Mayo duo take the next step on road to America
Dylan O’Brien has had a very successful year so far, having won the 2026 Sigerson Cup with UL earlier this year as well as representing Mayo GAA in the minor and U20 Football panel.
20-year-old Davitt’s GAA goalkeeper Dylan O’Brien, and 22-year-old Castlebar Celtics and Castlebar Mitchel’s goalkeeper Peter Basquille are among 20 talented young athletes who have come through Leader Kicking’s nationwide search for Ireland’s next American football kicking star.
The group will now receive direct specialist coaching as the competition moves towards its next stage in the United States.
After emerging from the regional selection process, Dylan and Peter earned the opportunity to take to the field at Aviva Stadium during the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic, where they successfully kicked a field goal at half-time in front of thousands of college football fans.
Now, they will begin the next phase of development with Tadhg Leader and the Leader Kicking team, receiving specialist coaching designed to develop the technique, consistency and mentality required to kick at the highest levels of college football in the US.
Dylan O’Brien has had a very successful year so far, having won the 2026 Sigerson Cup with UL earlier this year as well as representing Mayo GAA in the minor and U20 Football panel.
Peter Basquille has enjoyed another impressive dual-code year, representing Castlebar Mitchel’s in Gaelic football and Castlebar Celtic in soccer. In goal for Celtic, he helped the club reach the FAI Junior Cup semi-finals, saving the decisive penalty in their quarter-final shootout win over Gorey Rangers, and was also selected for the Connacht amateur squad.
Dylan O’Brien said:
“It’s brilliant to be part of this and I can’t wait to get started with the next phase. There’s still a lot for me to learn about kicking an American football, so I’m looking forward to working with the coaches, improving my technique and seeing how far I can go.” Peter Basquille said:
“The whole experience so far has been incredible. Getting the chance to kick at the Aviva was something I’ll never forget and now I’m really excited about what comes next. I’m looking forward to the training and hopefully earning the chance to go to America.”
Dylan and Peter were identified through Ireland’s Kicking King, a nationwide initiative created by Leader Kicking where exceptional kicking talent can come forward to see if their skills can translate to American football.
An estimated 800 to 1,000 male and female athletes aged 16 to 24 took part in open kicking trials held at venues across Ireland throughout August.
Having progressed through that process and experienced the pressure of kicking at Aviva Stadium, Dylan, Peter, and the other remaining athletes will now receive direct coaching, forming a key part of the next stage.
Tadhg Leader, founder of Leader Kicking, said:
“Peter, Dylan and the other athletes who have reached this stage now have an opportunity to work directly with us, develop their technique and see just how far their ability can take them. For some of these young players, that could ultimately mean an education and a football career in the United States.”
“One of the most important things about this pathway is that the players come and find us. We’re not going out recruiting or approaching young players and trying to take them away from their clubs or their sport. They see the opportunity, they want to explore it and they make that decision themselves.
“Education is also fundamental to what we’re doing. These athletes aren’t simply leaving Ireland to pursue professional sport, they’re going to university, earning a degree and competing at an elite level at the same time”
The next major prize is a trip to Northwestern University’s new Ryan Field in Chicago, with 10 finalists earning the opportunity to travel to the United States.
From there, the top four will compete in a longest kick competition at Ryan Field on November 7th.
All 10 finalists will also receive six months of coaching, academic preparation and college recruitment support from Leader Kicking.
Since launching in 2022, Leader Kicking has helped Irish athletes secure more than $3 million in university scholarships and placed more than 20 athletes into NCAA Division I and NFL programmes.
Its most high-profile success story is Charlie Smyth, who made the journey from Gaelic football in County Down to the NFL with the New Orleans Saints.
Ireland’s Kicking King is supported by Ryan Sports through the Road to Ryan Field initiative which is helping create new educational and sporting opportunities for talented young athletes across Ireland.
For Dylan and Peter, the immediate focus is now on coaching, development and earning their chance to take the next step – from Mayo to Chicago.
