Noel Gallagher’s former Gaelic football coach has likened the Oasis star’s skills to those of Mayo star Aidan O’Shea.

The Gallagher brothers played for Oisín GAA in Manchester for five years in the 1980s, with a 16-year-old Noel even travelling with the team to play an exhibition match in Croke Park against Kilmacud Crokes in 1983.

The rockers, who recently announced a comeback tour that includes two dates in Croke Park, were born in Manchester to Irish emigrants from Mayo and Meath.

'Two great lads'

Martin Logan, originally from Galway, recalls coaching the brothers in their playing days.

“They were two great lads,” he said.

“They were two different types of footballers, to be honest.

“Noel was a more tricky player; he used to play on the left or right wing, and he liked getting scores and putting the ball over the bar or making chances for somebody else.

“Liam was more of a midfield player because he was quite a tall lad when he was young – he was a great man to catch a ball at his age.”

Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis in 1999. Image: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo

Mr Logan said the brothers were dedicated to the GAA in their youth.

“They lived in south Manchester, and of course, their mum was a great Mayo lady who wanted to continue the Irish heritage, as we all do,” he said.

“When they first came in, they were very dedicated to learning how to play Gaelic football, and they brought quite a few of their friends with them over time to play on the team as well.”

Red card

Asked which brother was more likely to get a red card, Mr Logan said it was a “tough question.”

“Liam did not like to lose. That's all I'm going to say to you; he did not like to lose,” he said.

“Noel could take it a little bit better, but Liam, I’ll tell you what, he could see red.”

Croke Park in Co Dublin. Image: Stephen Power / Alamy Stock Photo

He said Noel reminded him of a Mayo star when he played.

“Noel was very much along the lines of Aidan O’Shea, who would pick up the ball, run with it, and you never knew exactly what he was going to do,” he said.

“He was always difficult to mark, and Noel was very much like that; he’d pick up the ball and run with it.

“Sometimes he might lose it, but nine times out of ten, he’d play it on to someone else or get a score.

“He liked to be in the limelight, so I suppose he’s probably a little bit like Cillian O’Connor for getting scores too.”

Roy Keane

As for Liam, Mr Logan compared him to a Premier League and Irish soccer great.

“We’re changing codes here, but I would regard Liam as more like a Roy Keane because he wanted to get on with the job,” he said.

“He gave 100%. He didn’t like losing, and if he did lose, everybody knew about it.”

Mr Logan added that he missed out on tickets to the gigs in Croke Park, even after some of his family spent more than five hours queuing.

With reporting from Robert Kindregan.

Main image: Split image shows Aidan O'Shea alongside Noel Gallagher.