Martin McNamara (Gaelic footballer)

Martin McNamara, born on 11 November 1966, is an Irish former Gaelic footballer from Corofin, County Galway, Ireland, who was the reliable servant in goal for the Galway county team for several years. His career began in a barren spell for Galway, which seemed to turn around with a first Connacht title in eight years in 1995 and a narrow semi-final defeat to Tyrone. As the 1998 championship approached he considered retiring from inter-county football after playing a key role in Corofin's All-Ireland Club Championship winning team of 1998, but he continued, and with John O'Mahony in charge of Galway from 1997 he made crucial saves in the drawn Connacht final against Roscommon in Tuam. Galway won the replay after extra time by 1-17 to 0-17, then beat Derry in the semi-final by 0-16 to 1-08 to meet a Kildare side in the final.