Gaoth Dobhair boss hails the impact of centurion Eamon McGee

By Michael McMullan

GAOTH Dobhair manager Rónán Mac Niallais hailed Eamon McGee making his 100^th senior championship appearance for the club at the age of 42.

McGee hung up his boots after the 2023 final defeat to Naomh Conaill but was tipping away with a bit of reserve football.

With injuries and players on holidays at the tail end of this year’s league, Mac Niallais floated the idea of a comeback.

Mac Niallais and McGee are the same age and played all the way up through the underage ranks.

“He won’t mind me saying we were badly stuck in the league there five or six weeks ago,” Mac Niallais said.

“I got on to him because I’d seen him around and saw he was in good shape.

“He togged out for us and he played a good role for us in those last few league games.”

With numbers still scarce, McGee stayed on for the championship preparations, wearing the number 15 jersey.

He notched a point in a narrow win over St Michael’s in round one.

It was a welcome boost after a series of narrow league defeats saw the 2018 Ulster champions relegated to Division Two for 2027.

With the help of Donegal GAA historian Seán Ó Gallchoir’s statistics, McGee’s appearance in last weekend’s win over Naomh Columba saw him join brother Neil in the club’s 100 club.

BACK IN THE DAY…Rónan Mac Niallais (R) pictured with his mother Moya and Eamon McGee after Gaoth Dobhair’s 2005 U21 Championship win

“At the weekend there he played his 100th senior championship game for Gaoth Dobhair, some achievement,” Mac Niallais said.

“He made his debut back in 2001 as a 17-year-old so for him to have played 100 championship games is good going.

“I was giving out to him that he didn’t play the last two years or he could have a lot more than 100.”

McGee was an ever-present in the three seasons he won senior medals with Gaoth Dobhair, 2002, 2006 and their Ulster winning 2018 season.

Gaoth Dobhair welcome MacCumhaill’s this weekend to Magheragallon for round three after winning their opening two games.

Should he feature, and in the fourth group game, Eamon will be level with Neil.