Much has been made about the significance of tonight’s match. The two sporting codes coming together, Gaelic Football being played at the home of Ulster Rugby, even Dublin sending a team North to face an Ulster All Stars team. These are all major steps in the sporting life of the Province.
Much has been made about the significance of tonight’s match. The two sporting codes coming together, Gaelic Football being played at the home of Ulster Rugby, even Dublin sending a team North to face an Ulster All Stars team. These are all major steps in the sporting life of the Province.
However, above all, what is important about the game is Anto Finnegan. A hugely talented sportsman, he played inter-county football for more than a decade. In August 2012 he was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. At that point he became determined to do everything that he could to raise awareness and funds for the fight against the terrible disease.
Tonight his appropriately named deterMND trust sees months of hard work come to fruition with the staging of this game at Kingspan Stadium.
“It has been a whirlwind ride over the past few months in particular, says Anto. It has been a year in the making. I have a really good strong working group in place that covers business, sport and press. They have been phenomenal in creating awareness about this disease.
He continues, “That is the key aim - to create awareness of MND and to raise the profile of the condition. The game will also helped to raise funds for research.”
Last week he met ex Springbok scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen who also suffers from MND:
Anto says: “We have a lot of similarities – we both played sport, we are both around the same age, both have kids, both set up a trust with the objectives of raising funds and raising awareness of MND. It was fantastic to see the work that they have done. It was mind-blowing in fact to see him and really encouraging from my perspective.”
After all the talking, throw in is just a few hours away. So how will he feel when the game that bears his name begins?
“We have talked about the match for so long. It is a great way to show what sporting organisations can do when they work together for a common goal. I just want to go and enjoy the game and I think it will be a fantastic spectacle.
“Will I be emotional? I am not sure, but I will be absolutely bursting with pride.”
Having brought people together, raised awareness and fundraised all through one remarkable sporting occasion – he should be.
Much has been made about the significance of tonight’s match. The two sporting codes coming together, Gaelic Football being played at the home of Ulster Rugby, even Dublin sending a team North to face an Ulster All Stars team. These are all major steps in the sporting life of the Province.
However, above all, what is important about the game is Anto Finnegan. A hugely talented sportsman, he played inter-county football for more than a decade. In August 2012 he was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. At that point he became determined to do everything that he could to raise awareness and funds for the fight against the terrible disease.
Tonight his appropriately named deterMND trust sees months of hard work come to fruition with the staging of this game at Kingspan Stadium.
“It has been a whirlwind ride over the past few months in particular, says Anto. It has been a year in the making. I have a really good strong working group in place that covers business, sport and press. They have been phenomenal in creating awareness about this disease.
He continues, “That is the key aim - to create awareness of MND and to raise the profile of the condition. The game will also helped to raise funds for research.”
Last week he met ex Springbok scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen who also suffers from MND:
Anto says: “We have a lot of similarities – we both played sport, we are both around the same age, both have kids, both set up a trust with the objectives of raising funds and raising awareness of MND. It was fantastic to see the work that they have done. It was mind-blowing in fact to see him and really encouraging from my perspective.”
After all the talking, throw in is just a few hours away. So how will he feel when the game that bears his name begins?
“We have talked about the match for so long. It is a great way to show what sporting organisations can do when they work together for a common goal. I just want to go and enjoy the game and I think it will be a fantastic spectacle.
“Will I be emotional? I am not sure, but I will be absolutely bursting with pride.”
Having brought people together, raised awareness and fundraised all through one remarkable sporting occasion – he should be.