16-05-2025
Pat Spillane falls for prank online after confusion over picture post
Pat Spillane fell foul to an online prank as he analysed Donegal – with the ex-pundit thinking one star had played for Brighton.
The Kingdom legend is no stranger to running the rule on players and teams having served as a GAA pundit with RTE for 30 years until 2022.
He is still GAA-mad watching on from afar, with his hot takes remaining a catalyst for conversation and debate within the sport. Pat Spillane. Pic: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile
Donegal were successful in retaining the Anglo-Celt Cup last weekend as they saw off Armagh in a thrilling Ulster decider – just as they did 12 months ago in Jim McGuinness' return season.
That makes it five Ulster titles overall for McGuinness and the big news this year has been the return of influential talisman Michael Murphy.
The Glenswilly man lifted the Sam Maguire Cup under McGuinness in 2012 and having retired in 2022, he was coaxed out of it and returned for 2025 to lift the county's chances of serious glories this year. Ciaran Moore scored Donegal's second goal in the Ulster final win over Armagh in Clones, last weekend. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
On the topic of returns, Spillane was fascinated by McGuinness' power in luring stars back into the squad he previously declared favourites for this year's All-Ireland.
Away from Murphy, he focused on utility man Ciaran Moore – before claiming he had returned from playing football with Brighton in England. Valentin Barco playing for Brighton. Pic:It appears as though Spillane was hoodwinked by a previous joke post on X which featured a side-by-side of Moore and Seagulls defender Valentin Barco.
The image was aimed at pointing out the resemblance between the two stars of different sports, however Spillane fell hook, line and sinker and believed he was seeing the same person in both shots.
'What did I see this week, he was with Brighton,' Spillane commented in an interview on the Indo Sport podcast.
Moore made his Donegal debut in 2024 having been spotted by McGuinness in the county championship, where he was representing St Eunan's – the club with whom he made his senior debut just three years ago.
