Cooney hails ‘passionate’ Donal Coleman

Cork GAA personality Donal ‘Donie’ Donal, whose death has occurred, was described yesterday by former GAA president Christy Cooney as "an administrator second to none".

He was a member of the well-known Ballinhassig family — older brother Martin was three-in-a-row goalkeeper — and served as development officer of Cork County Board before being elected vice chairman in 1994, when Cooney became chairman.

Recalling that he had opted out after two years, Cooney said: “Only for his decision and his business commitments, he would have made an outstanding chairman.