| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Dual player | ||
| Football Position: | Full back | ||
| Hurling Position: | Midfield | ||
| Born | 26 October 1978 Lavey, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
| Occupation | Civil engineer [1] | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
199–present | Lavey | ||
| Club titles | |||
| Football | Hurling | ||
| Derry titles | 0 | 5 | |
| Inter-county(ies) | |||
| Years | County | ||
2001–2012 ?–2000 | Derry (F) Derry (H) | ||
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Football | Hurling | ||
| Ulster Titles | 0 | 1 | |
| All-Ireland Titles | 0 | 0 | |
| League titles | 1 | 0 | |
| All-Stars | 1 | 0 | |
Kevin McCloy (born 26 October 1978) [1] 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.
As a dual player, he also plays hurling for Lavey, and has in the past also hurled for Derry - winning an Ulster Senior Hurling Championship medal. He is well known for wearing his candystriped stockings above knee level.
In football, he is seen as a tough, old-fashioned full back, who is also very competent with the ball in his hands going forward and a good reader of the game. [2] Although full back is his usual position, he has said he prefers to play at centre half back and has done so on occasion for Derry and Lavey. [3]
McCloy matured late in football terms and he never played at Minor or Under 21 level for Derry. [4] He joined the Senior team during the 2000/2001 National Football League [5] and made his Championship debut in 2001 against Antrim. [6]
McCloy missed the 2004 Championship through injury, [2] but had an exceptional year in 2005. He was nominated for an All Star. [7]
McCloy had another impressive season in 2007. Regular captain Kevin McGuckin got injured in the latter stages of the National League and McCloy became stand-in captain on the field of play that summer until McGuckin's return. After being knocked out of the Ulster Championship by Monaghan at the semi-final stage, Derry advanced through the qualifiers with victories over Armagh, Mayo and Laois. Against Mayo McCloy shattered his little finger in three places while getting an accidental kick from Conor Mortimer. He displaced the bones so bad that they were pushed up beyond his knuckle. He played on and played against Laois two weeks later. Derry were paired with Dublin in the All-Ireland quarter-final. Nine days before the tie McCloy had an operation on the finger. The surgeon told him not to play contact sport for 10 weeks and if he did he would risk never having the full use of his finger again. He contacted 10 doctors to see if any would administer a painkilling injection, but they all refused. McCloy played the game and despite finishing on the losing side in a tight encounter, McCloy was awarded man of the match. [8] On 19 October 2007 McCloy was named at full back on the 2007 All Star team. The award is the fifth All Star from the Lavey club, following in the footsteps of Anthony McGurk (twice), Johnny McGurk and Henry Downey.
McCloy was named new Derry captain for the 2008 season. [9] During the match against Dublin the previous year, he hit Mark Vaughan with a great shoulder tackle, however the tackle left McCloy with whiplash, hurting his other shoulder and also giving him groin problems which limited his appearances in the 2008 National League. [10] The start of McCloy's 2008 season was an injury hit one [11] - making just two substitute appearance in the Dr. McKenna Cup. He played seven games in the 2008 National League, three coming as a substitute. One of these substitute appearances came in the final, where he broke down injured in the warm-up, but came on later in the game. [11] Derry defeated Kerry in the final. [12] [13] The league success saw Derry become favourites to win the Ulster Championship [14] and one of the top few for the All-Ireland. However, despite a good opening victory against Donegal, [15] Derry exited the Ulster Championship against Fermanagh at the semi-final stage [16] and were defeated by Monaghan in the first round of the Qualifiers. [17]
McCloy was part of Ulster's 2007 Railway Cup winning team. [1]
McCloy was asked to attend trials for the Ireland team for the 2008 International Rules Series. [18] He impressed initially and survived the initial cull of players from the squad, [18] but did not make the final 27-man squad for the trip to Australia, and was instead named as one of six standby players. [19]
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McCloy's first taste of inter-county action was with the Derry hurling team. McCloy won the 2000 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship with Derry, the county's first Ulster hurling title in 92 years. [2] He left the hurling team when the footballers called him up the next season. [2]
With Lavey McCloy has won the Derry Senior Hurling Championship on 96 occasions.[ vague ]
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.
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.
The Ulster Senior Football Championship is an inter-county and cross-border competition for Gaelic football teams in the Irish province of Ulster. It is organised by the Ulster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and begins in April. The final is played in May but traditionally was usually played on the third Sunday in July.
Anthony Tohill is an Irish former Gaelic footballer who played for the Derry county team in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Patrick Bradley is an Irish sportsman who plays Gaelic football for John Mitchel's Glenullin and the Derry county team. With the county he has won two National League titles, and individually an All Stars Award for his performance in the 2007 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.
Eoin Bradley is a Gaelic footballer and association footballer. He plays the former for the Glenullin club and, previously, for the Derry county team. With Glenullin he won a Derry Senior Football Championship and with Derry he won a National League title. Bradley usually plays corner forward for both club and county – often paired in a two-man inside forward line with brother Patsy, but has also played in the half-forward line. He is known for his searing pace, point scoring abilities, fantastic goals and surging runs through opposing teams' defence. His "reckless adventure" and liability to do the unexpected is also part of his effectiveness. Although a great talent, in the past he has been criticised for some of his shot selections from ridiculous angles. However, since 2011 his decision-making in front of goal has greatly improved, which has put down to manager John Brennan.
Enda Muldoon is a former Gaelic footballer who played for the Derry county team and has won an Ulster Senior Football Championship and two National League titles with the county, as well as Ulster Minor, Ulster Under 21 and All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championships. He also won an All Star Award for his performances in the 2004 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.
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.
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. He was part of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland Championship winning side, where he was captain. He also won two Ulster Senior Football Championships and four National League medals with Derry. He also played hurling.
Seán Marty Lockhart is an Irish dual player of Gaelic games who plays Gaelic football for the Derry county team. He has won an Ulster Senior Football Championship and three National League titles with the county, as well an All-Ireland Under 21 Championship. He also won an All Star for his performances in the 1998 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. He plays club football for St Mary's Banagher. As a dual player, Lockhart also plays hurling for Banagher, and has in the past also hurled for Derry.
John McGurk 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.
John Deighan is a Gaelic footballer who plays for the Derry county team, with whom he has won a National League title. He plays his club football for Limavady Wolfhounds GAC. He plays as goalkeeper for Derry.
Niall McCusker is a Gaelic footballer who plays for the Derry county team, with whom he has won two National League titles. He is the current Derry vice-captain.
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.
Paddy Crozier is an Irish Gaelic football manager and former player who managed the Derry county team between 2006 and 2008, guiding the county to a National League title. He has also managed a number of club teams and Derry underage teams. Crozier currently manages Omagh St Enda's. He was a distant relation of former Derry manager Eamonn Coleman.
Damian Cassidy, is a former 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.
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.
Christopher McKaigue is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for the Derry county team.
The Donegal county football team represents Donegal in men's Gaelic football and is governed by Donegal GAA, the county board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The team competes in the three major annual inter-county competitions; the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Ulster Senior Football Championship and the National Football League.
The Derry county football team represents Derry GAA, the county board of the Gaelic Athletic Association, in the Gaelic sport of football. The team competes in the three major annual inter-county competitions; the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Ulster Senior Football Championship and the National Football League.
