Former Tyrone goalkeeper Lorcan Quinn has committed to Marshall University, becoming the first All-Ireland winner to earn a scholarship as an American football kicker.
Quinn, who plays his club football for Donaghmore, served as Niall Morgan’s backup when Tyrone last lifted Sam Maguire in 2021.
He withdrew from the Tyrone panel in May of last year before linking up with former rugby player turned kicking coach Tadhg Leader later that summer.
In January, Quinn was one of seven Irish prospects in the Leader Kicking programme who flew to Florida to kick in front of college coaches.
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On Thursday, the player took to social media to announce that he had committed to Marshall on a full scholarship. Since travelling to America, Quinn has trained as a kicker and kick-off specialist.
Last month, Kohls Kicking Camps, a leading showcase for college kickers and punters, ranked Quinn as the best kicker available to colleges in the transfer portal.
Nicknamed The Herd, Marshall University is a smaller school based in West Virginia. Their football team plays in the Sun Belt Conference and is therefore a division one team. While not at the same level as famed programmes such as Alabama and Ohio State, Marshall is nonetheless affiliated with the highest level of college football.
Announcing Quinn as one of five new scholarships, Marshall listed the Tyrone native at 6ft 1in and 190 pounds. “Quinn joins Marshall’s special teams after being ranked as the No. 1 kicker through Kohl’s Kicking Academy for 2025,” said the school.
“His most impressive performance came in a kicking camp at IMG Academy in Florida where he went 8-for-8 on field goal attempts with successful attempts from 68 and 69 yards during the camp.
“Before taking up American football, Quinn also played Gaelic football for five years.”
“Delighted to have signed for @HerdFB on a full scholarship,” said Quinn on social media. “Can’t thank Leader Kicking enough for believing in me and making this a reality.”
The former Tyrone ‘keeper will see his first action this summer when linking up with Marshall’s preseason camp. Their campaign gets under way in August with a trip to Georgia, the 2023 national champions.
Quinn is the third Irish player to sign with a gridiron programme this week. On Tuesday, both Mark McNamee and Laois native Ross Bolger were drafted by the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League.
Both players were part of this year’s NFL International Player Pathway Programme. Bolger spent the last two years on a scholarship at Idaho State University.
