Mickey Moran

Mickey Moran

Personal information
Irish name	Mícheál Ó Moráin
Sport	Gaelic football
Position	Forward / Back
Born	Maghera, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Occupation	Teacher
Club(s)
Years	Club
19xx-19xx	Glen
Inter-county(ies)
Years	County
1970–1982	Derry
Inter-county titles
Ulster titles	3
All-Irelands	0
NFL	0
All Stars	0

Mickey Moran (Irish: Mícheál Ó Moráin) is a former Gaelic footballer and manager, who most recently managed Leitrim. He played for the Derry senior inter-county team in the 1970s and early 1980s, and played his club football for Watty Graham's Glen.

Moran is known to be one of the best trainers / coaches in the game^[1] and was part of the managerial backroom staff of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship-winning team, as coach of the side.

In his managerial career he has had three stints managing Derry and has also managed Sligo, Donegal, Mayo and Leitrim.^[2] He has also been in charge of various club sides and the Jordanstown university team. On 26 November 2011, he retired as Leitrim manager on health grounds.^[3]

His son Conleth was on the Derry minor side that won the 2002 Ulster Minor and All-Ireland Minor Championships.^[4]

Playing career

Inter-county

Moran was a very versatile player, evidenced by the fact he started left corner forward on Derry's victorious Ulster Championship team in 1975, and left half back when Derry successfully defended their Ulster title a year later.^[5] Moran was part of the Derry team that were beaten by Dublin a point in the 1975–76 National League final.^[6]

In 1978, he was chosen as an All Star replacement.^[6]

He won Derry Intermediate Championship medals with Glen in 1980 and 1983.^[6]

Managerial career

Mickey Moran

Club management
Years Club 198x-19xx 200x-200x ?-2008 Omagh St. Enda's Creggan Jordanstown more?
Inter-county management
Years County 1980/1?-1984 1995 1996–2000 2001–2002 2003–2005 2006 2008–2011 Derry Derry Sligo Donegal Derry Mayo Leitrim

Moran was Derry manager in the early 1980s at a young age. He was 29 years old and still a player when he took over the Derry managerial reins in 1980/81?.^[7]

He was manager of Omagh St. Enda's when they won the 1988 Tyrone Senior Football Championship.

When Eamonn Coleman was announced as Derry manager in September 1990/91?, Moran was appointed coach of the team.^[8][9] The duo helped lead Derry to the 1992 National League title, defeating Tyrone in the final. The following year Derry won the Ulster Championship and went on to win the county's first ever All-Ireland Championship. He is famed for his rousing half-time speech in the All-Ireland semi-final victory over Dublin.

Following the controversial sacking of Coleman after the 1994 campaign, Moran was appointed Derry manager in September 1994.^[10] Under his leadership, Derry won the 1994/95 National League, but unfortunately for Derry they were knocked out of the 1995 Ulster Championship at the semi-final stage and he quit soon after.^[10] Moran was in charge of Sligo for four seasons (1996–2000^[10]) and the county "made huge strides" under his leadership,^[1] including reaching the 1997 Connacht Senior Football Championship final.^[11]

"We did not produce the football we are capable of although the lads gave everything." "I thank them for all the support they have given us. This is the most enjoyable set-up I have ever been involved with."

Mickey Moran after Kerry emphatically defeated Mayo in the 2006 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final^[12]

Straight after managing Sligo, Moran with John Morrison as assistant was appointed as Donegal manager for the 2001, 2002 and 2003 seasons.^[10] During his tenure selector Michael Houston quit after a public falling out with Moran.^[13] Moran's first year in charge of Donegal was a disappointing one, but 2002 was more successful, leading Donegal to the Ulster final (where they were beat by Armagh) and then to the All-Ireland quarter-final against Dublin.^[10][14] However in September 2002 he informed the county board he would not be staying for the third year of the term.^[10] He was immediately linked with the vacant Derry job.^[10] His third spell as Derry manager was from 2003 to 2005. He led Derry to the 2004 All-Ireland semi-final, but they were defeated by Kerry. He was also appointed manager of Derry Under 21s at the time.^[7]

Moran was appointed manager of Mayo in October 2005. In his first season in charge he won the Connacht Championship and guided Mayo to the 2006 All-Ireland final after a brilliant comeback against Dublin in the semi-final^[15] proving one of the Championship highlights. Unfortunately for Moran and Mayo they were beaten by Kerry in the final.^[2] He stood down as Mayo boss a few weeks later,^[16] a few days after assistant John Morrison had stood down.^[17]

He was linked with the vacant Kildare position in September 2007,^[18] but the job eventually went to Kieran McGeeney. Moran was appointed Leitrim manager on 25 August 2008 ahead of the 2009 season, once again to be assisted by John Morrison.^[2] He resigned suddenly as Leitrim boss in late 2011, citing ill health as his reason, having already drawn up his plans for the 2012 season.^[19]

Moran was manager/coach of the Jordanstown football team for a number of years and along with Adrian McGuckin guided the university to victory in the 2008 Sigerson Cup. He has since stepped down following that success.^[20]

References

1. "Moran believes in big picture". BBC Sport Online. 7 May 2001. Retrieved 23 September. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
2. "Moran named as new Leitrim boss". BBC Sport Online. 25 August 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
3. "Leitrim boss Moran steps down for health reasons". The Irish Times.
4. "Derry Football Roll of Honour". Official Derry GAA website. Retrieved 5 September 2008.
5. Corry, Eoghan (1993). Oakboys – Derry's Football Dream Come True. Dublin, Ireland: Torc Books Ltd. p. 226. ISBN 1-898142-10-6.
6. "A history of the Watty Graham Club by Eamonn Higgins". Official Glen GAC website. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
7. Mullan, Bernie (10 January 2003). "Cup a quiet start to Moran's third stint". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 4 October 2008.
8. "Hogan Stand interview with Mickey Moran". Hogan Stand. September 1993. Retrieved 26 January 2009.
9. "Doire line-up". 1993 All-Ireland Senior & Minor Football Championship Final programme. 19 September 1993.
10. "Moran quits Donegal job". BBC Sport Online. 2 September 2002. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
11. Campbell, John (23 July 1997). "Moran already big hit with Sligo". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 10 December 2008.
12. "O'Connor savours All-Ireland win". BBC Sport Online. 17 September 2006. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
13. "Houston's big problem". BBC Sport (BBC). 30 May 2001. Retrieved 30 May 2001.
14. Campbell, John (6 August 2008). "Mickey Moran heads west for Leitrim challenge". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
15. "Dublin 2–12 1–16 Mayo – Match report". BBC Sport Online. 27 August 2006. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
16. "Moran resigns as manager of Mayo". BBC Sport Online. 18 October 2006. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
17. "Morrison explains exit from Mayo". BBC Sport Online. 13 October 2006. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
18. "Lilywhites could approach Moran". BBC Sport Online. 20 September 2007. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
19. "County Board look to Breen & Dugdale in wake of shock Moran departure". Leitrim Observer. 1 December 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
20. O'Hara, Eamonn (22 October 2008). "Fresher rule reality kicks in". The Irish News. p. 49. Retrieved 12 October 2008.

External links

• Interview with Hogan Stand magazine (September 1993)
• Interview with BBC Sport (May 2001)
• Watty Graham's GAC Glen website
• Official Derry GAA website