Johnny McGurk

Last updated

Johnny McGurk
Personal information
Sport Gaelic football
Position Half back
Born (1965-11-03) 3 November 1965 (age 59)
County Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Occupation Bid Manager
Club(s)
YearsClubApps (scores)
?–?
Lavey ?
Club titles
Derry titles 4
Ulster titles 2
All-Ireland Titles 1
Inter-county(ies)
YearsCountyApps (scores)
?–?
Derry ?
Inter-county titles
Ulster titles 2
All-Irelands 1
NFL 3?
All Stars 1

John McGurk (born 3 November 1965) is a former dual player of Gaelic games who played Gaelic football at senior level for the Derry county team in the 1980s and 1990s. He was part of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland Championship winning side and also won two Ulster Championships with the side. For his performances in the 1993 Championship he won an All Stars Award.

Contents

McGurk also won the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship in 1991 with his club Lavey, where he was captain. [1] He was one of very few players in Ireland to complete this unique double and almost did the extreme rarity of winning both competitions in the same year in 1993, but Lavey were defeated in the All-Ireland club after winning their second Ulster Senior Club Football Championship.

McGurk played most of football career in defence, but did play in attack for Lavey sometimes. [2]

Personal life

McGurk was born in Lavey, County Londonderry, and attended school at St Patrick's College, Maghera. All seven of his brothers were keen sportsmen. Anthony McGurk won All Star awards in 1973 and 1975, Collie was also in the 1993 panel and Hugh Martin captained Derry in the 1980s. [3]

He has three sons, James, Patrick and Marc and a daughter, Fíadh, with his girlfriend Helen, who won an All-Ireland intermediate club camogie championship with Lavey. [4]

In April 2016, McGurk pleaded guilty to the theft of £572,206 from a construction company between 2006 and 2011. [5] He was sentenced to ten months imprisonment in May 2016, [6] of which he served 5 and a half. [4]

Inter-county career

McGurk won an Ulster Minor Championship and All-Ireland Minor Championship with Derry in 1983. [7]

He made his Derry senior debut in 1988 as a 19-year-old against Antrim in the National Football League. [2] He was part of Derry's 1993 Ulster Championship and All-Ireland winning team, which beat Cork in the final. McGurk added a second Ulster Championship medal in 1998.

He won National Football League medals with Derry in 1992, 1995 and 1996.

Hurling

Among McGurk's hurling honours was winning the Ulster Under 21 Hurling Championship with Derry in 1986, defeating Antrim and Down along the way. He scored 1-01 against Antrim in the semi-final at Loughguile in a 2-20 to 1-06 victory. They beat Down in the final after a reply; 3-09 to 1-02. McGurk's brother Collie was also part of the panel. [8]

Club career

He made his club debut when 15 years old and won a large array of medals with Lavey. He won four Derry Senior Football Championships and two Ulster Senior Club Football Championship. The highlight of his club career was captaining Lavey to victory in the 1991 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship. He said "My greatest memory is of lifting the Cup and seeing the whole parish of Lavey down below me in Croke Park". [9] He also won the Derry Senior Hurling Championship on a number of occasions.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derry GAA</span> Gaelic games governing body

The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. The county board is also responsible for the Derry county teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ulster GAA</span> Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association

The Ulster Council is a provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, and handball in the province of Ulster. The headquarters of the Ulster GAA is based in the city of Armagh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lavey GAC</span> Derry-based Gaelic games club

Erin's Own GAC Lavey is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Catholic parish of Lavey, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently caters for Gaelic football, hurling, camogie and ladies' Gaelic football.

Michael Davitt's GAC Swatragh is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the village of Swatragh, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently caters for Gaelic football, hurling and camogie. The club is named after republican patriot and revolutionary Michael Davitt.

Lavey is a Roman Catholic parish in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Lavey is bordered by the parishes of Castledawson, Maghera, Ballyscullion (Bellaghy), Greenlough and Kilrea. The parish contains no particularly large settlements, although it accommodates a number of small villages and hamlets, in order of size, these are: Gulladuff, Knockloughrim, Culnady, Tamlaght O'Crilly and Curran. The parish contains around fifteen different townlands. The parish is also closely associated with the civil parish of Termoneeny which covers the southern half of Lavey. There is also a parish called Lavey in County Cavan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ballinascreen GAC</span> Derry-based Gaelic games club

St Colm's Ballinascreen GAC is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Ballinascreen, which includes the town of Draperstown, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA. It currently caters for Gaelic football, hurling, camogie and ladies' Gaelic football and have 25 teams across the four sports.

Tony "The Tiger" Scullion is a former dual player of Gaelic games who played Gaelic football and hurling with Derry in the 1980s and 1990s. He is chiefly known as a footballer and was part of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland Championship winning side, also winning Ulster Senior Football Championships in 1987 and 1993. With Derry footballers he usually played in the full-back line and is regarded as one of the best full-backs of his generation. Scullion played club football and hurling with St Colm's GAC Ballinascreen.

Henry Downey is a former dual player of Gaelic games, who played as a Gaelic footballer at senior level for the Derry county team in the late 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, where he usually played in at centre half back.

Kieran McKeever is a former dual player of Gaelic games who played Gaelic football and hurling for Derry during the late 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He is chiefly known as a footballer and was part of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winning side, also won Ulster Senior Football Championships in 1993 and 1998. With Derry footballers he usually played at corner-back and is regarded as one of the best defenders and tightest markers to have played the game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Limavady GAC</span> Derry-based Gaelic games club

Limavady Wolfhounds GAC is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Limavady, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of Derry GAA and currently caters for both Gaelic football and camogie.

Kevin McCloy is a dual player of Gaelic games who plays Gaelic football for the Derry county team, with whom he has won a National League title. He also won an All Star for his performances in the 2007 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. McCloy plays his club football for Erin's Own's Lavey.

Brian McGilligan is an Irish former dual player of Gaelic games, who played Gaelic football at senior level for the Derry county team in the 1980s and 1990s, especially the 1993 team. He was part of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland Championship winning side and also won two Ulster Championships with the side. For his performances in the 1987 and 1993 Championships he won two All Star awards.

Anthony 'Tony' McGurk is a former Gaelic footballer who played for the Derry county team in the 1970s and 1980s. He won three Ulster Championships with the side. McGurk played club football with Erin's Own GAC Lavey, where he won the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship in 1991, as well as Ulster Club and Derry Club Championships.

Barry McGoldrick is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for the Derry county team, with whom he has won a National League title. He is also the current team captain. At underage level he won the Ulster Minor and All-Ireland Minor Championships with the county.

Damian Cassidy, is a Gaelic football manager and former player for the Derry county team in the 1980s and 1990s, who was part of the county's 1993 All-Ireland Championship winning side, starting at left half forward. He also won two Ulster Senior Championship medals, three National League titles, and a range of under-age inter-county medals with the county. Cassidy played his club football for Bellaghy Wolfe Tones and won five Derry Championships and the 1994 Ulster Senior Club Football Championships with the club. For both club and county he usually played as a forward. Cassidy was also a talented hurler.

Derry GAA honours contains details of the achievements of Derry inter-county teams in the Gaelic games of Gaelic football, hurling, ladies' Gaelic football and camogie. It also where possible, lists the Derry team for each winning final.

Joe Cassidy is an Irish retired Gaelic footballer and currently a manager. He played for Derry between 1997 and 2001. Cassidy played his club football for Bellaghy Wolfe Tones and won the Ulster Senior Club Football Championship twice, and the Derry Senior Football Championship 6 times with the club. For both club and county Cassidy played in forward line.

Hugh Martin McGurk is an Irish former dual player of Gaelic games who played Gaelic football and hurling for Erin's Own Lavey and the Derry GAA team, of which he captained in the 1980s, and won the Ulster Senior Football Championship with in 1987.

The Derry county hurling team represents Derry GAA, the county board of the Gaelic Athletic Association, in the Gaelic sport of hurling. The team competes in the Christy Ring Cup and the National Hurling League.

Colm McGurk was a dual player of Gaelic games, i.e. hurling and Gaelic football, who played both sports for the Lavey club, as well as for both Derry senior teams. McGurk also served as a coach and manager at various levels.

References

  1. "Facts and Figures". 1998 Ulster Championship Quarter Final Programme. R & S Printers Ltd, Monaghan. 31 May 1998.
  2. 1 2 Corry, Eoghan (1993). Oakboys - Derry's Football Dream Come True. Dublin, Ireland: Torc Books Ltd. pp. 20–21. ISBN   1-898142-10-6.
  3. Quinn, Jerome (1993). Ulster football and hurling - The Path of Champions. Dublin: Wolfhound Press. p. 25. ISBN   0-86327-395-5..
  4. 1 2 "John McGurk: 'I lost my marriage, I left the house and I finished up in prison'". www.irishexaminer.com. 15 September 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  5. "Former Derry GAA star guilty of stealing £572,206". RTÉ.ie . 5 April 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  6. "Ex-GAA star Johnny McGurk begins 10-month jail sentence". The Irish News. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  7. "Derry Football Roll of Honour" . Retrieved 17 January 2008.
  8. "Will Derry be singing the Blues at Newry?". The Mid-Ulster Observer. 16 August 2007.
  9. "GAA: Caltra's fairytale journey reaches final destination". Western People. 17 March 2004. Archived from the original on 12 May 2006. Retrieved 6 April 2008.