Ciara Grant (footballer, born 1978)
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Ciara Mary Grant[1] | ||
Date of birth | 17 May 1978 | ||
Place of birth | Waterford, Ireland | ||
Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
19xx–19xx | Benfica | ||
19xx–1998 | St Patrick's Athletic Ladies | ||
1998–2014 | Arsenal | ||
2014 | Reading | 4 | (0) |
International career‡ | |||
1995–2012 | Republic of Ireland | 105 | (11) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20 February 2013 |
Ciara Mary Grant (born 17 May 1978) is an Irish former international football midfielder from Waterford. She played club football for Arsenal L.F.C. and internationally for the Republic of Ireland women's national football team.
Club career
Grant began her career with Benfica. After a spell with St Patrick's Athletic,[2] she joined Arsenal Ladies in August 1998.[3] She was employed as a development officer by the English club.[4]
In her first season Grant scored an equaliser against Everton as Arsenal won the Premier League Cup final 3–1. Arsenal also won the 1999 FA Women's Cup, but finished second to Croydon in the League.[4] In the following campaign Arsenal and Grant retained the Premier League Cup, but lost in the FA Women's Cup semi-final and came third in the League.[4] In 2000–01 Arsenal completed a domestic treble, with Grant providing an assist for the decisive goal in the FA Women's Cup final win over Fulham.[5]
That achievement was eclipsed in 2007, as Arsenal added the UEFA Women's Cup to their trophy haul, completing an unprecedented quadruple. Grant remained an important part of the team, but had been converted from a midfielder to a central defender.[6] After moving to Reading in 2014, Grant announced her retirement in April 2015.[7]
International career
Grant has reached a century of caps for Ireland and, since 2000,[8] has captained the national side. She made her debut as a teenager, in a 3–1 win over the Faroe Islands at Richmond Park.[4][9]
She won her 100th cap in Ireland's 2–1 defeat to Scotland at Tynecastle Stadium in April 2012.[10]
Grant announced her retirement from international football in February 2013.[11]
Honours
- 2000–01, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10.
- 1998–99, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09.
- 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08.
- 2007
References
- ^ "Player Statistics". FIFA. Archived from the original on 10 November 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
- ^ "Senior Women Player Profiles". Football Association of Ireland. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
- ^ "7. Ciara Grant". Arsenal F.C. Archived from the original on 24 July 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
- ^ a b c d Peter Carbery (3 September 2000). "Gunner Grant sets her sights". Sunday Times.
- ^ John Murphy (21 June 2001). "Gunners heroine Ciara gets sportstar award". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 17 December 2004. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
- ^ "Senior Women Player Profiles". Football Association of Ireland. 16 January 2009. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
- ^ O'Connell, Cian (21 April 2015). "Grant hangs up boots after glittering career". The Irish Post. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
- ^ Declan Hughes (27 October 2000). "Opel's Ireland Player of the Year nominees". Womens Soccer World. Archived from the original on 2 December 2010. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
- ^ "Ciara Grant". UEFA. Archived from the original on 4 August 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
- ^ Campbell, Alan (6 April 2012). "Two late goals keep Scotland in the running". The Herald. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
- ^ "Grant retires from international soccer". 20 February 2013.
- 1978 births
- Living people
- Republic of Ireland women's association footballers
- Arsenal W.F.C. players
- Republic of Ireland women's international footballers
- FA Women's National League players
- Expatriate footballers in England
- FA Women's Super League players
- FIFA Century Club
- St Patrick's Athletic F.C. players
- Association footballers from County Waterford
- Dublin Women's Soccer League players
- Women's association football midfielders
- Benfica W.S.C. players