Dave McCarthy (Gaelic footballer)

David McCarthy (born 1949) is an Irish former Gaelic footballer. At club level he played with Clonakilty and University College Dublin and was also a member of the Cork senior football team.

Dave McCarthy
Personal information
Irish name Daithi Mac Cárthaigh
Sport Gaelic football
Position Left wing-forward
Born 1949
Clonakilty, County Cork, Ireland
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Nickname Dave Mac
Occupation Shop owner and retired teacher
Club(s)
Years Club Apps (scores)
1968-1990
Clonakilty 38 (4-23)
Club titles
Cork titles 0
Colleges(s)
Years College
University College Dublin
College titles
Sigerson titles 1
Inter-county(ies)*
Years County Apps (scores)
1972-1979
Cork 19 (3-08)
Inter-county titles
Munster titles 2
All-Irelands 1
NFL 0
All Stars 1
*Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 14:18, 2 October 2022.

Playing career edit

McCarthy first played Gaelic football and hurling at juvenile and underage levels with Clonakilty and won numerous divisional titles in both codes. As a boarder at the De La Salle College in Waterford, he won several shield competitions, two Abbot Cup titles and lined out in the Corn Uí Mhuirí. McCarthy's studies brought him to University College Dublin where he won a Sigerson Cup title in 1973, while he also won a Railway Cup medal with the Combined Universities team the same year.[1][2] His senior career with the Clonakilty club spanned over 20 years, during which time he ended up on the losing side in the county finals in 1968 and 1983.

McCarthy first played for Cork as a member of the minor team and was an unused substitute in the 1967 All-Ireland minor final defeat of Laois. He never played with the under-21 team but earned selection on the junior team that won the Munster JFC title in 1972.[3] McCarthy's performances in this grade resulted in an immediate call-up to the senior team and he was at left wing-forward when Cork beat Galway in the 1973 All-Ireland final.[4][5] He also won consecutive Munster SFC titles, four consecutive Railway Cup medals with Munster and was included on the All-Star team in 1976.[6][7] A car accident in 1979 brought McCarthy's inter-county career to an end.

Personal life edit

McCarthy's uncle, Humphrey O'Neill, was part of the Cork team that won the 1945 All-Ireland SFC.[8] He qualified with a degree in agricultural science and worked as a secondary school teacher in Clonakilty Community College while also running the family newsagent.[9]

Honours edit

University College Dublin
Clonakilty
Cork
Combined Universities
Munster

References edit

  1. ^ "UCD and the Sigerson" (PDF). UCD GAA website. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  2. ^ "Students of 1973 reunite for Croke Park honour". Hogan Stand. 30 April 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  3. ^ "Junior football". Munster GAA website. 29 May 2009. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  4. ^ Breheny, Martin (17 September 2010). "1973: Barry-Murphy on the double". Irish Independent. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  5. ^ "When boys of '73 served up a treat". Irish Examiner. 21 August 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  6. ^ "Senior football". Munster GAA website. 29 May 2009. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  7. ^ "Railway Cup football". Munster GAA website. 11 June 2009. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  8. ^ "It's the end of an era for Clonakilty GAA". The Southern Star. 23 May 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  9. ^ "David and Kay hang up keys as Clon shop closes after 105 years". The Southern Star. 18 December 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2022.