| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 26 August 1908 | ||
| Place of birth | Harryville | ||
| Date of death | 24 May 1970 (aged 61) | ||
| Position(s) | Right-back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1928–1934 | Ballymena | 238 | (12) |
| 1934–1936 | Ballymena United | 75 | (3) |
| 1936 | Sligo Rovers | ||
| 1936–1937 | Larne | ||
| International career | |||
| 1931–1934 | Irish League XI | 3 | (0) |
| 1931 | Ireland | 3 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
John McNinch was an Irish professional footballer. He was capped 3 times by Ireland during his career.
McNinch started his career with the local Summerfield team, [1] and in June 1928 was one of the first signings for the newly formed Ballymena team. [2]
McNinch was Ballymena's right-back in the 1928–29 Irish Cup final, as the Braidmen shocked Belfast Celtic to win the cup in their first season of senior football; his most prominent contribution to the game was a goal-line clearance after 10 minutes when goalkeeper Gough misjudged a high ball. [3]
He also picked up runners-up medals in 1930 and 1931, and in the latter final was watched by Bolton Wanderers. [4]
A scandal over amateurism saw Ballymena wound up in 1934, but McNinch signed for the phoenix Ballymena United side, as one of only three Irish players in the side. [5] After a disappointing 1935–36 season, McNinch was one of four United players to sign for Sligo Rovers in August, [6] but returned to the north in November when signing for Larne. [7]
He became the second player from the club (after Jimmy McCambridge) to earn an international cap, collecting the first of his three caps in February 1931, [8] a 0–0 draw against Scotland; after the match Liverpool and Preston North End both enquired about him, but the offers were turned down. [9] His second cap, the following September, came after outside-right Harry Duggan of Leeds United was unable to play, and regular right-back Hughie Blair was pushed up to his position, with McInch filling the vacancy. [10]
His final cap came in a 4–0 win over Wales in December 1931; despite marking Tommy Jones out of the game, [11] he was never chosen again. He had also played for the Irish League representative side twice in 1931, and would have one further appearance, against the Football League side in 1934. [12]
McNinch served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. He collapsed and died on 24 May 1970 while carrying a Ballymena Association banner at a Naval Association parade in Bangor. [13]