Caolan McColgan
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=December 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Short description|Donegal Gaelic footballer}}
{{Infobox Gaelic games player
| name = Caolan McColgan
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| sport = Gaelic football
| clposition =
| icposition = Wing-back
| birth_date = {{Birth based on age as of date|20|2023|1|29}}
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| occupation = Student
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| code = Football
| clyears = ?–
| clubs = Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin
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| county = Donegal
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| icyears = 2022–
| counties = Donegal
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Caolan McColgan (born 2002) is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin (Muff) and the Donegal county team. He plays at wing-back,{{cite news|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2023/01/29/watch-we-knew-we-were-the-better-team-caolan-mccolgan/|title='We knew we were the better team' — Caolan McColgan|date=29 January 2023|access-date=29 January 2023}} but can also operate at corner-back.{{cite news|first=John|last=Campbell|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/gaa/donegal/jim-mcguinness-return-has-created-a-buzz-in-donegal-caolan-mccolgan/a1443981656.html|title=Jim McGuinness' return has created a buzz in Donegal: Caolan McColgan|work=Belfast Telegraph|date=20 December 2023|access-date=20 December 2023|quote='From my own viewpoint, I tended to alternate between wing-back and corner-back but then in the modern game there is not such a great emphasis on actual playing positions', he adds.}}
Playing career
=Club=
McColgan won a Donegal Junior Football Championship title with his club in 2024, scoring the second goal of the final against Carndonagh.{{cite news|first=Conor|last=Breslin|url=https://www.donegallive.ie/news/gaa/1622756/naomh-padraig-uisce-chaoin-secure-donegal-jfc-title-with-solid-win-over-carndonagh.html|title=Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin secure Donegal JFC title with solid win over Carndonagh|date=5 October 2024|access-date=5 October 2024}} He laater played for his club in the 2024–25 All-Ireland Junior Club Football Championship final at Croke Park, scoring two points in the second half.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/articles/cy8pj961ze5o|title=Naomh Padraig edged out in All-Ireland Junior Club final|publisher=BBC Sport|date=25 January 2025|access-date=25 January 2025}} Before this Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin had defeated Tara in the quarter-final in London and Kilmurry of Cork on penalties in the semi-final, also played in Dublin.{{cite news|url=https://hoganstand.com/Article/Index/334789|title=Naomh Padraig advance to All-Ireland club JFC final with penalty shootout win over Kilmurray|work=Hogan Stand|date=12 January 2025|access-date=12 January 2025}}{{cite news|first=Kathy|last=Donaghy|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/we-are-trying-to-do-him-proud-how-loss-of-their-teammate-to-cancer-is-spurring-one-donegal-gaa-squad-to-unprecedented-victory/a1425271472.html|title='We are trying to do him proud' — how loss of their teammate to cancer is spurring one Donegal GAA squad to unprecedented victory|work=Irish Independent|date=11 January 2025|access-date=11 January 2025}}
=Inter-county=
McColgan was part of a Donegal under-20 team that won the 2022 Leo Murphy Cup.{{cite news|first=Chris|last=McNulty|url=https://www.donegallive.ie/news/gaa/766705/donegal-under-20s-turn-focus-to-ulster-mccolgan.html|title=Donegal Under-20s turn focus to Ulster — McColgan: Caolan McColgan says Donegal Under-20s are going into the Ulster Championship with confidence high after their winning of the Leo Murphy Cup|date=15 March 2022|access-date=15 March 2022}}
He made his senior inter-county debut against Antrim in the 2022 Dr McKenna Cup.{{cite news|first=Alan|last=Foley|url=https://www.donegallive.ie/news/gaa/720202/donegal-do-enough-to-see-off-antrim-to-reach-dr-mckenna-cup-semi-finals.html|title=Donegal do enough to see off Antrim to reach Dr McKenna Cup semi-finals|date=15 January 2022|access-date=15 January 2022}}
McColgan made his league debut for Donegal against Kerry in the opening fixture of the 2023 National Football League; Donegal defeated Kerry, with McColgan scoring 0–3 on his debut and being named man of the match.{{cite news|first=Oisín|last=Kelly|url=https://highlandradio.com/2023/01/29/caolan-mccolgan-reflects-on-donegals-national-football-league-victory-over-kerry/|title=Caolan McColgan reflects on Donegal's National Football League victory over Kerry|publisher=Highland Radio|date=29 January 2023|access-date=29 January 2023}} He was later included on the GAA.ie Football Team of the Week.{{cite news|url=https://www.gaa.ie/football/news/gaa-ie-football-team-of-the-week-x4777/|title=GAA.ie Football Team of the Week|date=30 January 2023|access-date=30 January 2023}} Then he was nominated for Footballer of the Week.{{cite news|url=https://www.gaa.ie/football/news/gaa-ie-footballer-of-the-week-nominees-x1852/|title=GAA.ie Footballer of the Week nominees|date=30 January 2023|access-date=30 January 2023}}{{cite news|first=Dáire|last=Bonnar|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2023/01/30/caolan-mccolgan-nominated-for-gaa-ie-player-of-the-week/|title=Caolan McColgan nominated for GAA.ie Player of the Week|date=30 January 2023|access-date=30 January 2023}} He won.{{cite news|url=https://www.gaa.ie/football/news/caolan-mccolgan-voted-gaa-ie-footballer-of-the-week/|title=Caolan McColgan voted GAA.ie Footballer of the Week|date=31 January 2023|access-date=31 January 2023}}{{cite news|first=Rachel|last=McLaughlin|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2023/01/31/caolan-mccolgan-crowned-footballer-of-the-week-by-gaa-ie/|title=Caolan McColgan crowned Footballer of the Week by GAA.ie|date=31 January 2023|access-date=31 January 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://donegalnews.com/mccolgan-voted-gaa-ie-footballer-of-the-week/|title=McColgan voted GAA.ie Footballer of the Week|work=Donegal News|date=31 January 2023|access-date=31 January 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://highlandradio.com/2023/02/01/inishowens-caolan-mccolgan-is-the-gaas-player-of-the-week/|title=Inishowen's Caolan McColgan is the GAA's player of the week|date=1 February 2023|access-date=1 February 2023}} McColgan started the second league fixture against Tyrone.{{cite news|first=Francis|last=Mooney|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2023/0205/1353894-tyrone-power-to-double-scores-victory-over-donegal/|title=Tyrone power to double-scores victory over Donegal in Allianz Football League|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=5 February 2023|access-date=5 February 2023}} He also started the third fixture against Monaghan, the fourth fixture against Galway and the fifth fixture against Armagh.{{cite news|first=Colm|last=Shalvey|url=https://www.gaa.ie/football/football-league-roinn-1/monaghan-donegal/2381581/|title=Allianz FL D1: Monaghan defeat Donegal|date=19 February 2023|access-date=19 February 2023}}{{cite news|first=Chris|last=McNulty|url=https://www.gaa.ie/football/football-league-roinn-1/donegal-galway/2381573/|title=Allianz FL D1: Donegal and Galway share the spoils|date=26 February 2023|access-date=26 February 2023}}{{cite news|first=John|last=Campbell|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-41085643.html|title=Donegal fightback falls short as late scores see Armagh home|work=Irish Examiner|date=4 March 2023|access-date=4 March 2023}} Against Mayo, McColgan also started, playing in the number 4 jersey.{{cite news|first=Chris|last=McNulty|url=https://www.gaa.ie/football/football-league-roinn-1/donegal-mayo/2381557/|title=Allianz FL D1: Mayo reach decider|date=19 March 2023|access-date=19 March 2023}} However, he did not feature in the concluding fixture, against Roscommon.{{cite news|first=Donnchadh|last=Boyle|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/donegal-complete-miserable-week-with-relegation-from-division-one-after-roscommon-defeat/42404553.html|title=Donegal complete miserable week with relegation from Division One after Roscommon defeat|work=Irish Independent|date=26 March 2023|access-date=26 March 2023}}
McColgan started the 2023 Ulster Senior Football Championship quarter-final against Down.{{cite news|first=Francis|last=Mooney|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2023/0423/1378632-down-add-to-donegals-woes-to-advance-in-ulster/|title=Down add to Donegal's woes to advance in Ulster|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=23 April 2023|access-date=23 April 2023}} In Donegal's three games in Group 4 of the 2023 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, McColgan made a substitute appearance against Clare and started the second and third games, against Derry and Monaghan.{{cite news|first=Alan|last=Foley|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2023/0520/1384666-donegal-find-form-after-break-to-defeat-clare/|title=Embattled Donegal find form after break to defeat Clare|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=20 May 2023|access-date=20 May 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2023/0604/1387374-derrys-second-half-goal-salvo-turns-donegal-over/|title=Derry's second-half goal salvo turns Donegal over|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=4 June 2023|access-date=4 June 2023}}{{cite news|first=Francis|last=Mooney|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2023/0617/1389741-resurgent-donegal-see-off-monaghan/|title=Resurgent Donegal see off Monaghan|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=17 June 2023|access-date=17 June 2023}} In the 2023 All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-final loss to Tyrone, McColgan started and scored 0–1.{{cite news|first=Peter|last=Campbell|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2023/0624/1390925-canavan-boys-on-form-to-seal-tyrone-quarter-final-slot/|title=Canavan boys on form to seal Tyrone quarter-final slot|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=24 June 2023|access-date=24 June 2023}}
In October 2023, it was confirmed that McColgan had had surgery in London to correct an injury to his hamstring.{{cite news|first=Tom|last=Comack|url=https://www.donegallive.ie/news/gaa/1312839/mccolgan-on-the-road-to-recovery-after-undergoing-hamstring-surgery.html|title=McColgan on the road to recovery after undergoing hamstring surgery: Naomh Padraig Uisce Chaoin's Caolan McColgan had a fine season for Donegal and aims to be back on the pitch come January following a hamstring operation|date=2 October 2023|access-date=2 October 2023}}
Personal life
As of January 2023, McColgan was a student at Belfast's Ulster University, where he was doing a business studies course.{{cite news|first=Frank|last=Craig|url=https://www.donegallive.ie/news/gaa/1023201/caolan-mccolgan-proud-motm-recipient-for-donegal.html|title=Caolan McColgan 'proud' MOTM recipient for Donegal: Donegal downed All-Ireland champions Kerry in Ballybofey and Caolan McColgan was the star of the show, nailing three points from wing back and picking up the Man of the Match award|date=29 January 2023|access-date=29 January 2023}}
Honours
;Donegal
;Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Donegal Football Team}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McColgan, Caolan}}