A teenage GAA star from West Donegal landed a 50m field goal that means he’ll kick in front of 52,000 fans at the Aviva Stadium later this month.
Patrick Bonner from Meenmore, Dungloe landed a sensational field goal at the home of Ulster Rugby on Friday night.
He was competing in the Ireland’s ‘Kicking King’ competition that is held by Leader Kicking.
Bonner won the Belfast version of the event, and has now booked his place in the Grand Final.
Dungloe GAA star Paddy Bonner will now compete at the Aviva Stadium in front of 52,000 fans on August 29
The final will take place at half-time in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic that takes place at the Aviva Stadium on August 29th.
TCU Horned Frogs and the North Carolina Tar Heels will face off in front of a sellout 52,000 crowd.
Bonner will be joined by the winners of the Tyrone, Down, Dublin, Mayo, Galway, Tipperary, Kilkenny and Cork Kicking King events.
Bonner plays minor football for Dungloe GAA club, and has also appeared for Keadue Rovers 1st team in the Donegal League Premier Division.
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He only decided to go along at the last minute, following a request by Donegal GAA Minor goalkeeper Ronan O’Donnell, who also took part at the event in Belfast last night.
What makes Bonner’s achievement even more remarkable is the fact that he had never kicked an American football before the event last night.
“Ronan texted me to come along for the craic, and it was open for those between the age of 16-24, so I threw the name down and just did it to see how I got on.
“I’ve never even watched American Football before, and I never kicked an American football in my life, but I just trusted my own technique and they kept flying over.”
Bonner is a skilled free-taker in the GAA, and his technique honed on the pitch of Dungloe GAA club has now given him the opportunity of a lifetime.
“I didn’t overthink it. I just focused on the way I’d normally strike a football, and as I say they kept going over, and to end up winning it is surreal to be honest,” said Bonner.
Bonner will now compete against all the other winners in a fortnights time at the Aviva.
If he wins the Grand Final, then he’ll be off to the US.
“The winner of the competition in Ireland last year, is playing in this year’s Aer Lingus College Classic, so if I do win it outright, then I’ll be going to America to participate in a competition held at The Ryan Field in Chicago. It’s going to be a great experience at the Aviva Stadium, and I’m just going to go and enjoy it,” said Bonner.