Gearóid McKiernan

Gearóid McKiernan (born 17 September 1990) is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for the Cavan county team. He plays with the Cavan Gaels club, and formerly with his home club Swanlinbar.[1]

Gearóid McKiernan
Personal information
Irish name Gearóid Mac Thiarnán
Sport Gaelic Football
Position Centre forward
Born (1990-09-17) 17 September 1990
Height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Club(s)
Years Club
–2019
2020–
 Swanlinbar
Cavan Gaels
Inter-county(ies)*
Years County Apps (scores)
2011–
 Cavan 36 (5-103)
Inter-county titles
Ulster titles 1
*Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 8 May 2022.

Playing career

Swanlinbar

McKiernan joined the Swanlinbar club at a young age and played at all grades underage.

McKiernan was on the Swanlinbar team in 2006 that won the Cavan Junior Football Championship.

Swanlinbar reached the Junior final again in 2009, but were beaten by Butlersbridge.[2]

The following year Swanlinbar were back in the Junior Final, where they faced 2006 runners-up Munterconnaught. McKiernan won his second Junior Championship medal and was named man of the match in the final.[3] Swanlinbar later progressed to the final of the Ulster Junior Club Football Championship, where they faced Monaghan champions Corduff. Corduff won the final by five points.[4] However it was later revealed that Corduff played an ineligible player, and after an appeal Swanlinbar were crowned Ulster Junior Champions.[5] Swanlinbar later played Meath's Ballinabrackey in the All-Ireland semi-final, winning by 0-5 to 0-4.[6] Swanlinbar faced St Mary's of Kerry in the final at Croke Park on 12 February 2011. Swanlinbar were outclassed in the final and fell to a fourteen-point defeat.[7]

Cavan Gaels

In late 2019, McKiernan transferred from Swanlinbar to Cavan Gaels ahead of the 2020 season.[8]

On 31 July 2022, McKiernan was in the full forward line as the Gaels faced Crosserlough in the league final. McKiernan scored 3-14 but came out on the losing side, with Crosserlough winning by 6-18 to 4-23 after extra-time.[9][10]

Minor and under-21

McKiernan first played for Cavan at minor level, however he had no success at this grade.

McKiernan later progressed to the Under-21 team. On 7 April 2010, McKiernan lined out at midfield in a 2-8 to 0-7 defeat in the Ulster Final against Donegal.[11]

McKiernan captained the side in the 2011 season. Cavan once again reached the Ulster Final, this time against Tyrone. On 13 April 2011, McKiernan scored 2 points from midfield in the final as Cavan secured their first under-21 title since 1996.[12] Cavan defeated Wexford in the All-Ireland semi-final later that week to reach the final against Galway.[13][14] On 1 May 2011, McKiernan captained Cavan from midfield in the All-Ireland final. Cavan were outclassed on the day and fell to a 2-16 to 1-9 defeat.[15]

Senior

McKiernan joined the senior squad after the under-21 success in 2011.[16] On 12 June 2011, McKiernan scored a point on his championship debut in an Ulster quarter-final defeat by Donegal.[17]

McKiernan missed the entirety of Cavan's 2013 season with a cruciate ligament injury.[18]

On 27 April 2014, McKiernan was at midfield as Cavan faced Roscommon in the National League Division 3 Final. McKiernan scored 0-2 but Roscommon were winners on a 1-17 to 0-18 scoreline.[19]

McKiernan captained Cavan in the 2016 season. On 3 April, McKiernan scored five points against Galway in the National League as Cavan earned promotion to the top flight for the first time in 15 years.[20] McKiernan started the Division 2 Final against Tyrone on 24 April, scoring three points in the five-point defeat.[21]

Cavan faced Roscommon in the National League Division 2 Final on 1 April 2018. McKiernan scored a point in the 4–16 to 4–12 loss.[22]

On 9 June 2019, Cavan faced Armagh in the Ulster semi-final replay. McKiernan scored three points from play as Cavan reached their first Ulster Final since 2001.[23] On 23 June 2019, McKiernan started at midfield in the Ulster Final against Donegal. McKiernan scored six points, but Donegal ran out five-point winners.[24]

On 22 November 2020, Cavan met Donegal in the Ulster Final for the second year in a row. McKiernan started at centre forward and scored two points as Cavan won their first title since 1997.[25] McKiernan scored a point in the All-Ireland semi-final loss Dublin on 5 December.[26] McKiernan was nominated for an All-Star award for the first time at the end of the season.[27]

On 2 April 2022, McKiernan started the National League Division 4 final against Tipperary at Croke Park, and scored a point in the 2-10 to 0-15 win.[28] McKiernan started the inaugural Tailteann Cup final against Westmeath on 9 July. McKiernan scored 3 points but Westmeath finished strongly and came out four-point winners.[29] McKiernan was named on the Tailteann Cup Team of the Year at the end of the season.[30]

Personal life

He married Cavan ladies' footballer Donna English on 9 June 2021.[31]

Career Statistics
As of match played 8th May 2022.
Team Year National League Ulster All-Ireland Total
Division Apps Score Apps Score Apps Score Apps Score
Cavan 2011 Division 3 1 0-01 1 0-00 2 0-01
2012 1 0-01 2 1-03 3 1-04
2013 - - Missed entire season due to a cruciate ligament injury - -
2014 1 0-02 2 0-01 3 0-03
2015 Division 2 1 0-02 2 1-07 3 1-09
2016 3 0-10 2 0-09 5 0-19
2017 Division 1 1 0-01 2 1-07 3 1-08
2018 Division 2 1 0-07 3 1-12 4 1-19
2019 Division 1 4 0-15 1 0-02 5 0-17
2020 Division 2 4 0-11 1 0-01 5 0-12
2021 Division 3 1 0-06 - 1 0-06
2022 Division 4 2 1-05 - 2 1-05
Career total 20 1-61 16 4-42 36 5-103

Honours

Cavan

Individual

  • Tailteann Cup Team of the Year (1): 2022
  • Irish News Ulster All-Star (1): 2020

References
  1. "My Club: Gearoid McKiernan - Swanlinbar". GAA.ie. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  2. "JFC: Flanagan leads 'Bridge to more junior glory". Hogan Stand. 29 September 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  3. "JFC: Swad claim more junior glory". Hogan Stand. 6 October 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  4. "Ulster club JFC: Corduff goals sink Swanlinbar". Hogan Stand. 13 December 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  5. "Swad win appeal". Hogan Stand. 12 January 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  6. "Swanlinbar march on". The Irish Times. 31 January 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  7. "Mary's ease to junior crown". Hogan Stand. 13 February 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  8. "McKiernan poised for switch to Cavan Gaels". The Anglo-Celt. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  9. "Crosserlough claim league title in extraordinary contest". The Anglo-Celt. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  10. "Gearoid McKiernan Scores Mindboggling 3-14 In League Final That Ends In Defeat". Balls.ie. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  11. "Ulster U21FC: Murphy leads Donegal to title". Hogan Stand. 8 April 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  12. "McKiernan leads by example as Cavan finally deliver". Irish Examiner. 14 April 2011. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  13. "All-Ireland U21FC semi-final: Cavan safely through". Hogan Stand. 17 April 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  14. "Cavan set up U21 date with Galway". Irish Independent. 16 April 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  15. "All-Ireland U21 FC final: Galway too strong for Cavan". Hogan Stand. 1 May 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  16. "Cavan Ulster Championship squad includes 10 Under-21s". BBC Northern Ireland. 12 May 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  17. "Donegal 2-14 Cavan 1-08". RTÉ. 12 June 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  18. "Cavan's McKiernan out for a year with cruciate ligament injury". BBC Northern Ireland. 24 April 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  19. "Roscommon claim Division 3 football title". RTÉ. 27 April 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  20. "Cavan back in the top flight after beating Galway". RTÉ. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  21. "Tyrone see off Cavan for silverware". RTÉ. 24 April 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  22. "Roscommon lift Division 2 title with win over Cavan in eight-goal thriller". The42.ie. 1 April 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  23. "Cavan end 18-year wait for Ulster final after pulsating replay win over Armagh". The42.ie. 9 June 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  24. "Clinical Donegal dispatch Cavan to go back-to-back in Ulster". The42.ie. 23 June 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  25. "Cavan shock Donegal to claim Ulster title". RTÉ. 22 November 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  26. "Dublin beat Cavan at a canter to reach another final". RTÉ. 5 December 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  27. "Seven All-Star nominations for Cavan as Dublin lead way with 13". Irish Independent. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  28. "Lynch brace crucial as Cavan pip Tipp to Croke Park glory". Irish Examiner. 2 April 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  29. "Westmeath crowned inaugural Tailteann Cup champions after late flurry against Cavan". The42.ie. 9 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  30. "Cavan take four spots on Tailteann Cup Team of the Year as champions Westmeath lead the way with six". The Irish News. 20 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  31. "Cavan stars Gearoid and Donna tie the knot". Hogan Stand. 9 June 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
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