Kieran McGeeney

Kieran McGeeney

Personal information
Irish name	Ciarán Mac Géibheannaigh
Sport	Gaelic football
Position	Centre half-back
Born	18 October 1971 Mullaghbawn, County Armagh
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Nickname	Geezer
Occupation	Civil engineer
Club(s)
Years	Club
1980s-2000s	Mullaghbawn
Club titles
Armagh titles	1 & 3 Dublin
Ulster titles	1 & 1 Leinster
Inter-county(ies)
Years	County
1992-2007	Armagh
Inter-county titles
Ulster titles	6
All-Irelands	1
NFL	1
All Stars	3

Kieran McGeeney (born 18 October 1971) is an Irish former Gaelic football player and manager, who most recently managed the Kildare senior football team from 2007 to 2013.^[1]

McGeeney played football with his local club Mullaghbawn Cúchullain's in Armagh and was formerly a member of the Na Fianna club in Dublin. He was a member of the Armagh senior football team from 1992 until 2007, captaining the county to the 2002 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, their first and only title.

Playing career

Club

Born at Mullaghbawn, County Armagh, McGeeney was a member of Mullaghbawn's 1995 Armagh Senior Football Championship and Ulster Senior Club Football Championship winning side.^[2] He later moved clubs to Na Fianna on the northside of Dublin. With them he won the 1999 Leinster Senior Club Football Championship as well as three Dublin Senior Football Championships.

Inter-county

McGeeney, since captained the much revered Armagh to a historic first and only All-Ireland title in 2002. He won three All Stars Awards (1999, 2000 and 2002) and six Ulster Senior Football Championship medals (1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006). He also received the 2002 Texaco Footballer of the Year award.

McGeeney retired from inter-county football in 2007 but returned to the game as the manager of the Kildare footballers later that year. He led the county to a Leinster final appearance in 2009. Kildare have reached the All- Ireland quarter finals in each year he has been manager and they also reached the All- Ireland semi final in 2010 where they narrowly lost to Down. In 2013, McGeeney managed the Kildare U21's to the Leinster title.

International rules

McGeeney represented Ireland on a number of occasions against Australia, captaining his country in the 2006 International Rules Series. He led the Irish team who faced Australia in the first test at Pearse Stadium and in the second test at Croke Park. He has currently made twelve appearances for his country, making his debut back in 1998.

Management

McGeeney managed the Kildare senior football team from 2007 until 2013.^[3][4] He was axed after losing a ballot by county delegates by one vote, 29 to 28 in September 2013.^[5][6] In October 2013, McGeeney joined the management team of the Armagh football team under Paul Grimley .^[7]

In November 2013, it was announced that McGeeney would be involved with the Tipperary hurling team for 2014 as a member of the back room team.^[8]

References

1. "Bolton: McGeeney sacking 'disgraceful way to treat a manager'". Irish Examiner. 4 September 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
2. "Tributes flood in for inspirational Geezer", Paul McConville, The Irish News, September 15, 2007, p. 64
3. "McGeeney takes over as Kildare manager". Breaking News. 3 October 2007. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
4. "Kildare call a halt to the reign of Kieran McGeeney as manager". Irish Times. 4 September 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
5. "End of the road as Kieran McGeeney loses Kildare ballot by one vote". The Score. 4 September 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
6. "Kildare players vent anger at the disposal of Kieran McGeeney as manager". RTE Sport. 4 September 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
7. "Kieran McGeeney comes full circle with return to Orchard". Irish Independent. 9 October 2013. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
8. "Kieran McGeeney to join Tipperary hurling backroom team". The Score. 11 November 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2014.