Former AFL prospect handed recall to Derry panel by new boss Paddy Tally
His father Anthony was a star of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland success, was also on the books of AFL club Melbourne, played soccer for Derry City and even had a trial with Manchester United in 1995.
New Derry boss Paddy Tally has recalled Anton Tohill to the county panel.
Tohill had been a peripheral member of the panel during Rory Gallagher’s spell as manager and only saw game time in the McKenna Cup before withdrawing from the squad in February of last year. He later said that the Fermanagh man’s coaching style “wasn't doing an awful lot for me”.
He wasn’t involved for the 2024 season under Mickey Harte either but Tally has decided to take a punt on Tohill, who will turn 25 this week and is the son of Anthony, Derry’s towering midfielder on their 1993 All-Ireland winning side.
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Like his father, who was on the books of Melbourne Demons in the early ‘90s, Tohill flirted with Australian rules football and made a single AFL appearance for Collingwood before returning to Ireland to study medicine at Queen’s University Belfast in 2021.
Conor Deegan, who will manage the QUB side featuring Tohill in the Sigerson Cup, confirmed that the Swatragh man is training with the county team again.
“He’s back within the Derry panel,” said Deegan. “Like a lot of county managers at the moment, they are extending their panels, and Anton is back in there. He’s an interesting guy, he’s a great fella, he’s the glue that holds everything together in many ways – he has a tremendous personality.
“He’s 6’ 7”, fit as a flea, big quick lad, so there is potential in him without a shadow of a doubt. It would be nice to see him maybe kick on a wee bit but it’s not easy, he's studying to be a doctor and I think the studies are very much to the forefront, so maybe in a couple of years where he can really give it to the county, but obviously he’ll be dealing with us first.”
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