Pete McGrath
Irish Gaelic footballer and manager (born 1953)
| Personal information | |||||||||
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| Sport | Gaelic football | ||||||||
| Born | County Down, Northern Ireland | ||||||||
| Occupation | Teacher | ||||||||
| Club management | |||||||||
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| Inter-county management | |||||||||
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| Inter-county titles | |||||||||
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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]
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
- 1 Down Senior Football Championship 1976
- 1 All-Ireland Higher Education Freshers Title (QUB, 1971–72)
- Manager
Ireland
- 1 Compromise Rules Series 2004
Ulster
- 1 Interprovincial 2016
Down
- 4 Dr McKenna Cup 1989, 1992, 1996, 1998
- 2 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1991, 1994
- 2 Ulster Senior Football Championship 1991, 1994
- 2 Ulster Under-21 Football Championship 2008, 2009
- 1 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship 1987
- 2 Ulster Minor Football Championship 1986 1987
- 1 National Football League Division 3 1997
Club
- 1 Down Senior League Football Division 1 2007
- 1 Louth League Division 1 2004
- 1 Down Under-21 Football Championship 2012
- 1 Ulster U21 Championship 2013 (with Bryansford)
School
- 4 Hogan Cup 1986, 1988, 1993, 1998 (with Ray Morgan)
- 6 McCrory Cup 1978, 1979, 1981,1988 1993 1998 (with Ray Morgan)
References
- ^ 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
- ^ Neil Loughran, 'The reluctant hero of Gaelic football, Peter Withnell'. Irish Examiner, 15 July 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2024
- ^ a b c "Down boss McGrath bids to repeat success of '87". Belfast Telegraph. 28 December 2010. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
- ^ a b "The Mentors". Celebrity Bainisteoir. RTÉ Television. March 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
- ^ a b (06:45–07:26) 'The GAA Social Pete McGrath. His life. Down legend'. BBC Sport NI, 11 June 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024
- ^ ’50 YEARS AGO: Queen’s win their first Freshers title’. Queen’s GAA Past Members Union, 22 March 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2024
- ^ 'Hall of Fame'. Queen's University Belfast Gaelic Football Club, 23 December 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2024
- ^ "Dream team for Down?". BBC Sport. 10 June 2002. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
- ^ "McGrath expresses interest in Down return". RTÉ Sport. 30 July 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
- ^ "Pete McGrath confirmed as Ireland Rules boss". BreakingNews.ie. 30 March 2004. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
- ^ "Cork 1-13 2-9 Down". BBC Sport. 4 May 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
- ^ "McGrath resigns as Down U21 boss". BBC Sport. 28 October 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
- ^ "McGrath gets Cooley job". Argus.ie. 12 December 2003. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
- ^ "All Ireland Football Championship: This is Down's biggest test yet, says Pete McGrath". Belfast Telegraph. 26 August 2010. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
- ^ "Down Senior Football Championship: Bryansford breeze to replay success". Belfast Telegraph. 30 September 2010. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
- ^ "A football education". Irish Examiner. 17 September 2010. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
- ^ "Pete McGrath appointed Down minor manager". BBC Sport. 22 October 2010. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
- ^ Declan Bogue, 'Age remains no barrier for Louth manager Pete McGrath'. Irish Examiner, 27 January 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018
- ^ 'Armagh too strong for Fermanagh in League Decider'. Ulster GAA, 27 April 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2024
- ^ "Pete McGrath steps down as Louth football manager". Irish Examiner. 5 July 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
- ^ 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 | ||
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| Preceded by Jackie McManus | Down Senior Football manager 1989-2002 | Succeeded by Paddy O'Rourke |
