ANTRIM FOOTBALLER TOMÁS McCann is set to face a hectic schedule this weekend.
The Cargin clubman gets married today to Catherine Magill in Portglenone before a reception takes place afterwards at the Galgorm Hotel, Gaelic Life reports.
However McCann’s celebrations will have to be low-key as tomorrow morning he will board an 8am flight from Belfast to London as the Saffron men get set to face the Exiles in the first round of the All-Ireland senior football qualifiers in Ruislip at 1pm. Antrim have opted to delay their trip across the water because of the wedding with several of McCann’s teammates, including his older brother Michael and brother-in-law Tony Scullion, due to be in attendance.
Antrim manager Liam Bradley praised the commitment of McCann in making himself available for selection.
“Tomás will be in our starting fifteen against London on Saturday. He has made himself available, and we thank his good wife Catherine for making that happen as well. It’s a sign of the level of commitment a boy like Tomás has to Antrim that he’s willing to do what he is this weekend for the Antrim cause.”
McCann will fly to Majorca on Monday for a week for his honeymoon before returning for what Antrim hope will be training sessions ahead of the second round of the All-Ireland qualifiers on July 14th-15th.
McCann is not the first Ulster player to mix a wedding with championship football in such a short space of time. In 2004 Fermanagh footballer Liam McBarron lined out in Croke Park on a Saturday afternoon in July as his county claimed a famous qualifier success over Croke Park. After that game, which began at 2pm, McBarron boarded a helicopter and travelled to Kinawley on the Cavan-Fermanagh border for his wedding which took place at 4.30pm.
