President’s pride at McGinley’s praise

GAA president Liam O’Neill took great pleasure in hearing how Gaelic games made such a positive impact on new European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley.

At his announcement in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, the Dubliner stated he had gained his team ethic from his GAA days, which had played a major role in him being the stand-out candidate for the Gleneagles job next year.

A broken kneecap at the age of 19 had brought McGinley’s Gaelic football career to an abrupt end but he explained how the experience of playing the game had left an indelible impression on him.