Limerick footballer wins American GAA title in star-laden championship

LIMERICK footballer Brian Donovan has won a Chicago senior football championship title.

Donovan and his Padraig Pearses team-mates defeated Parnells in Sunday's final on a scoreline of 4-14 to 1-9.

Pearses were 1-7 to 0-6 ahead at half time.

It's a second championship medal in the US for the pacy Monaleen player - back in 2017 he won a San Francisco SFC title with Sean Treacys, along with Limerick team-mates Adare’s Hugh Bourke, Newcastle West’s Cian Sheehan and Mungret St Pauls Killian Ryan.

Donovan is also the holder of a Limerick SFC medal from Monaleen's 2016 success.

This Summer, Donovan was the only Limerick player with Padraig Pearses in Chicago.

But he certainly wasn't the only inter-county player in the Windy City.

While's Donovan's Padraig Pearses weren't star-laden, others were.

In the final, Parnells included Armagh star forward Rian O'Neill and Tyrone All-Ireland SFC winner Conor Meyler, who Donovan was marking at some stages during the final.

Throughout the championship, Parnells called upon Armagh trio O'Neill, Connaire Mackin and Cian McConville, Down trio Barry O'Hagan, Ryan Johnston and Dylan Ward and Tyrone duo Michael McKernan and Meyler.

Others to feature in the Chicago SFC this season were Oisin Mullin, Paul Towey, Eoghan McLoughlin, Matthew Ruane, Jack Carney, Fionn McDonagh and Enda Hession (all Mayo), Barry McHugh (Galway), Sean Powter (Cork) and Gary Mohan (Monaghan) and Darragh McGurn (Fermanagh).

Donovan and his Padraig Pearses team-mates now advance to the North American Championship in two weeks time. Among the other competing teams will be Donovan's former team Sean Treacys (San Francisco), Young Irelands (Philadelphia) and other champions yet to be crowned from Boston and New York.