Paul McGrane

Paul McGrane
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]

Playing career

Inter-county

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]

Club

With Ballyhegan, McGrane has won the Armagh Junior Football Championship[1] (1995) and Armagh Intermediate Football Championship[1] (1997).

International Rules

McGrane represented Ireland in the International Rules Series.[when?]

Province

McGrane played for Ulster, and won the Railway Cup on ?[quantify] occasions with the province.

Management and coaching

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]

Honours

Club
  • 1 Armagh Junior Football Championship 1995
  • 1 Armagh Intermediate Football Championship 1997
Inter-county
Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Senior Pen Pics - Paul McGrane". Official Armagh GAA website. Retrieved 13 April 2009. [dead link‍]
  2. ^ "Ulster's 125 - Armagh shortlist". The Irish News. 10 February 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Ulster's 125 - The province's 125 best footballers since 1884". The Irish News. 20 March 2009. Archived from the original on 22 January 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  4. ^ "Armagh win Ulster final". BBC Sport. 7 July 2002. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  5. ^ "Armagh outclass Donegal". BBC Sport. 11 July 2004. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  6. ^ "Wait is over for Armagh". Newry Democrat. 4 May 2005. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  7. ^ "McConville fires Armagh to glory". BBC Sport. 25 July 2005. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  8. ^ Keys, Colm (9 April 2009). "McGrane calls time on special Armagh career". Independent.ie. Independent News and Media. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  9. ^ a b "Armagh trio call it a day". BBC Sport. 9 April 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  10. ^ "Donegal 0-09 1-09 Armagh (match report)". BBC Sport. 9 July 2006. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  11. ^ "Armagh 1-11 0-8 Fermanagh (match report)". BBC Sport. 27 July 2008. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  12. ^ Brendan Crossan (3 June 2015). "Orchard sowing seeds for the next generation at Academy". The Irish News. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  13. ^ Declan Bogue (20 January 2018). "Armagh must get priorities in order amid fixture woe: Marsden". Belfast Telegraph. Independent News and Media. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  14. ^ Raf Diallo (15 January 2015). "O'Rourke takes on Armagh minor challenge". NewsTalk. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  15. ^ "Armagh 2002: Where are they now?". Gaelic Life. 26 May 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  16. ^ Fintan O'Toole (8 November 2018). "Former Armagh captain takes first step into inter-county management". The42.ie. TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 8 November 2018.