Pat Gilroy Explained

Pat Gilroy
Irish:Pádraig Mac Giolla Rua
Occupation:Managing Director
Birth Date:3 November 1971
Birth Place:Dublin, Ireland
Height:1.930NaN0
Sport:Gaelic football
Code:Football
County:Dublin
Province:Leinster
Club:St Vincents
Clyears:1989–2008
Clcounty:1
Clprovince:1
Clallireland:1
Counties:Dublin
Icyears:1992–2000
Icposition:Full Forward
Icprovince:4
Icallireland:1
Nfl:1

Pat Gilroy (born 3 November 1971) is a former Gaelic footballer and manager, who most recently managed the senior Dublin county team (2009-2012). A former Dublin footballer himself, he led Dublin to their first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title in 16 years in 2011.

In 2009, Gilroy's selectors were Mickey Whelan, Paul Nugent and Paddy O'Donoghue.[1] Transplant surgeon David Hickey replaced Paul Nugent as a selector for the 2010 season.,[2] while fellow surgeon Ian Robertson replaced Mickey Whelan in 2012.

He played his club football for St Vincents. Gilroy was formerly tipped to succeed Liam Mulvihill as the GAA’s Director General.[3] Pat is the son of former Dublin footballer Jackie Gilroy. This offer never materialised as the position was eventually given to Monaghan's Paraic Duffy, who was appointed for a seven-year period.[4]

Gilroy studied at Trinity College Dublin.[5]

Playing career

Club

Gilroy won his first Dublin Senior Football Championship medal with St Vincents in 2007 as a substitute and went on to gain a Leinster Senior Club Football Championship medal later that year. He was part of the St Vincent's team that defeated Nemo Rangers in the 2008 All Ireland Club final, where he played a pivotal role at full forward during the campaign.

Inter-county

Gilroy made his All-Ireland Senior Football Championship debut for Dublin against Offaly in Tullamore on May 31, 1992. He won an All-Ireland medal with Dublin in 1995, with an appearance as a substitute. He has four Leinster Senior Football Championship medals with Dublin, collecting them in 1992, 1993, 1994 and again in 1995. Gilroy retired from inter-county football career in July 2000.

Managerial career

Pat Gilroy
Nickname:Giller
Sport:Gaelic football
County:Dublin
Icyears:2008–2012
Winningcounties:Dublin
Icprovince:3
Icallireland:1
League:0

Unlike previous Dublin football management teams, Gilroy gave his support to the club scene and encouraged his players to return and play for their clubs in between inter-county games. This move received praise from such pundits as Colm O'Rourke of Meath.[6] In Gilroy's first season as Dublin manager, he guided Dublin to sixth position in the NFL, narrowly avoiding relegation to Division Two.

Gilroy began his 2009 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship against neighbours Meath in the Leinster Senior Football Championship quarter finals at Croke Park. Dublin defeated Meath in the game but the game proved to be a real struggle as both sides failed to impress in the game which finished 0-14 to 0-12.[7] Dublin progressed to face Westmeath in the Leinster semi final at Croke Park. The game was very different to the previous game and Dublin dominated and proved too strong against a lacklustre Westmeath. The game finished 4-26 to 0-11 with Bernard Brogan dominating the scoring with 2-08 sending his team to the Leinster final against Kildare for a potential fifth Leinster title in a row.[8] Dublin defeated Kildare in the Leinster final to win the Delaney Cup for the fifth year in a row in what proved to be a tight encounter. The game finished 2-15 to 0-18 with Sherlock and Cahill's goals proving the difference between the sides.[9] This victory set up a tough quarter final against a Kerry side which had created doubts with the media due to a few bad performances against Sligo and Longford. Any doubts concerning the Kerry side were forgotten as Dublin were completely outclassed by a solid and relentless Kerry performance. The game finished 1-24 to 1-07 which proved to be their worst ever championship defeat to Kerry.[10]

Gilroy began his 2010 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship against Wexford which proved to be a real struggle for Dublin, however they ran out as winners with the result 2-16 to 0-15. Up next they faced old neighbours Meath for the second time in a row which turned out to be a disappointing performance from Dublin with the result ending Meath 5-09 to 0-13 to end The Dubs 5th Leinster title in a row. Dublin defeated Tipperary in their first game in the qualifiers with the result 1-21 to 1-13 with goal by one of the newcomers Michael Darragh Macauley however there was still improvement to be made. Dublin defeated Armagh in their next game with the result 0-14 to 0-11. Dublin improved greatly against Leinster-finalists Louth with Eoghan O'Gara scoring two goals to send them back to the quarter-final. Dublin played Ulster Champions Tyrone and defeated them for the first time since 1995 by the result of 1-15 to 0-13. Dublin played Cork in their first Semi-final since 2007 but were narrowly defeated by one point 1-15 to 1-14.

Gilroy began his 2011 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship against Laois which turned out to be a very good display of football with the team running out winners 1-16 to 0-11. Up next they faced their opponents in the 2009 Leinster final Kildare in a tense battle with Dublin just scraping past to advance to their 2nd Leinster under Gilroy despite a great comeback from Kieran McGeeney's men. Dublin faced Wexford on July 10, 2011, in what turned out to be a very disappointing display with the Metropolitans running out eventual winners 2-12 to 1-12. Dublin faced Tyrone in the All-Ireland Quarter final on August 6, 2011 producing a fine display of football to end the 2008 All-Ireland champion's season on a scoreline of 0-22 to 0-15. They advanced to the All-Ireland Semi-final where they faced Ulster champions Donegal on August 28. Dublin went on to win the game against a highly disciplined Donegal side by 0-08 to 0-06 and beat Kerry in the final by 1-12 to 1-11.[11] [12] In November 2011, Dublin County Committee reappointed Gilroy as Manager for the 2012 season.[13]

On 5 September 2012, Gilroy stepped down as manager of the Dublin footballers after four years in charge.[14] Gilroy said: “It has been a challenging four years for me balancing my role with Dublin along with family and work commitments and I have decided not to continue for a further term".[15] In November 2012, he went to New York to manage the 2011 All Stars in their game against the 2012 All Stars.[16]

In October 2017, Gilroy was named as the new manager of the Dublin senior hurling team on a three-year term.[17] In September 2018, Gilroy stepped down as manager of the Dublin senior hurling team after one year in charge.[18]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: News.
  2. Web site: Hickey appointed Dublin selector - HoganStand.
  3. http://www.hoganstand.com/dublin/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=85477 Hoganstand.com - GAA Football & Hurling
  4. http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/mhmhqleymhmh/ Duffy announced as GAA's new director general | Sport | BreakingNews.ie
  5. News: The Big Interview: Pat Gilroy's love of GAA places community above county. RTÉ Sport. 13 September 2019. 13 September 2019. He took the less well-worn route for prospective inter-county players and studied in Trinity and has since gone on to make a significant mark in the world of business..
  6. News: Gilroy's aces of clubs may prove to be his trump card . Irish Independent . 23 November 2008.
  7. Web site: News.
  8. Web site: News.
  9. Web site: News.
  10. Web site: News.
  11. News: Cluxton the hero as Dublin win All-Ireland . 18 September 2011 . RTÉ Sport . 21 September 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110923161110/http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2011/0918/dublin_kerry.html . 23 September 2011 .
  12. News: Dublin end 16 years of hurt as heroic fightback sends capital into ecstasy. 19 September 2011. Irish Independent. 21 September 2011. Martin. Breheny.
  13. News: Gilroy to take charge of Dublin for another year. 7 November 2011. RTÉ Sport . 7 November 2011.
  14. Web site: Dublin senior football manager Pat Gilroy tenders his resignation. 5 September 2012. RTÉ Sport. 5 September 2012.
  15. Web site: Pat Gilroy steps down as manager of the Dublin footballers . 5 September 2012 . The Score . 5 September 2012 . dead . https://archive.today/20130217235427/http://www.thescore.ie/pat-gilroy-steps-down-as-manager-of-the-dublin-footballers-585898-Sep2012/ . 17 February 2013 .
  16. News: Frank. Roche. Mayo miss still irks Brogan: Brogan admits he is haunted by his failure to put away goal opportunity in semi defeat. Evening Herald. Independent News & Media. 19 November 2012. 19 November 2012.
  17. Web site: 2011 All-Ireland football winning boss Pat Gilroy named new Dublin hurling manager. 11 October 2017. The 42. 11 October 2017.
  18. Web site: Pat Gilroy steps down as manager of Dublin senior hurling team. 16 September 2018. Irish Independent. 18 September 2018.