Brian McAlinden

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Brian McAlinden (1954 or 1955 (age 68–69))

1977 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final.[2] He was reputedly the first goalkeeper who ever placed kickouts.[3]

Playing career

McAlinden played for the Sarsfields Football Club.

1977 All-Ireland SFC Final.[2] McAlinden made a save from John O'Gara that led him to receive an award for "Save of the Season".[2] But Dublin, opponent in the final, won that game.[2]

McAlinden would win three Ulster SFC titles before retiring in 1990.[4]

In addition to his inter-county and club involvement, McAlinden played for

Ireland in the International Rules Series.[4]

He played once for Glenavon against Larne in the Irish League, a game in which his team were defeated by a score of 4–2.[4] He was named as the fifth greatest footballer never to have received an All Star Award.[5]

Managerial career

After his retirement, McAlinden began his management career with Sarsfields.[4] McAlinden quit the role at the end of 1995.[4]

He was appointed joint-manager of his county team from 1995 until 2001, with the help of Brian Canavan, who had retired from Armagh around the same time as McAlinden.[2] They were known as "The Two Brians".[4] Canavan was asked first but would only accept if McAlinden was alongside him.[4] McAlinden was not keen to be involved so soon after finishing with Sarsfields, but Canavan was a close friend so he accepted.[4]

It was during this time that Armagh defeated Down in the 1999 Ulster SFC Final.[2] When victory was assured, Oisín McConville tried and chipped Down keeper Mickey McVeigh and McVeigh collected the ball in his arms.[4] McAlinden was furious at McConville for his piece of showmanship and had an argument with him afterwards.[4] The win, though, meant they had a game at Croke Park; Armagh lost, however.[2]

Armagh won another Ulster SFC title in 2000, achieving back-to-back title wins.[4] Armagh faced Derry in the final, managed by another of McAlinden's friends, Eamonn Coleman.[4] When he discovered Coleman always liked the dressing room on the left side of St Tiernach's Park, McAlinden put a plot together to get it off him.[4] McAlinden said: "We went up on the Saturday before the final for a dry run. I got talking to the groundsman. I gave him 20 quid and asked him to put our name on the dressing room on the left-hand side and keep the door locked until we arrived on the Sunday. I said: 'See me after the match and I'll give you another 20'".[4] Armagh landed at St Tiernach's Park and the door was locked, with Derry there before them trying to get in.[4] Coleman objected to McAlinden and McAlinden pointed out that their name was on the door.[4] The Armagh GAA chairman suggested they head to the opposing dressing room instead, but both Brians stood their ground.[4] There were punches and then when the door opened Armagh took the room off Derry.[4] Derry then lost the game as Armagh won the final.[4]

After losing out to Kerry in the 2000 All-Ireland SFC semi-final the squad voted to get rid of the "Two Brians".[6] They resigned in August 2001.[7] McAlinden later returned as a goalkeeping coaching under the management of Paul Grimley and Kieran McGeeney.[2] He also managed underage teams in Armagh.[4]

Personal life

McAlinden grew up in the village of Derrytrasna. [4] He has had a kitchen company in Derrytrasna since 1978.[2] He is married and has children.[2] His son Thomas won an All Ireland Minor Championship medal in 2009 when he was playing for Armagh.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Where are they now - Former Armagh goalkeeper and joint-manager Brian McAlinden looks back on his career with the Orchardmen". irishnews.com. 10 June 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Loughran, Neil (9 June 2017). "Where are they now? Former Armagh goalkeeper and joint manager Brian McAlinden looks back on his career with the Orchardmen". The Irish News.
  3. ^ Watters, Andy (9 April 2020). "Brian Canavan selects his Allstar side from the men he played with or managed". The Irish News.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Watters, Andy (4 December 2021). "My county: Brian McAlinden reflects on days of triumph and disappointment with Armagh". The Irish News.
  5. ^ Breheny, Martin (27 January 2021). "Controversies, near-misses and robberies — The 50 greatest footballers to never win an All-Star". Belfast Telegraph.
  6. ^ "Armagh boss warns players". Irish Independent. 5 December 2000.
  7. ^ "Armagh bosses stand down". BBC. 4 August 2001.
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