Greg Blaney
Encyclopedia
Greg Blaney is an Irish
former dual GAA player
who played Gaelic football
and hurling
for Down
in the 1980s and 1990s. He is chiefly remember as a footballer. He was part of the Down team that won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
in 1991
and 1994
. Blaney also won three Ulster Senior Football Championship
s and a National League
title with Down. He also had a distinguished underage career with the county - winning Ulster Minor
, Ulster Under 21
and All-Ireland Under 21 Football Championship
medals. He also won three All Star awards
during his career.
In football he usually played at centre half forward
. He was a brilliant reader of the game. He was renowned for his vision, ball-winning and play-making abilities. His excellent passing skills set up countless chances for team-mates. His understanding with Down corner forward Mickey Linden
has been described as "near telepathic". It has been said that he made the Down "attack tick with his shrewd play and inventiveness". Blaney was also able to score himself.
Blaney is a legend in Down GAA
circles, and is known as one of the county's best ever footballers. In 2009 to mark the 125th anniversary of the Gaelic Athletic Association
he was named by The Irish News
as one of the all-time best 125 footballers from Ulster.
With Down hurlers he won Ulster Minor
and Ulster Senior Hurling Championship
medals.
in Newry
. Later he attended Queens University Belfast.
His father Seán captained
Armagh
to Ulster Minor
and All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
glory in 1949.
. His first year playing for the club's Senior team was 1978, aged just 15. He helped the club win the Down Junior Football Championship in 1986.
with them in 197x. In 1979 at the age of just 16, he was part of the Down Under 21 team that won the Ulster Under 21
and All-Ireland Under 21 Football Championship
s.
Blaney joined the Down Senior panel in 1981. That year, while only 18 years old, he won his first Ulster Senior Football Championship
medal with the county. Two years later he helped Down win the National Football League
. He also received an All Star award
for his performances that year. Blaney and Down reached the 1986 Ulster final, but were beaten by Tyrone
.
In 1991
Down again won the Ulster Championship, beating Donegal
in the decider. Down defeated Kerry
in the All-Ireland semi-final, before beating Meath
in the All-Ireland final. The success was Down's first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title since 1968. Blaney also won a second All Star that year.
Blaney won a third Ulster Championship medal with Down in 1994
- overcoming Tyrone comfortably in the decider. Victories over Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final and Dublin
in the final gave Blaney another All-Ireland Senior medal. Once again he was honoured for hs performances that year with an All Star.
Blaney lined out in another Ulster final two years later, but Down lost to Tyrone. He retired from inter-county football in 1997.
s (1978, 1979 and 1981). In 1978 they went on to reach the Hogan Cup
final, but were beaten by St. Jarlath's College
, Tuam
.
Despite being just a fresher, Blaney was top-scorer when Queens University Belfast won the Sigerson Cup
in 1982. He also won the Ryan Cup on two occasions with QUB (1984 and 1985). In 1999 he was named a 'Sporting Great' of the university. He also a patron of QUB's GAA academy.
on many occasions. He won the Railway Cup five times with the province (between 1983 and 1995).
for Ireland
against Australia
in 1984, 1986, 1987 and 1990.
medal with the county.
He was part of the Down side that won the 1992 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship
- the county's first since 1941.
was manager. He was appointed to the role in July 2002. In 2003 Down reached the Ulster final, where they faced Tyrone. The game was a thriller and finished a high-scoring draw. Tyrone however, comfortably won the replay.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
former dual GAA player
Dual player
Dual player or dual star is a term used in Gaelic games to describe a player who plays both Men's Gaelic football and Hurling or Ladies' Gaelic football and Camogie. The player doesn't necessarily have to play at the same standard in both sports...
who played Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
and hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
for Down
Down GAA
The Down County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Down GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Down...
in the 1980s and 1990s. He is chiefly remember as a footballer. He was part of the Down team that won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
in 1991
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1991
-All-Ireland Final:-1991 All Stars:Michael McQuillan , Mick Deegan , Conor Deegan , Enon Gavin , Tommy Carr , Keith Barr , Martin O'Connell , Barry Breen , Martin Lynch , Ross Carr , Greg Blaney , Tommy Dowd , Colm O'Rourke , Brian Stafford , Bernard Flynn...
and 1994
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1994
-All-Ireland Final:...
. Blaney also won three Ulster Senior Football Championship
Ulster Senior Football Championship
For information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...
s and a National League
National Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
title with Down. He also had a distinguished underage career with the county - winning Ulster Minor
Ulster Minor Football Championship
The Ulster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Ulster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Ulster Council. The trophy for the winning side is The Liam Murray Cup. The competition began in 1930, with...
, Ulster Under 21
Ulster Under-21 Football Championship
For the Senior equivalent see: Ulster Senior Football ChampionshipThe Ulster Under-21 Football Championship known for sponsorship reasons as the Cadbury Ulster Under-21 Football Championship is a Gaelic football tournament for players under the age of 21, contested by the nine counties of Ulster in...
and All-Ireland Under 21 Football Championship
All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months...
medals. He also won three All Star awards
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
during his career.
In football he usually played at centre half forward
Gaelic football and Hurling positions
The following are the positions in the Gaelic sports of Gaelic football, hurling and camogie. Like rugby and baseball, and unlike soccer, these have set positions which haven't changed in decades...
. He was a brilliant reader of the game. He was renowned for his vision, ball-winning and play-making abilities. His excellent passing skills set up countless chances for team-mates. His understanding with Down corner forward Mickey Linden
Mickey Linden
Michael Rory "Mickey" Linden is an Irish Gaelic footballer who played for Down in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He was part of the Down team that won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in 1991 and 1994. Linden also won two Ulster Senior Football Championships and a National League...
has been described as "near telepathic". It has been said that he made the Down "attack tick with his shrewd play and inventiveness". Blaney was also able to score himself.
Blaney is a legend in Down GAA
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
circles, and is known as one of the county's best ever footballers. In 2009 to mark the 125th anniversary of the Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
he was named by The Irish News
The Irish News
The Irish News is a compact-sized daily newspaper based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is perceived as being broadly Irish nationalist in outlook...
as one of the all-time best 125 footballers from Ulster.
With Down hurlers he won Ulster Minor
Ulster Minor Hurling Championship
The Ulster Minor Hurling Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of hurling played in the province of Ulster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Ulster Council. The competition began in 1930, with Down winning during the inaugural year. The most successful...
and Ulster Senior Hurling Championship
Ulster Senior Hurling Championship
The Ulster Senior Hurling Championship is the premier intercounty "knockout" competition in the game of hurling played in the province of Ulster. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months. The Ulster Hurling Final is played in July...
medals.
Background
Blaney went to secondary school at St. Colman's CollegeSt Colman's College, Newry
St Colman's College is a Roman Catholic school in Newry, Northern Ireland. Now named in honour of St. Colman, it was founded in 1823 as the Dromore Diocesan Seminary by a Father J.S. Keenan. The College stands on Violet Hill, the same 60 acre site it has occupied since 1829, adjacent to the...
in Newry
Newry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
. Later he attended Queens University Belfast.
His father Seán captained
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
Armagh
Armagh GAA
The Armagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Armagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Armagh...
to Ulster Minor
Ulster Minor Football Championship
The Ulster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Ulster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Ulster Council. The trophy for the winning side is The Liam Murray Cup. The competition began in 1930, with...
and All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
The All-Ireland Minor Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for under-18 competitors of the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland...
glory in 1949.
Club
Blaney played club football for CarryduffCarryduff
Carryduff is a small town and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland, about south of Belfast city centre. It had a population of 6,595 people in the 2001 Census....
. His first year playing for the club's Senior team was 1978, aged just 15. He helped the club win the Down Junior Football Championship in 1986.
Inter-county
Blaney was known as one of Down's best ever underage players. Blaney played for the Down Minor team for three years and won the Ulster Minor Football ChampionshipUlster Minor Football Championship
The Ulster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Ulster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Ulster Council. The trophy for the winning side is The Liam Murray Cup. The competition began in 1930, with...
with them in 197x. In 1979 at the age of just 16, he was part of the Down Under 21 team that won the Ulster Under 21
Ulster Under-21 Football Championship
For the Senior equivalent see: Ulster Senior Football ChampionshipThe Ulster Under-21 Football Championship known for sponsorship reasons as the Cadbury Ulster Under-21 Football Championship is a Gaelic football tournament for players under the age of 21, contested by the nine counties of Ulster in...
and All-Ireland Under 21 Football Championship
All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months...
s.
Blaney joined the Down Senior panel in 1981. That year, while only 18 years old, he won his first Ulster Senior Football Championship
Ulster Senior Football Championship
For information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...
medal with the county. Two years later he helped Down win the National Football League
National Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
. He also received an All Star award
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
for his performances that year. Blaney and Down reached the 1986 Ulster final, but were beaten by Tyrone
Tyrone GAA
The Tyrone County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Tyrone GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Tyrone. The county board is also responsible for the Tyrone inter-county teams....
.
In 1991
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1991
-All-Ireland Final:-1991 All Stars:Michael McQuillan , Mick Deegan , Conor Deegan , Enon Gavin , Tommy Carr , Keith Barr , Martin O'Connell , Barry Breen , Martin Lynch , Ross Carr , Greg Blaney , Tommy Dowd , Colm O'Rourke , Brian Stafford , Bernard Flynn...
Down again won the Ulster Championship, beating Donegal
Donegal GAA
The Donegal County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Donegal GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Donegal. The county board is also responsible for the Donegal inter-county teams.Gaelic football is strongest in the...
in the decider. Down defeated Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
in the All-Ireland semi-final, before beating Meath
Meath GAA
The Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
in the All-Ireland final. The success was Down's first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title since 1968. Blaney also won a second All Star that year.
Blaney won a third Ulster Championship medal with Down in 1994
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1994
-All-Ireland Final:...
- overcoming Tyrone comfortably in the decider. Victories over Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final and Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
in the final gave Blaney another All-Ireland Senior medal. Once again he was honoured for hs performances that year with an All Star.
Blaney lined out in another Ulster final two years later, but Down lost to Tyrone. He retired from inter-county football in 1997.
School/college
Blanye's honours while at St. Colman's include helping the school win three MacRory CupMacRory Cup
The MacRory Cup is an inter-college Gaelic football tournament in Ulster. It is staged every year with the stipulation that players must be under eighteen-and-a-half at the start of the tournament...
s (1978, 1979 and 1981). In 1978 they went on to reach the Hogan Cup
Hogan Cup
The Hogan Cup 1946-48 & 1957-) is the cup presented to the winners of the colleges All-Ireland "A" senior football championship, the top level Gaelic football championship for secondary schools in Ireland. The competition itself is regularly referred to by reference to the trophy's name.St...
final, but were beaten by St. Jarlath's College
St. Jarlath's College
St. Jarlath's College is a Roman Catholic secondary school for boys in Tuam, County Galway, Ireland. It is an amalgamation of the former St. Jarlath's College and St...
, Tuam
Tuam
Tuam is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city.-History:...
.
Despite being just a fresher, Blaney was top-scorer when Queens University Belfast won the Sigerson Cup
Sigerson Cup
The Sigerson Cup is the top division of Higher Education Gaelic football in Ireland, It is administrated by the Higher Education committee which is part of the Gaelic Athletic Association...
in 1982. He also won the Ryan Cup on two occasions with QUB (1984 and 1985). In 1999 he was named a 'Sporting Great' of the university. He also a patron of QUB's GAA academy.
Province
Blaney played for UlsterUlster GAA
The Ulster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, and handball in the province of Ulster. The headquarters of the Ulster GAA is based in Armagh City....
on many occasions. He won the Railway Cup five times with the province (between 1983 and 1995).
International
Blaney played Compromise rules footballInternational rules football
International rules football is a team sport consisting of a hybrid of football codes, which was developed to facilitate international representative matches between Australian rules football players and Gaelic football players....
for Ireland
Ireland international rules football team
The Ireland International rules football team is the representative team for Ireland in international rules football, a compromise between Gaelic football and Australian rules football...
against Australia
Australia international rules football team
This article concerns the men's team; for information on the Australian women's team, see Australia women's international rules football team....
in 1984, 1986, 1987 and 1990.
Club
Blaney played club hurling for Ballycran. His honours with the club include downing a pint of guiness and fixing players teeth after their rough matches with portaferry and ballygalget .Inter-county
Blaney represented Down hurlers at Minor, Under 21 and Senior level. In 1978 he won an Ulster Minor Hurling ChampionshipUlster Minor Hurling Championship
The Ulster Minor Hurling Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of hurling played in the province of Ulster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Ulster Council. The competition began in 1930, with Down winning during the inaugural year. The most successful...
medal with the county.
He was part of the Down side that won the 1992 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship
Ulster Senior Hurling Championship
The Ulster Senior Hurling Championship is the premier intercounty "knockout" competition in the game of hurling played in the province of Ulster. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months. The Ulster Hurling Final is played in July...
- the county's first since 1941.
After retiring
Blaney has a deep knowledge of football and has served as a selector with the Down Senior football team, when former team-mate Paddy O'RourkePaddy O'Rourke
This article is about a football manager from Down. For the Meath footballer from Skryne, see Patrick O'RourkePaddy O'Rourke is a Northern Irish Gaelic football manager and former player. He played football with his local club Burren and was a member of the Down senior inter-county team from the...
was manager. He was appointed to the role in July 2002. In 2003 Down reached the Ulster final, where they faced Tyrone. The game was a thriller and finished a high-scoring draw. Tyrone however, comfortably won the replay.
Senior
- All-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
:- Winner (2): 1991All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1991-All-Ireland Final:-1991 All Stars:Michael McQuillan , Mick Deegan , Conor Deegan , Enon Gavin , Tommy Carr , Keith Barr , Martin O'Connell , Barry Breen , Martin Lynch , Ross Carr , Greg Blaney , Tommy Dowd , Colm O'Rourke , Brian Stafford , Bernard Flynn...
, 1994All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1994-All-Ireland Final:...
- Winner (2): 1991
- National Football LeagueNational Football League (Ireland)The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
:- Winner (1): 1983
- Runner-up: 1990
- Ulster Senior Football ChampionshipUlster Senior Football ChampionshipFor information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...
:- Winner (3): 1981, 1991, 1994
- Runner up: 1986, 1996
- Dr. McKenna Cup:
- Winner (4):1987 1989 1992 1996
- Runner up:
- Ulster Senior Hurling ChampionshipUlster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Ulster Senior Hurling Championship is the premier intercounty "knockout" competition in the game of hurling played in the province of Ulster. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months. The Ulster Hurling Final is played in July...
:- Winner (1): 1992,
- Runner up: ?
Under-21
- All-Ireland Under-21 Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months...
:- Winner (1): 1979
- Ulster Under-21 Football ChampionshipUlster Under-21 Football ChampionshipFor the Senior equivalent see: Ulster Senior Football ChampionshipThe Ulster Under-21 Football Championship known for sponsorship reasons as the Cadbury Ulster Under-21 Football Championship is a Gaelic football tournament for players under the age of 21, contested by the nine counties of Ulster in...
:- Winner (1/2?): 1979, 1984??
- Runner up: 1980
- Ulster Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipUlster Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipFor the Senior equivalent see: Ulster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Ulster U-21 Hurling Championship or for sponsorship reasons the Erin Ulster Under-21 Hurling Championship is an Under 21 hurling tournament between counties affiliated to Ulster. The winners of the Ulster championship go on to...
:- Winner (0/1/2?):
- Runner up: ?
Minor
- Ulster Minor Football ChampionshipUlster Minor Football ChampionshipThe Ulster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Ulster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Ulster Council. The trophy for the winning side is The Liam Murray Cup. The competition began in 1930, with...
:- Winner (1): 1977
- Ulster Minor Hurling ChampionshipUlster Minor Hurling ChampionshipThe Ulster Minor Hurling Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of hurling played in the province of Ulster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Ulster Council. The competition began in 1930, with Down winning during the inaugural year. The most successful...
:- Winner (1): 1978
School/college
- Sigerson CupSigerson CupThe Sigerson Cup is the top division of Higher Education Gaelic football in Ireland, It is administrated by the Higher Education committee which is part of the Gaelic Athletic Association...
:- Winner (1): 1982
- Runner up?: 1983?, 1985?
- Ryan Cup:
- Winner (at least 1): 198x, more?
- Hogan CupHogan CupThe Hogan Cup 1946-48 & 1957-) is the cup presented to the winners of the colleges All-Ireland "A" senior football championship, the top level Gaelic football championship for secondary schools in Ireland. The competition itself is regularly referred to by reference to the trophy's name.St...
:- Runner up: 1978
- MacRory CupMacRory CupThe MacRory Cup is an inter-college Gaelic football tournament in Ulster. It is staged every year with the stipulation that players must be under eighteen-and-a-half at the start of the tournament...
:- Winner (3): 1978, 1979, 1981
Individual
- All StarGAA All Stars AwardsThe All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
:- Winner (3): 1983, 1991, 1994
- Nominated (runner up): ?