Christy O'Connor: Traces of GAA DNA on show in Budapest

Seamus Coleman once said there was not probably about it, he was a better Gaelic footballer than a soccer player. 

Dara O'Shea, left, St. Pius X BNS, in action against Conn O'Riordan, St. Josephs BNS during the 2011 Allianz Cumann na mBunscol football finals. Pic: Barry Cregg / SPORTSFILE

At the end of the Ireland-Hungary match in the Aviva Stadium on Thursday night, Kieran Donaghy from Kerry tweeted about Seamus Coleman on X, writing about how Coleman had played for 97 minutes and was full of energy until the very end. “Amazing stuff,” said Donaghy.

It was. One late tackle close to the sideline by Coleman, which he followed by raising his fist to pump up the crowd, was reminiscent of Coleman’s blood and thunder GAA career with Killybegs. Coleman eventually choose to leave Gaelic football behind when signing for Sligo Rovers before moving to Everton in 2009, but he was never in any doubt as to which game was his strongest sport.