Irish soccer stars Shane Duffy and James McClean could be playing GAA for Derry if things had turned out differently.

Both, who are expected to be key figures for the Republic of Ireland against France in Lyon this afternoon, were promising Gaelic footballers with Derry city clubs Doire Colmcille and Sean Dolan's (Creggan) before their soccer careers took precedence.

"Shane played on a particularly talented U14 team who won the North Derry 'B' league. He was a very active club member and the lads who played with him - some of whom are now playing senior football with Colmcilles - were all very fond of him," Doire Colmcille chairman Ciaran Quinn said of the Blackburn Rovers centre half in the Irish News.

"Of course, everyone at the club is delighted with Ireland's success in France, but the fact that one of our own, one of our former members, is playing such a major role for the national team gives us all an extra sense of pride."

McClean's father Patrick told the same paper: "James enjoyed the Gaelic, but football was all he ever did or wanted from his day with Trojans (the underage soccer club he played with in Derry)."

The winger has never lost touch with his roots and recently sponsored a set of jerseys for one of Sean Dolan's underage teams.

Several other members of the Irish soccer have GAA backgrounds, while manager Martin O'Neill represented Derry in minor football. 

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