Derry Under-20 player Anton Tohill has signed a two-year contract with Australian Rules club Collingwood.
The youngster impressed at the annual AFL Draft in Dublin last year. He is the son of former All-Ireland winning Derry star, Anthony.
Anton Tohill, son of former Melbourne reserves player and @officialgaa great Anthony Tohill, a very impressive participant at the European Combine in Dublin. pic.twitter.com/PUIx8y311t
— Ryan Davidson (@davo_media) December 1, 2017
Tohill is expected to travel to Australia later this year for preseason ahead of the 2019 Australian Football League.
Last year's draft was overseen by former AFL and Gaelic football stars Colm Begley and Marty Clarke. It was an extremely fruitful endeavour, with Tohill just the latest participant to earn a contract. Dublin footballer James Madden also signed with Aussie rules side Brisbane Lions after smashing the all-time 20m record at that event while Balls.ie understands that highly touted Cork footballer Mark Keane travelled to Melbourne earlier this month for a further combine.
Speaking to Balls.ie last year, AFL Media man Ryan Davidson singled out Keane for praise:
Mark Keane, he was unbelievable today. I work with recruiters back home, if I was going to pick anyone today I would be putting him on the plane to America [to an Academy] next month but I wouldn't be surprised if he got picked up before that.
For a bloke that hasn't done any footie before, his kicking was really good, took a couple of strong marks, had poise, he was really good.
Elsewhere, AFL side Carlton have confirmed that Irish pair Ciaran Byrne and Cillian McDaid have left the club. McDaid was a huge prospect within Galway football and returned home earlier this year. Louthman Byrne took to Instagram to reflect on his exit.
