McGuigan's father Frank won several club and inter-county titles (and an All-Star) and his older brother Brian won three All-Ireland Senior Football Championships while playing for Tyrone. In 2008, Tommy and Brian McGuigan picked up All-Ireland SFC winning medals and their older brother Frank also has an All-Ireland medal to his name as a result of being on the 2003 panel.
Youngest brother Shay McGuigan was also a member of the Tyrone All-Ireland winning minor panel of 2008 and is[when?] in his second year playing for the Tyrone minors.
Playing career
In his championship debut against Fermanagh, McGuigan scored three points, as Tyrone were playing through difficult portions of the match.[1]
This performance was later dulled somewhat, "by the fact that he has picked up a broken wrist, and may miss the rest of the Ulster Senior Football Championship, should Tyrone progress".[2]
During the 2008 championship, McGuigan scored a vital goal at the start of the second half of the 2008 All-Ireland Final. He finished the season with a tally of 1-21 (24 points).
Twitter incidents
On 29 July 2014, Tommy McGuigan posted a tweet, which was described as antisemitic and which he later removed.[3][4][5][6] McGuigan later apologised for the remark, claiming it was written as a joke and was meant as "nothing serious". McGuigan said he had passed his number onto a London-based Jewish columnist, who requested to speak with him in order to confront him over his comment. "I said it was meant as a joke, nothing serious. He agreed to let it go."[7]
On 3 August 2014, McGuigan posted a message with a racist and derogatory term for Hispanic people on his Twitter account: "“@ryanbulldog83 @McIlroyRory course. Sergio shitting his Spick pants. Happy Gilmore cunt”" in reference to Rory McIlroy passing Spanish golfer Sergio García at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament.[8][9]
Notes: J Devine was on the starting lineup but had to withdraw from the squad due to a family bereavement. Stephen O'Neill's name was not in the match program due to there only being space for thirty names. He played, and came on as a substitute with the number 31 on his back.[1] Paul Quinn's name was not in the match program due to there only being space for thirty names.
