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Brendan McCole (born 1997/8) is an American Gaelic footballer who plays as full-back for St Naul's and the Donegal county team.

McCole was captain when DCU won the 2020 Sigerson Cup, becoming the third Donegal-based player to achieve this distinction, after Jim McGuinness and Christy Toye. He has been compared favourably to Neil McGee and suggested as his eventual successor at inter-county level.

Early life

McCole was born in New York, lived in Rye and has a United States passport. He played basketball and did not kick a Gaelic football before the age of nine. McCole's elder brother and only sibling — Kara — died, aged 21, in 2014, following a workplace machinery accident, when McCole was 16 years of age.

McCole's father Donie — who was born in Greenock, Scotland — played as a wing-back on the Donegal team that won the 1982 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship.

Donie and his wife Bernadine — who is originally from Inver — later moved to Mountcharles, where Donie began coaching at the St Naul's club.

Playing career

Club

McCole previously played as a half-back until his club St Naul's — needing a full-back — positioned him on the edge of the square.

With his club, McCole won the 2019 Donegal Intermediate Football Championship, McCole playing at full-back in the final against Cloich Cheann Fhaola.

College

McCole studied Education and Training at Dublin City University (DCU) and became captain of the Freshers team that won the All-Ireland title when he was in first year.

McCole later took a master's degree in Business Management. The university team's manager, Paddy Christie, appointed him as captain of the DCU team that participated in the 2020 Sigerson Cup. That team included fellow Donegal player Conor Morrison, Thomas Galligan, Seán Bugler, Shane Carthy, Evan Comerford and Paddy Small (Dublin), Kevin Flynn (Kildare), Brian Stack (Roscommon), Micheál Bannigan and David Garland (Monaghan).

That team won the trophy. It did not concede a goal, with McCole at the centre of its defence. McCole featured on the team of the tournament and DCU awarded him its Sigerson Footballer of the Year. He was the third Donegal player to captain a team to a Sigerson Cup, following Jim McGuinness and Christy Toye.

Inter-county

McCole played for Donegal at minor and under-21 level.

In the absence of Neil McGee (whose club was involved in the 2018–19 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship), McCole played during the 2019 National Football League.

However, in the 2019 National Football League Division Two final against Meath, he lasted 13 minutes before McGee was brought on and Leo McLoone was sent back as additional protection (this was not offered to McCole when he was on the pitch).

At senior level he made substitute appearances in Donegal's first two fixtures of the 2020 National Football League against Mayo and Meath. He did not feature in the next game against Galway. He made a substitute appearance against Dublin but did not feature against Monaghan. Then the COVID-19 pandemic brought play to a halt. Play resumed behind closed doors on 18 October with a home game against Tyrone; McCole did not play. He played the full concluding game of the league campaign (away to Kerry).

McCole was an unexpected inclusion from the start in the final of the 2020 Ulster Senior Football Championship. He was not named in the team but was put in as a late change for Ciarán Thompson. He had not played in either the quarter-final victory against Tyrone or the semi-final victory against Armagh.

McCole started each of Donegal's four fixtures of the 2021 National Football League, against Tyrone, Monaghan, Armagh and Dublin respectively, and scored a point against Dublin at Breffni Park.

In the 2021 Ulster Senior Football Championship, he started the first and last of Donegal's three fixtures against Down in the opening round and against Tyrone in the semi-final and made a substitute appearance against Derry in the quarter-final.

McCole played every minute of the 2022 National Football League. He also played every minute of the 2022 Ulster Senior Football Championship. His regular appearances coincided with an injury to Neil McGee and the Belfast Telegraph said of McCole: "His man-marking skills, adept covering and willingness to launch counter-attacks have earmarked him as one of the most polished players in the Ulster series".

Personal life

As of mid-2022, McCole lived at home in Mountcharles and worked in former team-mate Marty O'Reilly's sports shop in Ballybofey. At this time he had been dating long-distance runner Claire Fagan for four and a half years. Sportspeople he has listed as admiring range from Eliud Kipchoge to Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink. He supports the New York Knicks and has studied the career of Kobe Bryant.

Honours

DCU

• Sigerson Cup: 2020 (c)

St Naul's

• Donegal Intermediate Football Championship: 2019

Individual

• All Star: 0
  • Nominated in 2023

References

1. Craig, Frank (10 February 2019). "McCole keen to grasp his opportunity". Donegal News. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
2. ^ O'Kane, Cahair (23 May 2022). "McCole finding his way". The Irish News. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
3. ^ Foley, Alan (13 October 2019). "St Naul's hold firm to overcome Cloughaneely and lift IFC crown". Retrieved 13 October 2019.
4. ^ Keane, Paul (29 January 2020). "Dominant DCU secure fifth Sigerson Cup crown". Irish Independent. Retrieved 29 January 2020. See photo caption: "DCU captain Brendan McCole, centre, celebrates with team-mates following his side's victory in the Sigerson Cup final against IT Carlow at Dublin City University Sportsgrounds in Glasnevin, Dublin".
5. ^ Keane, Paul (29 January 2020). "DCU's second-half surge propels them to Sigerson glory". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
6. "Morrison, McCole and Curran help DCU waltz to Sigerson Cup Final". 22 January 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
7. "FL1: Durcan delivers late as Mayo hold Donegal". Hogan Stand. 25 January 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
8. Keane, Paul (2 February 2020). "Classy Donegal put Meath to the sword at Navan". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
9. McNulty, Chris (9 February 2020). "Allianz FL D1: Galway secure valuable victory". Retrieved 9 February 2020.
10. "Mannion goal crucial as Dubs reel in Donegal". RTÉ Sport. 22 February 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
11. Foley, Alan (1 March 2020). "McFadden and Ward hit the net as Donegal claim easy victory over Monaghan". The42.ie. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
12. McNulty, Chris (18 October 2020). "Allianz FL D1: Donegal defeat Tyrone". Retrieved 18 October 2020.
13. Brennan, Paul (24 October 2020). "Allianz FL D1: Kerry crowned League champions". Retrieved 24 October 2020.
14. O'Brien, Kevin (22 November 2020). "As it happened: Donegal v Cavan, Ulster senior football final — 4:02PM". The42.ie. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
15. Keys, Colm (1 November 2020). "Donegal in pole-position for Ulster three-in-a-row after dumping Tyrone out of Championship". Irish Independent. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
16. Bogue, Declan (14 November 2020). "Donegal ease past Armagh to reach yet another Ulster final". The42.ie. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
17. Bogue, Declan (15 May 2021). "Allianz FL D1 North: Donegal edge Tyrone". Retrieved 15 May 2021.
18. McNulty, Chris (22 May 2021). "Allianz FL D1 North: Spoils shared in Ballybofey". Retrieved 22 May 2021.
19. Bogue, Declan (29 May 2021). "Allianz FL D1 North: Donegal finish strongly to earn important point". Retrieved 29 May 2021.
20. Campbell, Peter (14 June 2021). "Dublin share title with Kerry after defeating Donegal". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
21. Bogue, Declan (27 June 2021). "Donegal signal their intent with Ulster Championship trouncing of Down". The42.ie. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
22. Foley, Alan (11 July 2021). "McBrearty kicks late winner as Donegal squeeze past Derry". The42.ie. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
23. Bogue, Declan (18 July 2021). "Murphy sent off as Tyrone edge out 14-man Donegal to book Ulster final spot". The42.ie. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
24. Finnerty, Mike (30 January 2022). "Rob Hennelly the hero as Mayo snatch draw against Donegal in Allianz Football League". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
25. Campbell, Peter (6 February 2022). "Donegal have too much for Kildare despite losing Michael Murphy". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
26. Brennan, Paul (20 February 2022). "Kerry impress as victory over Donegal sends them top of Division 1". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
27. Campbell, Peter (26 February 2022). "Goals crucial as gritty Donegal see off Tyrone". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
28. Campbell, Peter (13 March 2022). "Monaghan end Donegal's Ballybofey record to maintain Division 1 survival hope". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
29. Keane, Paul (20 March 2022). "Allianz FL D1: Dublin finish strongly against Donegal". Retrieved 20 March 2022.
30. McNulty, Chris (27 March 2022). "Donegal hang on for win as things get hot and heavy with Armagh". The Irish Times. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
31. Watters, Andy (25 April 2022). "Donegal cruise to victory over mis-firing Armagh in Ulster Championship quarter-final". The Irish News. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
32. Haughey, John (8 May 2022). "Donegal 2–16 Cavan 0–16: Tir Conaill men survive Breffni onslaught to reach Ulster decider". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
33. Bogue, Declan (29 May 2022). "Derry outscored Donegal 0–4 to 0–2 in the extra-time period". The42.ie. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
34. Campbell, John (27 May 2022). "Brendan McCole is on a mission to close the shutters for Donegal and finally end up on winning Ulster final side". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
35. "All-Star nominations for Gallen and McCole". Donegal News. 29 September 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
36. "No awards but Gallen and McCole look sharp at the RDS". Donegal News. 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.

• 1990s births
• Living people
• American Gaelic footballers
• DCU Gaelic footballers
• Donegal inter-county Gaelic footballers
• Gaelic football backs
• People from Rye, New York
• Sportspeople from Westchester County, New York