Published: Wednesday, 25th January, 2012 5:05pm

Garrycastle manager's son plays with St Brigid's!

It could be a case of divided loyalties in the Cunningham household come February 18, when St Brigid's take on Garrycastle in the eagerly anticipated All-Ireland Club SFC semi-final.

Garrycastle manager Anthony Cunningham will be plotting a victory for the green and reds from the east of Athlone, but he will have some inside knowledge of the opposition camp.

Of course, the Galway native previously guided St Brigid's to their first-ever Connaught championship in 2006 and he lives with his family in Kiltoom.

But the connection with the Roscommon club is even firmer still as his son John is currently a member of the St Brigid's under-16 team. His daughter Aoife is also a member of St Brigid's and is a former winner of a county championship with the ladies' team.

"There are so many different connections and links between the clubs on both sides of the river," remarked St Brigid's chairman Michael McDonnell.

This week Anthony Cunningham's son, John, donned the colours of the Roscommon club as he took part in a special challenge match held in the Marist College between that school's students from both clubs.

Mr McDonnell said he couldn't comment on which team John Cunningham would be supporting in the semi final, but he added: "As chairman of the club I certainly hope he'll be cheering for Brigid's!"