Pete McGrath

Last updated

Peter McGrath
Personal information
SportGaelic football
Born County Down, Northern Ireland
OccupationTeacher
Club management
YearsClub
Rostrevor
Inter-county management
YearsTeam
1989-2002
2014-2017		 Down
Fermanagh
Inter-county titles
CountyLeagueProvinceAll-Ireland
Down 163

Peter McGrath (born 6 June 1953), from Rostrevor, County Down, is an Irish former Gaelic footballer and current manager. He managed the Down senior football team to the All-Ireland titles in 1991 and 1994. [1] [2]

Contents

Professional career

McGrath was employed for almost thirty years as a physical education teacher at St Colman's College, Newry. [3] He retired from this position in 2006. [4]

Playing career

McGrath played at all grades for Rostrevor GAC, including togging out for the first team aged only 15, and represented St Colman's at all levels of schools' competition; he also played for Down Minors. [5] McGrath captained the first Queen's University team to win the All-Ireland Freshers title by defeating UCD 2-16 to 0-6 in Dundalk in March 1973. [6] [7]

Management career

In 1987 McGrath was in charge of the Down team that won the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship. [3] He managed the Down senior team between 1989 and 2002 [8] and was at the helm when Down won the Ulster and All Ireland Senior Championships in 1991 and 1994. [9] He managed the Ireland team in the International Rules Series in 2004 [10] and 2005. [4]

McGrath managed the Down U-21 team to the All Ireland final in 2009, [11] before stepping down in October 2009. [12]

McGrath has had spells in club management with Cooley Kickhams, [13] An Riocht [14] and Bryansford. [15] He also coached the Gaelic football teams at St Colman's College, guiding them to five Hogan Cup wins between 1975 and 1998. [16]

In October 2010, he returned to county management after being named as the Down minor manager on a three-year term, his second time in charge of the team. [3] [17]

He was twice manager of the Fermanagh Senior Football team and took the team to the All-Ireland quarter-final in 2015 after having gained promotion to Division Two of the National Football League for 2016. [18] [19]

He managed the Louth senior football team in 2018 but resigned after ten months into a two-year term following a shock Championship defeat to Leitrim. [20]

He managed his native club St Bronagh's, Rostrevor, for three years having taken over for the 2019 season, the club's centenary year. He remains in charge of the club's minor team. [5]

McGrath was appointed manager of Antrim GAA club Aghagallon in March 2023. [21]

Honours

Player
Manager

Ireland

Ulster

Down

Club

School

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References

  1. ↑ Declan Bogue, 'Pete McGrath: why I still savour my All-Ireland glory with Down in 94'. Belfast Telegraph, 18 May 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2024
  2. ↑ Neil Loughran, 'The reluctant hero of Gaelic football, Peter Withnell'. Irish Examiner, 15 July 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2024
  3. 1 2 3 "Down boss McGrath bids to repeat success of '87". Belfast Telegraph. 28 December 2010. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
  4. 1 2 "The Mentors". Celebrity Bainisteoir. RTÉ Television. March 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  5. 1 2 (06:45–07:26) 'The GAA Social Pete McGrath. His life. Down legend'. BBC Sport NI, 11 June 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024
  6. ↑ ’50 YEARS AGO: Queen’s win their first Freshers title’. Queen’s GAA Past Members Union, 22 March 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2024
  7. ↑ 'Hall of Fame'. Queen's University Belfast Gaelic Football Club, 23 December 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2024
  8. ↑ "Dream team for Down?". BBC Sport. 10 June 2002. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
  9. ↑ "McGrath expresses interest in Down return". RTÉ Sport. 30 July 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
  10. ↑ "Pete McGrath confirmed as Ireland Rules boss". BreakingNews.ie. 30 March 2004. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
  11. ↑ "Cork 1-13 2-9 Down". BBC Sport. 4 May 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  12. ↑ "McGrath resigns as Down U21 boss". BBC Sport. 28 October 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
  13. ↑ "McGrath gets Cooley job". Argus.ie. 12 December 2003. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  14. ↑ "All Ireland Football Championship: This is Down's biggest test yet, says Pete McGrath". Belfast Telegraph. 26 August 2010. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  15. ↑ "Down Senior Football Championship: Bryansford breeze to replay success". Belfast Telegraph. 30 September 2010. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  16. ↑ "A football education". Irish Examiner. 17 September 2010. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  17. ↑ "Pete McGrath appointed Down minor manager". BBC Sport. 22 October 2010. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
  18. ↑ Declan Bogue, 'Age remains no barrier for Louth manager Pete McGrath'. Irish Examiner, 27 January 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018
  19. ↑ 'Armagh too strong for Fermanagh in League Decider'. Ulster GAA, 27 April 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2024
  20. ↑ "Pete McGrath steps down as Louth football manager". Irish Examiner . 5 July 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  21. ↑ Neil Loughran, '"If you don't bend, you'll break": Pete McGrath on remaining relevant as Aghagallon prepare for Cargin showdown']. Irish News, 8 September 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2024
Sporting positions
Preceded by Down Senior Football manager
1989-2002		Succeeded by
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