# Paul McGrane

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Armagh Gaelic footballer

Paul McGrane Personal information Nickname Floppy Born County Armagh, Northern Ireland Occupation Accountant[1] Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) Sport Sport Gaelic football Position Midfield Club Years Club Ballyhegan Inter-county Years County 1993-2008 Armagh Inter-county titles Ulster titles 7 All-Irelands 1 NFL 1 All Stars 2

**Paul McGrane** is an [Irish](/source/Irish_people) [Gaelic footballer](/source/Gaelic_football) who played at senior level for the [Armagh county team](/source/Armagh_county_football_team) in the 1990s and 2000s. He won an [All-Ireland Senior Football Championship](/source/All-Ireland_Senior_Football_Championship) medal, seven [Ulster Championships](/source/Ulster_Senior_Football_Championship) and a [National League](/source/National_Football_League_(Ireland)) title with the county. He also won two [All Star awards](/source/GAA_All_Stars_Awards).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

McGrane plays club football for [Ballyhegan Davitts](/source/Ballyhegan_Davitts).

McGrane is a [midfielder](/source/Gaelic_football_and_Hurling_positions#Full_Back). He is known as one of Armagh's best ever players.[2] In 2009 to mark the 125th anniversary of the [Gaelic Athletic Association](/source/Gaelic_Athletic_Association) he was named by *[The Irish News](/source/The_Irish_News)* as one of the all-time best 125 footballers from Ulster.[3]

## Playing career

### Inter-county

In 1992 McGrane won the Ulster Minor Football League and [Ulster Minor Football Championship](/source/Ulster_Minor_Football_Championship) with the Armagh [Minor](/source/List_of_Gaelic_Games_terminology#M) team.[1] Armagh finished runners-up to [Meath](/source/Meath_county_football_team) in that year's [All-Ireland Minor final](/source/All-Ireland_Minor_Football_Championship).[3] He was captain of the Minor team that year.[3]

McGrane made his [Senior](/source/List_of_Gaelic_Games_terminology#S) inter-county [Championship](/source/All-Ireland_Senior_Football_Championship) debut for Armagh against [Fermanagh](/source/Fermanagh_county_football_team) in May [1993](/source/All-Ireland_Senior_Football_Championship_1993).[1] He won his first [Ulster Senior Football Championship](/source/Ulster_Senior_Football_Championship) medal with the county in 1999[3] – the county's first Ulster Championship in 17 years. Armagh successfully defended their Ulster title the following year.[3]

In [2002](/source/All-Ireland_Senior_Football_Championship_2002), he helped Armagh win the Ulster Championship[4] as well as the county's first ever [All-Ireland Senior Football Championship](/source/All-Ireland_Senior_Football_Championship).[3] McGrane received an [All Star award](/source/GAA_All_Stars_Awards) for his performances that year.[3]

In [2003](/source/All-Ireland_Senior_Football_Championship_2003) Armagh once again reached the All-Ireland final, but were defeated by neighbours Tyrone. 2004 saw McGrane and Armagh again win the Ulster Championship.[5] In 2005, McGrane helped Armagh win the National League, beating [Wexford](/source/Wexford_GAA) in the final.[6] Later that year, he helped Armagh win another Ulster Championship.[7] Team [captain](/source/Captain_(Gaelic_games)) [Kieran McGeeney](/source/Kieran_McGeeney) invited McGrane to lift the [Anglo Celt Cup](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anglo_Celt_Cup&action=edit&redlink=1) with him after the match.[8] McGrane was awarded a second All Star that year.

McGrane took over the Armagh captaincy in November 2005, after Kieran McGeeney retired.[9] Armagh completed a three-in-a-row of Ulster Championships in 2006, this time with McGrane as captain.[10] McGrane won another Ulster Championship medal with Armagh in 2008,[11] his seventh in all and second as captain.

McGrane retired from inter-county football in April 2009, due to a persistent knee injury.[9]

### Club

With Ballyhegan, McGrane has won the Armagh Junior Football Championship[1] (1995) and Armagh Intermediate Football Championship[1] (1997).

### International Rules

McGrane represented [Ireland](/source/Ireland_international_rules_football_team) in the [International Rules Series](/source/International_Rules_Series).[*[when?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items)*]

### Province

McGrane played for [Ulster](/source/Ulster_GAA), and won the [Railway Cup](/source/Railway_Cup) on ?[*[quantify](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers)*] occasions with the province.

## Management and coaching

In 2012, McGrane established the *Orchard Academy* to help young Armagh Gaelic footballers develop their talent with a view to strengthen the county's footballing fortunes at underage and senior level.[12][13]

In January 2015, McGrane was appointed assistant coach for the Armagh minor Gaelic football team under former county teammate [Aidan O'Rourke](/source/Aidan_O'Rourke_(footballer))[14] before taking on the manager's position a year later,[15] staying in this role until November 2018, when he was replaced by another former Armagh teammate [Ciarán McKeever](/source/Ciar%C3%A1n_McKeever).[16]

## Honours

**Club**

- 1 Armagh Junior Football Championship 1995

- 1 Armagh Intermediate Football Championship 1997

**Inter-county**

- 1 [All-Ireland Senior Football Championship](/source/All-Ireland_Senior_Football_Championship) 2002

- 7 [Ulster Senior Football Championship](/source/Ulster_Senior_Football_Championship) 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008

- 1 [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League) 2005

- 1 [Ulster Minor Football Championship](/source/Ulster_Minor_Football_Championship) 1992

**Individual**

- 2[All Star](/source/List_of_All_Stars_Awards_winners_(football)) 2002, 2005

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-pen_pics_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-pen_pics_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-pen_pics_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-pen_pics_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-pen_pics_1-4) ["Senior Pen Pics - Paul McGrane"](http://www.armagh-gaa.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88:paul-mcgrane&catid=42:senior-pen-pics&Itemid=34). *Official Armagh GAA website*. Retrieved 13 April 2009. [*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ul_125_-_armagh_shortlist_2-0)** ["Ulster's 125 - Armagh shortlist"](https://irishnews125.blogspot.com/2009/02/125-armagh-player-list.html). *The Irish News*. 10 February 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2009.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ulster_125_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ulster_125_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-ulster_125_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-ulster_125_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-ulster_125_3-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-ulster_125_3-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-ulster_125_3-6) ["Ulster's 125 - The province's 125 best footballers since 1884"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160122045515/http://www.irishnews.com/125/125flip.html). *The Irish News*. 20 March 2009. Archived from [the original](http://www.irishnews.com/125/125flip.html) on 22 January 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Armagh win Ulster final"](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/2111391.stm). BBC Sport. 7 July 2002. Retrieved 13 April 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Armagh outclass Donegal"](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/3884725.stm). BBC Sport. 11 July 2004. Retrieved 13 April 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Wait is over for Armagh"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110622113131/http://archives.tcm.ie/newrydemocrat/2005/05/04/story4364.asp). *Newry Democrat*. 4 May 2005. Archived from [the original](http://archives.tcm.ie/newrydemocrat/2005/05/04/story4364.asp) on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["McConville fires Armagh to glory"](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/4711099.stm). BBC Sport. 25 July 2005. Retrieved 13 April 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Keys, Colm (9 April 2009). ["McGrane calls time on special Armagh career"](http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/mcgrane-calls-time-on-special-armagh-career-1703751.html). *Independent.ie*. Independent News and Media. Retrieved 13 April 2009.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bbc_trio_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bbc_trio_9-1) ["Armagh trio call it a day"](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/7991323.stm). BBC Sport. 9 April 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Donegal 0-09 1-09 Armagh (match report)"](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/5153174.stm). BBC Sport. 9 July 2006. Retrieved 13 April 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Armagh 1-11 0-8 Fermanagh (match report)"](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/the_championship/7527825.stm). BBC Sport. 27 July 2008. Retrieved 13 April 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Brendan Crossan (3 June 2015). ["Orchard sowing seeds for the next generation at Academy"](http://www.irishnews.com/sport/gaafootball/2015/06/03/news/orchard-sowing-seeds-for-the-next-generation-at-academy-131279/). The Irish News. Retrieved 8 November 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Declan Bogue (20 January 2018). ["Armagh must get priorities in order amid fixture woe: Marsden"](https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/gaa/armagh-must-get-priorities-in-order-amid-fixture-woe-marsden-36509600.html). *Belfast Telegraph*. Independent News and Media. Retrieved 8 November 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Raf Diallo (15 January 2015). ["O'Rourke takes on Armagh minor challenge"](https://www.newstalk.com/ORourke-takes-on-Armagh-minor-challenge). NewsTalk. Retrieved 8 November 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Armagh 2002: Where are they now?"](https://gaeliclife.com/uncategorized/armagh-2002-where-are-they-now/). *Gaelic Life*. 26 May 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Fintan O'Toole (8 November 2018). ["Former Armagh captain takes first step into inter-county management"](https://www.the42.ie/article.php?id=4328998). *The42.ie*. TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 8 November 2018.

## External links

- [Ballyhegan Davitt's GAC](http://www.ballyhegan.com/)

Armagh squads v t e Armagh – 2002 All-Ireland Senior Football Champions (1st title) 1 B. Tierney 2 E. McNulty 3 J. McNulty 4 F. Bellew 5 A. O'Rourke 6 K. McGeeney (c) 7 A. McCann 8 J. Toal 9 P. McGrane 10 P. McKeever 11 J. McEntee 12 O. McConville 13 S. McDonnell 14 R. Clarke 15 D. Marsden Subs used 20 B. O'Hagan for J. McEntee 30 T. McEntee for P. McKeever Subs not used 16 P. Hearty 17 K. Hughes 18 C. O'Rourke 19 P. Loughran 21 J. Donalson 22 B. Duffy 23 G. Reid 24 P. McCormack 25 S. Maxwell 26 P. Duffy 27 C. O'Neill 28 K. McElvanna 29 S. Smith Manager J. Kernan Assistant Manager P. Grimley Trainer J. McCloskey v t e Armagh – 2003 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship finalist 1 P. Hearty 2 F. Bellew 3 E. McNulty 4 A. Mallon 5 A. O'Rourke 6 K. McGeeney (c) 7 A. McCann 8 P. Loughran 9 P. McGrane 10 R. Clarke 11 J. McEntee 12 O. McConville 13 S. McDonnell 14 D. Marsden 15 T. McEntee Subs used P. McKeever for D. Marsden K. Hughes for A. Mallon D. Marsden for A. Mallon B. O'Hagan for J. McEntee Manager J. Kernan Assistant Manager P. Grimley Trainer J. McCloskey v t e Armagh – 2005 National Football League Champions (1st title) 1 P. Hearty 2 A. Mallon 3 F. Bellew 4 P. McCormack 5 A. Kernan 6 K. McGeeney 7 C. McKeever 8 J. Toal 9 P. McGrane 10 M. O'Rourke 11 J. McEntee 12 O. McConville 13 S. McDonnell 14 R. Clarke 15 B. Mallon Subs used P. McKeever A. McCann J. McNulty P. Loughran A. O'Rourke Manager J. Kernan

Ireland squads v t e Ireland football team – 2002 International Rules Series 1 S. Cluxton 2 P. Christie 3 D. Ó Sé 4 A. Lynch 5 C. McAnallen 6 S. Moynihan (c) 7 K. McGeeney 8 T. Giles 9 G. Canty 10 D. Dolan 11 T. Kennelly 12 B. J. O'Sullivan 13 P. Joyce 14 C. McManus 15 G. Geraghty Subs R. Cosgrove J. Bergin E. Kelly E. O'Hara D. Meehan C. Holmes D. Savage T. Ó Sé P. Burke A. Rainbow P. McGrane P. Barden Stand-by players S. Cluxton J. Gill N. Walsh D. Magee R. Clarke Coach J. O'Keeffe Selectors M. Carney P. McGinnity M. Connor

Awards v t e 2002 All Star Gaelic Football Team 1 S. Cluxton 2 E. McNulty 3 P. Christie 4 A. Lynch 5 A. O'Rourke 6 K. McGeeneyFOTY 7 K. Cassidy 8 D. Ó Sé 9 P. McGrane 10 S. McDonnell 11 E. O'Hara 12 O. McConville 13 P. Canavan 14 R. Cosgrove 15 C. Cooper v t e 2005 All Star Gaelic Football Team 1 D. Murphy 2 R. McMenamin 3 M. McCarthy 4 A. Mallon 5 T. Ó Sé 6 C. Gormley 7 P. Jordan 8 S. Cavanagh 9 P. McGrane 10 B. Dooher 11 P. Canavan 12 O. Mulligan 13 C. Cooper 14 S. O'NeillFOTY 15 S. McDonnell v t e Armagh All Stars Armagh has 31 All Stars, as of 2025. 21 different players have won, as of 2025. No player has won more than three All Stars. denotes that a player also won Footballer of the Year that season. 1972: Paddy Moriarty 1977: Joe Kernan, Jimmy Smyth, Paddy Moriarty2nd 1980: Colum McKinstry 1982: Joe Kernan2nd 1993: Ger Houlahan 1999: Kieran McGeeney, Diarmaid Marsden 2000: Kieran McGeeney2nd, Oisín McConville 2002: Enda McNulty, Aidan O'Rourke, Kieran McGeeney 3rd, Paul McGrane, Stevie McDonnell, Oisín McConville2nd 2003: Francie Bellew, Stevie McDonnell 2nd 2005: Andy Mallon, Paul McGrane2nd, Stevie McDonnell3rd 2006: Rónán Clarke 2008: Rónán Clarke2nd 2024: Barry McCambridge, Aidan Forker, Ben Crealey, Rian O'Neill, Oisín Conaty, Conor Turbitt 2025: Oisín Conaty2nd

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Paul McGrane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_McGrane) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_McGrane?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.