Tom McGuinness (Gaelic footballer)
Encyclopedia
Tom McGuinness is an Irish
retired Gaelic football
er who played for Derry
between 1968 and 1980. He won three Ulster Senior Football Championship
s with the county, as well as the Ulster Under 21
and All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
s.
McGuinness started his club career with Sarsfield's in his native Derry City
. He later played for Sean O'Leary's Newbridge
winning ? Derry Senior Football Championship medals with the club. McGuinness finished his club career at Steelstown
.
He usually played in midfield. He was shorter than most midfielders, but made up for this with his excellent spring and catching abilities, which drew McGuinness comparisons with Jim McKeever
. Along with his ability to out-jump bigger opponents was his capability to score long-range points and his free-running play was described as a "nightmare for defenders".
McGuinness is known as one of Derry's best ever players. Along with Mickey McNaught, he has been described as one of the two best ever players to come from Derry City.
in 19xx, and grew up just 50 yards from Celtic Park. He was educated at the Christian Brothers School (CBS) in the city. His brother Martin McGuinness
is a prominent Sinn Féin
politician and current Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland.
. He had much success win the South Derry club winning the Derry Senior Football Championship on ? occasions. When the Steelstown
club started up in Derry City he made a playing comeback, lending his experience to the younger players. He also was manager of Steelstown for a period.
and All-Ireland Under 21 Championship
s in 1968. He played in midfield alongside Seamus Lagan. Having reached the Ulster Under 21 final, they beat Monaghan
. In the All-Ireland semi-final Derry defeated a fancied Kerry
team with ease. In the All-Ireland final Derry met Offaly
in Croke Park
and won 3-09 to 1-09. The success was Derry's first ever All-Ireland Under 21 title.
That same year McGuinness made his debut for the Derry Senior team on 9 June 1968 against Down
. He soon established himself on the Senior team and became a long-time midfield parter of Larry Diamond. In 1970 McGuinness helped Derry win the Ulster Senior Football Championship
, overcoming Antrim
in the final. Derry met Kerry in the All-Ireland
semi-final, but were defeated.
In 1975
McGuinness and Derry again won the Ulster Championship, this time with victory over Down. They were however beaten by Dublin
in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final. They defended their Ulster title in 1976
, beating Cavan
in the final after a replay. Once again Derry lost in the All-Ireland semi-final, this time to Kerry.
McGuinness made his last Derry appearance on 8 June 1980 against Down - a day less than 12 years since his debut.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
retired Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er who played for Derry
Derry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...
between 1968 and 1980. He won three Ulster Senior Football Championship
Ulster Senior Football Championship
For information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...
s with the county, as well as the Ulster Under 21
Ulster Under-21 Football Championship
For the Senior equivalent see: Ulster Senior Football ChampionshipThe Ulster Under-21 Football Championship known for sponsorship reasons as the Cadbury Ulster Under-21 Football Championship is a Gaelic football tournament for players under the age of 21, contested by the nine counties of Ulster in...
and All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months...
s.
McGuinness started his club career with Sarsfield's in his native Derry City
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
. He later played for Sean O'Leary's Newbridge
Newbridge GAC
Seán O'Leary's GAC Newbridge is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Newbridge, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football and Camogie. They have won the Derry Senior Football Championship on ten occasions...
winning ? Derry Senior Football Championship medals with the club. McGuinness finished his club career at Steelstown
Steelstown GAC
Steelstown Brian Óg's GAC is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football and Ladies' Gaelic football....
.
He usually played in midfield. He was shorter than most midfielders, but made up for this with his excellent spring and catching abilities, which drew McGuinness comparisons with Jim McKeever
Jim McKeever
James "Jim" McKeever is an Irish former Gaelic footballer. He played for Derry in the late 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s and played club football for St. Trea's GFC Ballymaguigan and Seán O'Leary's GAC Newbridge...
. Along with his ability to out-jump bigger opponents was his capability to score long-range points and his free-running play was described as a "nightmare for defenders".
McGuinness is known as one of Derry's best ever players. Along with Mickey McNaught, he has been described as one of the two best ever players to come from Derry City.
Personal life
McGuinness was born in Derry CityDerry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
in 19xx, and grew up just 50 yards from Celtic Park. He was educated at the Christian Brothers School (CBS) in the city. His brother Martin McGuinness
Martin McGuinness
James Martin Pacelli McGuinness is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and the current deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. McGuinness was also the Sinn Féin candidate for the Irish presidential election, 2011. He was born in Derry, Northern Ireland....
is a prominent Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
politician and current Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland.
Club
McGuinness started his club career with Sarsfield's in Derry City. He later played for Sean O'Leary's NewbridgeNewbridge GAC
Seán O'Leary's GAC Newbridge is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Newbridge, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football and Camogie. They have won the Derry Senior Football Championship on ten occasions...
. He had much success win the South Derry club winning the Derry Senior Football Championship on ? occasions. When the Steelstown
Steelstown GAC
Steelstown Brian Óg's GAC is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football and Ladies' Gaelic football....
club started up in Derry City he made a playing comeback, lending his experience to the younger players. He also was manager of Steelstown for a period.
Inter-county
McGuinness first came to prominence as part of the Derry Under 21 side that won both the Ulster Under 21Ulster Under-21 Football Championship
For the Senior equivalent see: Ulster Senior Football ChampionshipThe Ulster Under-21 Football Championship known for sponsorship reasons as the Cadbury Ulster Under-21 Football Championship is a Gaelic football tournament for players under the age of 21, contested by the nine counties of Ulster in...
and All-Ireland Under 21 Championship
All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months...
s in 1968. He played in midfield alongside Seamus Lagan. Having reached the Ulster Under 21 final, they beat Monaghan
Monaghan GAA
The Monaghan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Monaghan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Monaghan and the Monaghan inter-county football and hurling teams. Separate county boards are responsible for the...
. In the All-Ireland semi-final Derry defeated a fancied Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
team with ease. In the All-Ireland final Derry met Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
in Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
and won 3-09 to 1-09. The success was Derry's first ever All-Ireland Under 21 title.
That same year McGuinness made his debut for the Derry Senior team on 9 June 1968 against Down
Down GAA
The Down County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Down GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Down...
. He soon established himself on the Senior team and became a long-time midfield parter of Larry Diamond. In 1970 McGuinness helped Derry win the Ulster Senior Football Championship
Ulster Senior Football Championship
For information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...
, overcoming Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...
in the final. Derry met Kerry in the All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
semi-final, but were defeated.
In 1975
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1975
-Leinster Senior Football Championship:-Munster Senior Football Championship:-Ulster Senior Football Championship:-Semi-Finals:-All-Ireland Final:...
McGuinness and Derry again won the Ulster Championship, this time with victory over Down. They were however beaten by Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final. They defended their Ulster title in 1976
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1976
-All-Ireland Final:...
, beating Cavan
Cavan GAA
The Cavan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Cavan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Cavan...
in the final after a replay. Once again Derry lost in the All-Ireland semi-final, this time to Kerry.
McGuinness made his last Derry appearance on 8 June 1980 against Down - a day less than 12 years since his debut.
Club
- Derry Senior Football Championship:
- Winner (?): Years?
- Runner up: Years?
- Derry Senior Football League:
- Winner (?): Years?
- Other club titles
Inter-county
- Ulster Senior Football ChampionshipUlster Senior Football ChampionshipFor information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...
:- Winner (3): 1970, 1975, 1976
- Runner up: 1971, 1977
- All-Ireland Under-21 Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months...
:- Winner (1): 1968
- Ulster Under-21 Football ChampionshipUlster Under-21 Football ChampionshipFor the Senior equivalent see: Ulster Senior Football ChampionshipThe Ulster Under-21 Football Championship known for sponsorship reasons as the Cadbury Ulster Under-21 Football Championship is a Gaelic football tournament for players under the age of 21, contested by the nine counties of Ulster in...
:- Winner (1/2?): 1967???, 1968
- Dr. McKenna Cup:
- Winner (?): 1969?, 1970?, 1971?, 1974?