Rugby ace in first GAA co final

COUNTY senior final day is nothing new for Salthill-Knocknacarra players like Finian Hanley, Ruairí McTiernan and Sean Armstrong, all fixtures in the sky blue jersey going back to their All-Ireland club-winning season a decade ago. Others, like youngsters John Maher, Marcus Mac Donnacha and Robert Finnerty, will experience it for the very first time in the fledgling days of promising football careers.
For Gavin Duffy, an integral part of Salthill-Knocknacarra’s back line this season, Sunday will be something of a first for the sporting veteran. Rather than running out in some of world rugby’s most famous arenas he will make his County SFC final debut against Corofin at the age of 35. His road to Sunday’s county final is certainly one less travelled after 13 years spent in the fast lane of professional rugby.
His career in the oval-ball game brought 174 appearances for Connacht over two stints (2001-3, 2007-14), a spell with Harlequins where he played 110 times and earned ten international caps for Ireland, touring South Africa and Argentina and on to a World Cup in 2007.