Gallagher relishes September Sundays

The Croke Park operations manager arrives into the stadium shortly after 9am, indulges in the complimentary Irish breakfast offered only on September Sundays, before embarking on a stroll around the pitch.

“The pitch will have been manicured to perfection at that stage, but I always take a walk around just to make sure everything is okay,” says Gallagher.

Gallagher will engage in various meetings between 11am and noon, “drawing breath” when the turnstiles then open.