National Forum

Senior County Debuts

(Oldest Posts First)

Last night in the McKenna Cup, Finbarr Roarty (17) made his senior county debut for Donegal despite never having played a senior game for his club Naomh Conaill. I wonder has this ever happened before?

I can remember Patrick McBrearty making his championship debut on the same day he played minor, and I think Benny Coulter did the same.

Are there are other interesting county debuts?

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9518 - 04/01/2024 10:39:48    2518301

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Darren O Sullivan made his Kerry debut in the 2005 All-Ireland final.

oneoff (UK) - Posts: 1472 - 04/01/2024 16:11:37    2518362

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "Last night in the McKenna Cup, Finbarr Roarty (17) made his senior county debut for Donegal despite never having played a senior game for his club Naomh Conaill. I wonder has this ever happened before?

I can remember Patrick McBrearty making his championship debut on the same day he played minor, and I think Benny Coulter did the same.

Are there are other interesting county debuts?"
Cian Hughes made his championship debut for Wexford, against Offaly in 2002, before he had played a senior championship game for his club.

Yellaman (Wexford) - Posts: 126 - 04/01/2024 17:34:26    2518373

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "Last night in the McKenna Cup, Finbarr Roarty (17) made his senior county debut for Donegal despite never having played a senior game for his club Naomh Conaill. I wonder has this ever happened before?

I can remember Patrick McBrearty making his championship debut on the same day he played minor, and I think Benny Coulter did the same.

Are there are other interesting county debuts?"
I think that Kevin O'Brien set a few standards as a 16 yr old but I'm not too sure of them all.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1266 - 04/01/2024 17:39:03    2518376

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Replying To oneoff:  "Darren O Sullivan made his Kerry debut in the 2005 All-Ireland final."
Similar to Walter Walsh, who made his senior team debut in the 2012 All-Ireland final replay against Galway, scoring 1-03 from play and collecting a winners' medal.

Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2654 - 04/01/2024 19:12:36    2518388

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Tompkins kicked Senior at 16 with Kildare. The great Frank McGuigan played minor and senior on the same day, afaik!

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2095 - 04/01/2024 23:54:24    2518425

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Replying To foreveryoung:  "Tompkins kicked Senior at 16 with Kildare. The great Frank McGuigan played minor and senior on the same day, afaik!"
You are indeed 100% correct Forever and two brilliant footballers they were.

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3844 - 05/01/2024 00:37:27    2518426

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Andrew O'Shaughnessy I think was only 16 when he made his Limerick senior debut.

oneoff (UK) - Posts: 1472 - 05/01/2024 10:23:15    2518450

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Paul Barden made his Longford debut against Carlow in the NFL in 1998 aged 17 - Played county for 17 years.

LongfordgaaAbú (Longford) - Posts: 574 - 06/01/2024 11:07:50    2518592

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If memory serves me right Conor Daly started for Roscommon seniors before starting a senior championship game for Pádraig Pearses.

The_analyser (Roscommon) - Posts: 3909 - 06/01/2024 11:41:36    2518599

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Eddie Keher played in the Minor AI final in 1959,he came on as as a sub in the senior AI replay.

mooncat (Kilkenny) - Posts: 538 - 06/01/2024 16:59:34    2518660

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