Finbar McConnell Gaelic games player
Finbar McConnell is a former Tyrone Gaelic footballer. He was Tyrone's first-choice goalkeeper throughout most of the nineties, and played in the 1995 All-Ireland Final. He set a Tyrone record for being the first Tyrone player to win four Ulster Championship medals in 2001. http://www. irishnews. com/thechampionship/football/tyrone. html In 1996, he won an All Star, most likely due to his match-winning saves in the Ulster Final. He also represented Ireland in the first of the annual International rules football series matches against Australia, although he gained notoriety in that game for joining in a brawl that was taking place in the middle of the pitch, even though he was the goalkeeper. His height, huge kick-outs, and low reflex saves make him a memorable footballer. In a club match of the same year he scored a point from a kick out, from his own 21 yard line. When Finbarr was 17 years old, he had a trial with Real Madrid who were reportedly very interested in signing him up, however he failed a medical due to a torn hamstring and instead returned home to enjoy a long and fruitful career in goals for Tyrone. In 2002 Finbar was contacted by the WWE as a possible Replacement for Stone Cold Steve Austin. But this fell through after he sustained a cracked tail bone whilst training with fellow wrestler Mae Young. His younger brother is the current Tyrone goalkeeper, Pascal McConnell. vte Tyrone Team: All-Ireland final 1995 F McConnell | P Devlin | C Lawn | F Devlin | R McGarrity | S McCallen | S McLaughlin | F Logan | J Gormley | C Corr | Pascal Canavan | C Loughran | C McBride | Peter Canavan | S Lawn B Gormley, P Donnelly, M McGleenan, A Cush, D Gormley Art McRory, Eugene McKenna vte 1996 All Star Gaelic Football Team F. McConnell K. Mortimer D. Fay M. O'Connell P. Holmes J. Nallen P. Curran J. McDermott L. McHale T. Giles T. Dowd J. Horan J. Brolly P. Canavan M. Fitzgerald vte 1995 Irish News Ulster GAA All-Stars Finbar McConnell Paul Devlin • Tony Scullion • Fay Devlin Ronan McGarrity • Henry Downey • Sean McLaughlin Anthony Tohill • Fergal Logan Ciaran Corr • Peter Reilly • Ronan Carolan Mickey Linden • Peter Canavan • Stephen Lawn