the first half of the final against Kildare, Donnellan picked up the ball inside the heart of his own defence and proceeded to go on an amazing run, soloing the length of the field while exchanging a one-two with Kevin Walsh in the midfield. As he approached the Kildare goal, he laid the ball off to Derek Savage, who passed to Seán Óg De Paor. De Paor slotted the ball over the bar. The score re-invigorated the Galway team, who were losing at the time. Donnellan's overall performance inspired Galway to their first football title in 32 years and completed a unique hat-trick of senior All-Ireland medals for his family, as he followed in the footsteps of his father John (1966) and his grandfather Mick (1925). The final score was 1–14 to 1–10. That solo run was later voted No.1 in the Top 20 GAA Moments in 2003. He was named Texaco Footballer of the Year that year.
After reaching another final in 2000, losing out to Kerry after a replay, Donnellan & Galway returned to win the
Donnellan went on to win an
After being hampered by injury in later years, Donnellan decided to end his career at the end of the 2006 season, a career during which he won nearly ever honour in the game.
In May 2020, the Irish Independent named Donnellan as one of the "dozens of brilliant players" who narrowly missed selection for its "Top 20 footballers in Ireland over the past 50 years".[1]
Soccer career
In December 1999, Donnellan signed for
References
- ^ Breheny, Martin (30 May 2020). "Revealed: The Top 20 footballers in Ireland over the past 50 years". Irish Independent. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ a b Quinn, Philip; O'Riordan, Tom (31 December 1999). "Galway coup as GAA ace Donnellan switches codes". Irish Independent. p. H1. Retrieved 17 March 2023.