“I couldn’t confirm that for you but I’ll take it.”
That’s what Mayo’s Shairoze Akram had to say when RTÉ’s Darragh Maloney told him that he was the first Pakistan-born player to win an All-Ireland.
Akram, born in Haroonabad, Pakistan, featured prominently as Mayo’s U-21s trumped Cork 5-7 to 1-14 in the final to secure the county’s first EirGrid All-Ireland U21 football championship in a decade.
The Ballaghaderreen clubman epitomised the dogged, pressurising game of Mayo throughout the game in Ennis and it is believed that Akram really is the first Pakistan-born player to claim an All-Ireland medal.
And the history made by Akram, who also featured in the Mayo minor team that reached an All-Ireland semi-final in 2014, didn’t go unnoticed after the game.
Congratulations to Shairoze Akram, who became the first Irish Pakistani to Win an All Ireland u21 medal. #NewIrish pic.twitter.com/ABlYgnJthg
— Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri (@DrUmarAlQadri) May 1, 2016
Shairoze Akram was born in Pakistan. Yesterday he became the first Pakistani born man to an all-Ireland Medal pic.twitter.com/7aGdZMqTWr
— Seán Murray (@sean_murray1) May 1, 2016
Shairoze Akram first man born in Pakistan to win All-Ireland medal… There'll not be a cow miked in Lahore, proud day for the parish #Mayo
— Des Henderson (@desfilmsstuff) May 1, 2016
https://twitter.com/Tyronetim67/status/726545614335533058
Congrats @MayoGAA & Pakistani born Shairoze Akram – first man from his country to win an All-Ireland medal #Under21 pic.twitter.com/Q9dyeohvtl
— Falls Road Tours (@FallsRoadTours) April 30, 2016
