How saying no to Mickey Harte worked out for Niall McGinn

Niall McGinn will tell you he never had a long-term career mapped out when he chose soccer over Gaelic football, but he is eternally grateful for eschewing more appealing short-term gains when he did.

The 28-year-old, who scored Northern Ireland’s second goal against Ukraine last Thursday, was playing for Dungannon Swifts and Donaghmore GAA Club when he was faced with the choice between the two sports.

“I had just come into the senior Tyrone squad and I was playing trials. There came an opportunity where Mickey Harte just said ‘look, you have an opportunity to be a part of my team, not just for the National League but for the championship’.