All-Ireland champions who won big in other codes as Tyrone's Conor McKenna claims AFL glory
Some All-Ireland winners have tasted FA Cup glory with the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as enjoying managerial success with Ajax.
Conor McKenna’s success with Brisbane Lions in Saturday’s AFL Grand Final places him in a number of unique groups.
Not many Irish men have played in Grand Finals, fewer still have won one, while he’s one of only two to have an All-Ireland medal to boot.
Examples of All-Ireland winners who have claimed major honours in another code are rare - and here are some of the more notable ones.
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Kevin Moran
It’s highly doubtful that there’ll ever be a sporting career quite like Kevin Moran’s again.
An outstanding centre-back on the Dublin team that won All-Irelands in 1976 and ‘77, Moran was on the books of Bohemians and Pegasus and, having been spotted by Manchester United scout Billy Behan, he signed for the Red Devils in 1978.
Remarkably, he continued to make himself available for Dublin as he found his feet at United and played in the 1978 All-Ireland final loss to Kerry, before it inevitably became unworkable. Moran established himself at centre-half and won FA Cup medals in 1983 and ‘85. He also had spells with Sporting Gijon and Blackburn Rovers.
He won 71 caps for Ireland and played in Euro ‘88 and Italia ‘90 while he was also part of the squad at the 1994 World Cup though didn’t feature due to injury before retiring immediately after the tournament at the age of 38.
Tadhg Kennelly
Kennelly’s career profile is different to the likes of Moran and McKenna in that he claimed major honours in his chosen professional code before scaling the summit in Gaelic football. Kennelly starred for Kerry at underage level, winning Munster minor and under-21 titles but was enticed down under to sign for the Sydney Swans in 1999, eventually making his AFL debut in 2001.
He was an ever-present as the Swans won the AFL Premiership in 2005, becoming the first Irishman to win a Grand Final, but had always spoken of his desire to emulate his father Tim and brother Noel by winning an All-Ireland with Kerry. He returned and did just that in 2009, also picking up an All Star, before quickly resuming his Australian rules career as he played another two seasons for the Swans before retiring.
Jack Kirwan
Not a name that rolls off the lips but Kirwan’s achievements command respect, well over a century after his career hit its peak. A Wicklow native, Kirwan played for the Young Irelands club in Dublin’s inner city and in the early years of the GAA when club sides were essentially put forward to represent the county, he was part of the Dublin team that won the 1894 All-Ireland SFC, when Gaelic football was 17-aside and a goal was worth five points.
Indeed, the circumstances of their victory were truly bizarre as, with the final against Cork having gone to a replay, played in April 1895, a row broke out and supporters swarmed the field. With Cork leading the game at the time, the Dublin team then walked off in protest, crying foul that one of their players had been assaulted. In the ensuing disciplinary process, Cork were deemed responsible for the unruly scenes and Dublin were awarded the title.
He later played in Dublin’s 1898 All-Ireland defeat when Limerick won their only title, the same year that he became the first Irishman to play for Everton.
The winger moved on to Tottenham Hotspur after one season and won the FA Cup with the North Londoners in 1901, their first victory in the competition, while he also played for Chelsea, Clyde and Leyton, as well as winning 17 caps for Ireland.
He subsequently moved to Amsterdam and became Ajax’s first professional manager and led them into the Dutch top flight for the first time. He also managed Bohemians and Italian side Livorno. Kirwan died in 1959, aged 86.
Mick Deegan
While honours won in domestic Irish soccer don’t quite match up with accolades won by Moran and Kirwan cross-channel, there are several All-Ireland winners who have claimed the biggest prizes that soccer has to offer - on both sides of the border.
Among the more notable in that regard, and one that has largely flown under the radar, is former Dublin defender Mick Deegan, an ultra reliable defender on the county’s All-Ireland winning side of 1995. That same year, Deegan also won the Irish League with North Belfast club Crusaders and picked up a second title in 1997.
There are similar examples down south too, including Dave Barry, an All-Ireland SFC winner with Cork in 1989 and ‘90, a League of Ireland champion with Cork City in 1993, while Peter Withnell, ace forward on Down’s All-Ireland winning side of 1991, won the League of Ireland with Dundalk in 1995.
Mick Galwey
A 19-year-old Galwey was an All-Ireland winner with Kerry in 1986 and was introduced during their semi-final win over Meath that year, though he only made one further Championship appearance for the Kingdom, three years later.
It was in rugby that he excelled, however, winning six AIL titles with a brilliant Shannon team in the ‘90s, including four-in-a-row from 1995-98. The second row won 41 caps for Ireland from 1991-2002 and captained the side as well as touring New Zealand with the Lions in 1993.
He also enjoyed notable success with Munster, captaining them to Heineken Cup finals in 2000 and ‘02, which were lost to Northampton and Leicester, though he finally got his hands on a major honour with the province when winning the Celtic League (now the URC) in 2003 before retiring.
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