TWO fans heading to Croke Park tomorrow can legitimately thank divine intervention for securing their seats.That's because a nun who won two All-Ireland final tickets has given them away, preferring to go on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje.
Sister Magdalene from the Mercy Convent in Donegal town won the tickets in a raffle earlier this week.
But she will not be making the journey to Dublin after donating her tickets to two fanatics.
"I was very surprised indeed, but very glad that I was able to help my two good neighbours by giving them the tickets," she said.
"One of them has a son coming back from America and she was very anxious for him to see the game. The other hasn't missed a final in years, so she was delighted. I think it's great when the true fans can get to enjoy the match."
Sister Magdalene is from Galway, but hopes Donegal do "the business".
Tyrone Gaelic football club Eglish St Patrick's initially got the tickets and decided to raffle them, which generated huge interest in Mayo.
Excitement
Kieran Hagan of the Eglish club said: "We rang through to the telephone number on the ticket, and Sister Magdalene was on speakerphone so we heard the whole thing in the convent. The excitement in her voice when she won the ticket was unreal."
Mr Hagan said the raffle raised more than £3,000 for the club.