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]
| 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 | ||
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
- 1 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2002
- 7 Ulster Senior Football Championship 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008
- 1 National Football League 2005
- 1 Ulster Minor Football Championship 1992
- Individual
- 2All Star 2002, 2005