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Mark McGowan (Gaelic footballer)

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Mark McGowan
Personal information
Sport Gaelic football
Born (1988-05-31) 31 May 1988 (age 36)
County Donegal, Ireland
Occupation Civil engineer
Club(s)
Years Club
200?–2014
 Naomh Adhamhnáin
Club titles
Donegal titles 5
Inter-county(ies)
Years County
2008–2014
 Donegal

Mark McGowan (born 31 May 1988) is an Irish former Gaelic footballer who played for Naomh Adhamhnáin and, at all levels, the Donegal county team.

Known for his defensive play, he could also play further forward in attack and was considered tailor-made for "The System" deployed by Jim McGuinness.[1]

Considered the best left cornerback in his age group in the province of Ulster in 2006,[2] a persistent hip injury forced him to retire from the game at the age of just 25.[3]

Early life

McGowan was educated at St Eunan's College. In 2007, in his final year at school, he was part of a team that won a silver medal at the All-Ireland Higher Maths national finals, a competition for Higher Level Mathematic students.[4] He, of course, played Gaelic football for each of the school's teams, where his preference was for defence and his favourite position was left cornerback.[2] His anticipation and ability to read the flow of a game along with his speed were noted as assets to his game.[2]

Playing career

Club

McGowan won five Donegal Senior Football Championships with his club. He came on as substitute in the 2007 final, and started the 2008 and 2009 finals as his team completed a three-in-a-row sweep.[5][6][7]

He scored the winner in freak circumstances in the 2012 final. With the team level Brendan McDyre of opponents Naomh Conaill attempted to backpass to his goalkeeper Stephen McGrath only for the ball to drift out for a '45'. McGowan stepped up to punish.[8][9] As the game ended he was photographed celebrating—stooped, wild-eyed with open mouth, sweat-soaked, bare thighs tensed, veins throbbing, mud-stained legs apart and clenched fists turned upwards.[10] McGowan was just as influential in the next game, the Ulster quarter-final, and opponents Crossmaglen Rangers struggled to deal with him as he swept away all before him at Armagh's Athletic Grounds.[11]

Inter-county

McGowan won a Buncrana Cup with the U-16 Donegal football team.[2]

McGowan played in the final as Donegal won their first Ulster minor title in 10 years at Croke Park in 2006.[12] He was part of Donegal's under-21 campaign in 2009.[13] He has also lined out for UCD's team.[14] McGowan was drafted into the Donegal senior squad for the first time in 2008.[15][16] He played in a Senior Championship game against Roscommon that summer.[1]

McGowan declined to join up with Donegal in 2011 due to prior commitments in the United States. Jim McGuinness said, "We would have liked to have Mark McGowan, too, but unfortunately he had already commitments in the States."[17]

However, McGuinness called McGowan back into the Donegal squad for 2013.[1][18] He then sent him away again.[19]

In January 2014, it all became clear. On the third day of that month it was reported that McGowan had been forced to retire from the game at the age of 25. He did so on medical advice he had received since having hip surgery in Santry in February 2012.[3]

Honours

References

  1. ^ a b c "McGowan and McHugh called up". Donegal Democrat. Johnston Press. 3 December 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Mark McGowan". Archived from the original on 24 October 2006. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Eunan's star McGowan forced to retire". Hogan Stand. 3 January 2014. Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Five in a row in high maths for St. Eunan's College students". Donegal Now. 4 March 2017. Archived from the original on 29 August 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2017. Back in 2007, the school won a silver medal with a team members Colm McCormick, Patrick Clear, Luke Kelly and Mark McGowan.
  5. ^ "Final glory at last for Eunan's as Glenswilly fail on their big day". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. 1 October 2007. Retrieved 1 October 2007.
  6. ^ "Kavanagh, Haran set up Eunan's". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. 6 October 2008. Retrieved 6 October 2008.
  7. ^ "All too easy for Eunan's". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. 5 October 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  8. ^ Keys, Colm (5 November 2012). "Eunan's survive storm". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 5 November 2012.
  9. ^ "Mark McGowan the scoring hero as St Eunan's crowned Donegal SFC champions". The Score. 5 November 2012. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2012.
  10. ^ Keys, Colm (5 November 2012). "Eunan's accept Glenties gift in freak finish to Donegal final". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 5 November 2012.
  11. ^ Keys, Colm (12 November 2012). "Cross play it their way to thwart Eunan's". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  12. ^ a b "Second-half surge sees Donegal end long title wait". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. 10 July 2006. Retrieved 10 July 2006.
  13. ^ "Donegal U21 v Armagh U21 (Wed)". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 April 2009. Retrieved 1 April 2009.
  14. ^ "Donegal students in action". Donegal Democrat. Johnston Press. 18 January 2010. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  15. ^ "McCready expected to replace Dunnion in Donegal defence". Donegal Democrat. Johnston Press. 15 July 2008. Archived from the original on 27 August 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2008.
  16. ^ "Donegal v Roscommon". BBC Sport. BBC. 7 July 2008. Retrieved 7 July 2008.
  17. ^ "McGuinness adds four to his panel". Donegal Democrat. Johnston Press. 31 March 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  18. ^ McMahon, James (31 January 2013). "Preview: Allianz Football League Division 1". RTÉ Sport. RTÉ. Retrieved 31 January 2013. McHugh's brother Ryan, an exciting minor from last year, has joined the squad, while Mark McGowan, a member of the St Eunan's team that won last year's county championship, gets a recall having last featured in the senior ranks in 2008.
  19. ^ "Jim tweaks donegal panel". Donegal Democrat. Johnston Press. 15 April 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2013. Fringe players Peter McGee of Gaoth Dobhair, Mark McGowan from St Eunan's, Naomh Colmcille's Thomas McKinley, St Michael's Antoin McFadden and Shane McGowan of Bundoran will concentrate on club football for the time being.
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