Neil McGee

Neil McGee
Personal information
Irish name Niall Mac Aoidh[1]
Sport Gaelic football
Position Full Back
Born (1985-11-13) 13 November 1985 (age 39)
Letterkenny, Ireland
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Occupation Roofer[2]
Club(s)
Years Club
2002–
 Gaoth Dobhair
Club titles
Donegal titles 3
Ulster titles 1
Inter-county(ies)
Years County Apps (scores)
2005–2022
 Donegal 195 (0–0)
Inter-county titles
Ulster titles 5
All-Irelands 1
NFL 1
All Stars 3

Neil McGee (born 13 November 1985)[3] is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for Gaoth Dobhair and, formerly, both the Donegal county team and the Ireland international rules football team.

From Gweedore in County Donegal, he won three All Stars, one All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title, five Ulster Senior Football Championship titles and one National Football League title with his county, an Ulster Senior Club Football Championship title with his club and two International Rules Series with his country.

Playing career

Club

He made his championship debut for his club against Na Piarsaigh on 23 June 2002.[4] By 2023 he had won three Donegal Senior Football Championship (SFC) titles with his club: in 2002, 2006 and 2018; and he had played for his club in 22 consecutive championship campaigns, including in 32 consecutive championship games between 2002 and 2009.[4] Ahead of the 2023 Donegal Senior Football Championship final, he had made 98 appearances in the club championship (93 in the Donegal SFC and 5 in the Ulster and All-Ireland Club SFC).[4]

McGee, as noted above, won his first Donegal SFC title in 2002.

In 2006, his club returned to the Donegal SFC final. McGee played as his team won a 14th title, in one of the worst Donegal county finals ever.[5]

McGee won the 2018 Donegal Senior Football Championship, a first for the club since 2006.[6] He then played during Gaoth Dobhair's first ever Ulster Senior Club Football Championship-winning campaign later in 2018, defeating Crossmaglen Rangers in the Ulster semi-final at Healy Park in Omagh to qualify for the final.[7] In the final against Scotstown, Gaoth Dobhair won.[8][9]

He has often played with his brother Peter.[10]

Inter-county

Brian McEniff gave McGee his Donegal senior debut against Fermanagh in the 2005 Dr McKenna Cup on 2 January 2005.[11] He played in the 2006 Ulster Senior Football Championship final at Croke Park.[12]

McGee was part of the Donegal senior team that won the county's first National Football League against Mayo in 2007.[13][14] It was the first piece of silverware the county senior team had lifted since 1992.

In Jim McGuinness's first game in charge of Donegal, a drab 2011 National Football League draw with the perennially underachieving Sligo, McGee pulled a hamstring, was moved to the full-forward line and scored a goal in the latest manifestation of Sligo's notorious inability to succeed. McGee was out injured for four weeks after that game but when he returned he established himself as Donegal's first-choice full-back in the team's march towards the 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final.[15] Donegal won.[16]

He scored a goal against Sligo in the 2011 National League.[17]

In 2011, McGee won his first All Star award.[18] He added another in 2012.

He also won his first Ulster SFC in 2011.[19] This was followed by his second in 2012.[20] He attended the Football Tour of New York.[21]

In 2013, McGee made his 100th appearance for Donegal in the county's opening National Football League against Kildare at Croke Park, becoming the sixth footballer then playing for the team to reach that mark following Christy Toye, Colm McFadden, Rory Kavanagh, Karl Lacey and McGee's own brother Eamon (they were also the first set of brothers to ever reach 100 Donegal appearances).[11]

He won his third Ulster SFC in 2014.[22]

In 2016, he lost his appeal against the red card and a subsequent two-match ban picked up in the Ulster Championship quarter-final win over Fermanagh.[23]

Two years later, he lost his appeal against the red card he picked up for an alleged knee up the back of an opponent in the Ulster SFC semi-final win over Down.[24] Thus he missed Donegal's 2018 Ulster Senior Football Championship final victory over Fermanagh.[25]

He equalled Colm McFadden's record of 173 appearances for Donegal when he came on as a second half substitute in the final round of the 2019 National Football League, a victory over Kildare.[26] He then broke McFadden's record with his 174th appearance for his county against Meath as a substitute in the final at Croke Park, also won by Donegal.[27][28]

He won his fifth Ulster SFC in 2019.[29]

Shortly before his 37th birthday, and with a record 195 appearances for the team, McGee announced his retirement from inter-county football in an exclusive interview given to Frank Craig and published in the Donegal News on 29 September 2022.[30][31][32]

Inter-provincial

McGee played for Ulster in the Inter-Provincial Series.[33]

International rules

McGee thrice represented Ireland against Australia in the International Rules Series: in 2011, 2013 and 2014. Ireland won the first two[34][35] and lost the third.[citation needed] According to Eoin Liston, who has worked with any of the Irish teams, McGee was "tailor-made" for international rules football.[36]

Coaching career

In August 2023, McGee was confirmed as being on the backroom team of Jim McGuinness, as McGuinness began his second spell as manager of the Donegal senior team.[37]

Honours

Donegal
Gaoth Dobhair
Ulster
Colleges
Ireland
Individual

References

  1. ^ "Two changes for clash with Roscommon". Donegal News. 10 February 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  2. ^ "He's a roofer by trade": Jim McGuinness during pre-match analysis on Sky Sports (2020 Ulster Senior Football Championship semi-final: Armagh vs Donegal, 14 November 2020), explaining McGee's susceptibility to back spasms as a result of his work.
  3. ^ "Neil McGee will turn 35 on Friday week…". Donegal News. 5 November 2020. p. 60.
  4. ^ a b c Statistics for McGee's club championship games as far as the 2023 Donegal Senior Football Championship final compiled by Fr Seán Ó Gallchóir and published as follows: "McGee brothers approaching the ton". Donegal News. 19 October 2023. p. 62.
  5. ^ "Gweedore cash in as smash and grab raid sinks Eunan's". Irish Independent. 16 October 2006. Retrieved 16 October 2006.
  6. ^ Campbell, Peter (21 October 2018). "Gaoth Dobhair end 12 years of pain with dominant display". RTÉ Sport. Archived from the original on 6 November 2018.
  7. ^ Mooney, Francis (18 November 2018). "Gaoth Dobhair on the goal trail to book maiden Ulster final spot". RTÉ Sport. Archived from the original on 20 November 2018.
  8. ^ Boyle, Donnchadh (3 December 2018). "Composed Ferry has final say as Gaoth Dobhair see off Scotstown: Carey sees red as Monaghan men come up just short in Ulster decider". Irish Independent. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  9. ^ Mooney, Francis (2 December 2018). "Gaoth Dobhair edge out Scotstown in extra-time to win historic Ulster title". RTÉ Sport. Archived from the original on 3 December 2018.
  10. ^ "McGee brothers make a little bit of family history". 25 September 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  11. ^ a b McNulty, Chris (1 February 2013). "Neil McGee set for 100th game". Donegal News. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  12. ^ "Donegal 0-09 1-09 Armagh". BBC Sport. 9 July 2006. Retrieved 9 July 2006.
  13. ^ "Donegal win National League title". BBC Sport. 22 April 2007. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  14. ^ a b "Donegal achieve historic win — First national league title comes to county after victory over Mayo". Donegal Times. 25 April 2007. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2007.
  15. ^ Bogue, Declan (19 September 2012). "McGee primed for hard marking to pass Donegal's final test". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  16. ^ a b "Donegal 2–11 Mayo 0–13". RTÉ Sport. 23 September 2012. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
  17. ^ "Donegal snatch a draw". Irish Independent. 6 February 2011. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
  18. ^ "Donegal trio named in All Star Football selection". BBC Sport. 21 October 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  19. ^ a b "Donegal 1–11 Derry 0-08". RTÉ Sport. 17 July 2011. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
  20. ^ a b "Ulster Senior Football Final: Donegal 2–18 0–13 Down". BBC Sport. 22 July 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  21. ^ McNulty, Chris (13 November 2012). "Replacement All-Star for Thompson". Donegal News. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  22. ^ a b "Donegal reverse 2013 result to claim Ulster football title". The42.ie. 20 July 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  23. ^ "Neil McGee loses his appeal against Fermanagh red card: The Donegal full back is to sit out two games after 'striking with the arm' ban upheld". The Irish Times. 22 June 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
  24. ^ a b "McGee red card appeal rejected". Hogan Stand. 16 June 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  25. ^ a b Mooney, Francis (24 June 2018). "Energetic Donegal end Fermanagh's Ulster title dream". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  26. ^ Branigan, Peter (24 March 2019). "Murphy masterclass fires Donegal back to top flight". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 24 March 2019. Neil McGee was introduced to equal the Donegal appearances record of Colm McFadden on 173.
  27. ^ "Record breaking Neil McGee on a memorable night at Croke Park". Highland Radio. 31 March 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2019. The Gaoth Dobhair full back broke the record for Donegal appearances on Saturday as he was launched from the bench in the first half to take to the field for the 174th time in a Donegal shirt…
  28. ^ a b O'Brien, Kevin (30 March 2019). "Murphy masterclass helps Donegal to Division 2 glory after comeback win over Meath". The42.ie. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  29. ^ a b Sweeney, Peter (23 June 2019). "Donegal power past Cavan to claim Ulster title". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
  30. ^ Craig, Frank (29 September 2022). "McGee checks out". Donegal News. Published as "McGee checks out…" in the Donegal News of the same date, 29 September 2022: pp 96 (back page); 88 (interview, "McGee steps away").
  31. ^ "Neil McGee retires from Donegal duty aged 37". Hogan Stand. 29 September 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  32. ^ "Donegal stalwart Neil McGee retires aged 37". RTÉ Sport. 29 September 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  33. ^ "Murphy to spearhead Ulster challenge". Hogan Stand. 13 February 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  34. ^ "Australia 36–80 Ireland". RTÉ Sport. 28 October 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  35. ^ "Ireland 116–37 Australia". RTÉ Sport. 26 October 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  36. ^ Craig, Frank (20 July 2019). "'Bomber' expecting a shootout". Donegal News. Retrieved 20 July 2019. 'Look at the heart, strength and the pace he operates at', [Liston] said on the Gaoth Dobhair man. 'He's another born leader [like Michael Murphy]. He's ferociously competitive and to the bitter end. He plays on the edge. He's a supreme footballer. But he has got that little bit of bite to him… Another great lad that[sic] I really enjoyed being in the company of. Any side would love to have that drive at the heart of their defence'.
  37. ^ "Donegal confirm return of Jim McGuinness as manager". RTÉ Sport. 21 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  38. ^ "Donegal team clean up on Sunday Game Team of the Year". 23 September 2012. Retrieved 23 September 2012.