Gallagher is a record breaker

By Jerome Quinn BBC Sport

Guitar legend Rory Gallagher used to make records, now his namesake breaks them in the world of gaelic football!

Fermanagh sharp-shooter Rory Gallagher from Erne Gaels broke a 52-year-old record by amassing a personal tally of 3-9 in the Ulster SFC first round defeat of Monaghan at Clones.

The great Peter Donohoe held the previous record from the 1950 SFC, when he scored 3-5 for Cavan against Tyrone.

Oisin McConville came close to Donohoe's tally just three years ago with 2-7 in the 1999 Ulster final.

Gallagher blew them both away with an impressive array of score-taking - a penalty to either side of the goalkeeper, a punched goal, and points kicked by his right and left boots.

It is only Gallagher's fifth SFC campaign, yet he is well on the way to becoming one of the most prolific scorers ever seen in the Ulster game.

After his debut in 1998, Rory was the 2000 Ulster SFC top scorer with 1-19, though he is also remembered for inexplicably missing a simple free in Fermanagh's one-point semi-final defeat by Armagh.

Gallagher was nominated for an All Star at the end of that year, and last year he added 0-23 in four games.

Now, with 3-9 against Monaghan, his SFC career total moves up to 4-55.

To put that into context, Cavan greats Tony Tighe and Joe Stafford amassed the same total in their entire careers.

Another record

It is also better than the likes of Joe Kernan, Greg Blaney and Patsy Hetherington.

The Fermanagh team set another record against Monaghan - 4-13 is the county's highest-ever total in the Ulster SFC.

Mind you, the best score was not by any of the Fermanagh players - it was the piledriver by Rory Woods for Monaghan. Uncle Nudie must be proud of him.

Brendan Devenney was pretty special as well in Donegal's victory over Cavan although it still was not enough to force a smile out of Mickey Moran!

Maybe the 66 frees awarded in the game sobered the experienced Donegal manager.

Or maybe he had heard that Peter McGrath's Down team is gathering momentum ahead of their clash on Sunday week.

Last Monday, Down drew with Dublin and on Thursday they beat Antrim. My spies tell me they played really well and notched up big scores.

Mystery guest

Did any of you recognise the mystery guest on our BBC television coverage on Sunday?

The wrong guesses included Cormac McAnallen, Shane King and Rory Gallagher. Here is a clue specially for Sport Online visitors - he plays for Ballinderry.

And here is another teaser - who was the last player to score two penalties in an Ulster SFC game?

Answers and comments to: [e-mail]

And a few final thoughts....should Dermot McDermott not have been sent off for his 'professional foul' in giving away Fermanagh's first penalty?

Referee Paddy Russell was wrong to award Donegal a free for a foul by Prior on Devenney when there were four points in it and 20 minutes left to play

Would someone tell Raymie Gallagher to get rid of the luminous gloves.

And would someone tell me what Rory Gallagher's code number is in the Irish News Dream Teams? I have one of the Gallaghers but cannot remember which one!