| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Gaelic football | ||
| Position | Midfield | ||
| Born | County Armagh, Northern Ireland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
| Nickname | Floppy | ||
| Occupation | Accountant [1] | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
| Ballyhegan | |||
| Inter-county(ies) | |||
| Years | County | ||
1993-2008 | Armagh | ||
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Ulster titles | 7 | ||
| All-Irelands | 1 | ||
| NFL | 1 | ||
| All Stars | 2 | ||
Paul McGrane is an Irish Gaelic footballer who played at senior level for the Armagh county team in the 1990s and 2000s. He won an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medal, seven Ulster Championships and a National League title with the county. He also won two All Star awards.[ citation needed ]
McGrane plays club football for Ballyhegan Davitts.
McGrane is a midfielder. He is known as one of Armagh's best ever players. [2] In 2009 to mark the 125th anniversary of the Gaelic Athletic Association he was named by The Irish News as one of the all-time best 125 footballers from Ulster. [3]
In 1992 McGrane won the Ulster Minor Football League and Ulster Minor Football Championship with the Armagh Minor team. [1] Armagh finished runners-up to Meath in that year's All-Ireland Minor final. [3] He was captain of the Minor team that year. [3]
McGrane made his Senior inter-county Championship debut for Armagh against Fermanagh in May 1993. [1] He won his first Ulster Senior Football Championship medal with the county in 1999 [3] – the county's first Ulster Championship in 17 years. Armagh successfully defended their Ulster title the following year. [3]
In 2002, he helped Armagh win the Ulster Championship [4] as well as the county's first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. [3] McGrane received an All Star award for his performances that year. [3]
In 2003 Armagh once again reached the All-Ireland final, but were defeated by neighbours Tyrone. 2004 saw McGrane and Armagh again win the Ulster Championship. [5] In 2005, McGrane helped Armagh win the National League, beating Wexford in the final. [6] Later that year, he helped Armagh win another Ulster Championship. [7] Team captain Kieran McGeeney invited McGrane to lift the Anglo Celt Cup with him after the match. [8] McGrane was awarded a second All Star that year.
McGrane took over the Armagh captaincy in November 2005, after Kieran McGeeney retired. [9] Armagh completed a three-in-a-row of Ulster Championships in 2006, this time with McGrane as captain. [10] McGrane won another Ulster Championship medal with Armagh in 2008, [11] his seventh in all and second as captain.
McGrane retired from inter-county football in April 2009, due to a persistent knee injury. [9]
With Ballyhegan, McGrane has won the Armagh Junior Football Championship [1] (1995) and Armagh Intermediate Football Championship [1] (1997).
McGrane represented Ireland in the International Rules Series.[ when? ]
McGrane played for Ulster, and won the Railway Cup on ?[ quantify ] occasions with the province.
In 2012, McGrane established the Orchard Academy to help young Armagh Gaelic footballers develop their talent with a view to strengthen the county's footballing fortunes at underage and senior level. [12] [13]
In January 2015, McGrane was appointed assistant coach for the Armagh minor Gaelic football team under former county teammate Aidan O'Rourke [14] before taking on the manager's position a year later, [15] staying in this role until November 2018, when he was replaced by another former Armagh teammate Ciarán McKeever. [16]