Colm Cavanagh is a Gaelic footballer from the Moy club and, previously, for the Tyrone county team. His older brother Seán also played for Tyrone.

Colm Cavanagh
Cavanagh (left) with Dublin player Denis Bastick during the 2013 National Football League final at Croke Park
Personal information
Irish name Colm Caomhánach
Sport Gaelic football
Position Lár Na pairce
Born Tyrone
Height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Nickname Collie
Occupation Accountant
Club(s)
Years Club
Moy
Club titles
Ulster titles Ulster
Inter-county(ies)
Years County
2007–2020
Tyrone
Inter-county titles
Ulster titles 3
All-Irelands 1
All Stars 2

Playing career

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Cavanagh played for the University of Ulster team, and in 2007, reached the Sigerson Cup Final.[1] He was part of the Tyrone Under-21 team won the Ulster Championship in 2006.

His Tyrone Senior career was shrouded in controversy from the beginning. He made his debut for Tyrone in the 2007 Dr McKenna Cup; however, he had also been selected by his university team for the competition. The competition rules state that in such an event, the university should get first choice of the player, in order to even up the competition. Tyrone manager Mickey Harte refused to obey this rule, contending that it should be up to the players to decide whom they wish to play for. Four Tyrone players were caught up in the dispute: Cavanagh, Brendan Boggs, Damien McCaul (who all play for the University of Ulster) and St Mary's University, Belfast player Cathal McCarron.[2] Tyrone were docked points for the match the players participated in, but still progressed to win the competition.

He was consistently on the starting line-up for Tyrone in their 2007 National League campaign.

In his Ulster Championship debut, on 20 May 2007, against Fermanagh, Cavanagh was having a solid game until an accidental collision left him badly injured. The game was delayed for over seven minutes while he was receiving treatment, and was taken to hospital as a precaution. Initial fears about a serious neck injury were allayed as he was discharged from hospital soon after the end of the match.[3] The injury ruled him out of Tyrone's next fixture against Donegal.[4]

Cavanagh announced his retirement from inter-county football in September 2020 ahead of the delayed resumption of the season caused by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games.[5]

Honours

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Moy
Tyrone

References

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  1. ^ "Queen's take the honours in Sigerson Cup". Archived from the original on 24 August 2007. Retrieved 7 March 2007.
  2. ^ "Red Hands lose McKenna Cup points". BBC News. 24 January 2007. Retrieved 7 March 2007.
  3. ^ Maloney, Darragh (20 May 2007). "Tyrone 0-13 Fermanagh 1-09". RTE Sport. Retrieved 20 May 2007.
  4. ^ "Tyrone duo may miss Ulster Championship". RTÉ Sport. 11 June 2007. Retrieved 14 June 2007.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "Colm Cavanagh: Midfielder announces retirement from Tyrone duty". BBC. 22 September 2020.