James McGarry
Encyclopedia
James McGarry is an Irish
sportsperson. He plays hurling
with his local club Bennettsbridge
and was a member of the Kilkenny
senior inter-county team from 1999 to 2008.
, County Kilkenny
, and plays his club hurling with his local club in Bennettsbridge
. Although best known as a goalkeeper, McGarry began his playing career as an outfield player. While Bennettsbridge were once regarded as one of the best clubs in the county championship their fortunes have taken a downturn in the last few decades. In spite of this McGarry has still had some success with the club, winning intermediate league county medals and county junior football
medals.
junior hurling team in the 1990s. He first tasted success in 1993 when he won a Leinster
junior title following a win over Wexford
. McGarry later lined out against Clare
in the All-Ireland final, however, Kilkenny were completely outclassed on that occasion. A final score of 3-10 to 0-8 gave Clare the victory.
In 1994 McGarry added a second Leinster junior title to his collection as Wexford fell again in the provincial decider. Once again Kilkenny later qualified for the All-Ireland final where Cork provided the opposition. After a close and exciting game it was Cork who stole the victory with a 2-13 to 2-11 score line.
1995 saw Kilkenny continue their provincial dominance with McGarry collecting a third consecutive Leinster medal. Once again Kilkenny subsequently qualified for the All-Ireland final. It was their third consecutive championship decider in-a-row; however, defeat had been their lot in the previous two deciders. Clare were the opponents on this occasion, however, Kilkenny were the masters in this game. A 1-20 to 1-6 victory gave McGarry a coveted All-Ireland
junior medal.
. At the age of 26 it appeared that his chance at senior championship hurling may have passed by. All this changed in 1999 when he took over as the first-choice goalkeeper on the senior team under the new manager Brian Cody
. That year he won his first senior Leinster
title following a comprehensive victory over reigning All-Ireland champions Offaly
. McGarry later lined out in his first All-Ireland final, with arch-rivals Cork providing the opposition. Although he kept a clean sheet, a Cork team, with an average age of 22, came back from four points down to win the game by a solitary point.
In 2000, McGarry captured a second Leinster title as Kilkenny steamrolled Offaly once again in the provincial final. The ‘back-door system’ allowed the two sides to later meet again in the All-Ireland final. The game turned out to be a complete mismatch as the Kilkenny forwards went on a goal-scoring spree. It was one of the most one-sided All-Ireland finals in decades as ‘the Cats’ won by 5-15 to 1-14. This victory gave McGarry his first senior All-Ireland
medal.
In 2001 McGarry added a third successive Leinster medal to his collection as Kilkenny completely overpowered Wexford in the provincial final once again. After such a huge win ‘the Cats’ were hot favourites to retain their All-Ireland title; however, Kilkenny were outsmarted by Galway
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
‘The Cats’ bounced back in 2002 with McGarry claiming a first National Hurling League
medal. He subsequently claimed a fourth Leinster title before later lining out in a third All-Ireland final. Clare
, who were defeated in the first-round of the Munster championship but had made it to the final via the newly introduced qualifier system, put up a good fight, however, McGarry claimed another clean sheet in a championship decider. A combined tally of 2-13 for Henry Shefflin
and D.J. Carey gave Kilkenny a seven-point victory and gave McGarry a second All-Ireland medal.
In 2003, McGarry captured a fifth consecutive Leinster medal after another huge win. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw ‘the Cats’ take on arch-rivals Cork. It was a close and tense affair as the Leinster men never led by more than four points. Kilkenny only secured victory with a late Martin Comerford
goal and won the day with a 1-14 to 1-11 score line. It was McGarry’s third All-Ireland medal in four years.
In 2004, Kilkenny were aiming for an unprecedented third All-Ireland victory in-a-row; however, the team was now under severe pressure from all quarters. For the first time in seven years Kilkenny failed in their bid to become Leinster champions as a last-gasp Wexford goal ended an almost unprecedented run of success in the provincial championship. Kilkenny took the scenic route via the qualifiers system; however, after a scare against Clare
they still reached the All-Ireland final. Once again Cork provided the opposition on a gloomy and overcast day. The sides were level for much of the game; however, in the final twenty minutes Cork scored nine points without reply and secured the victory. Kilkenny ended the year with no silverware, however, McGarry kept a clean sheet in a third All-Ireland final.
Kilkenny were back in form in 2005 with McGarry adding a second National League medal to his ever-growing collection. He later collected a sixth Leinster title as ‘the Cats’ had a narrow win over reigning provincial champions Wexford. While a third successive All-Ireland showdown with Cork seemed extremely likely, Galway defeated Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final in one of the most exciting games of the decade.
In 2006 McGarry captured a third National League medal. He later won a third Leinster title following another victory over Wexford before later lining out in his third All-Ireland final. The game that everyone had predicted would happen in 2005 was now taking place as Cork squared up to Kilkenny for the third time in four years. The Leesiders were aiming for a third All-Ireland victory in-a-row; however, revenge was foremost in the minds of Kilkenny as it was Cork who denied their three-in-a-row bid in 2004. On the day Kilkenny were far too strong for Cork with McGarry playing a key role on the goal-line. The score of 1-16 to 1-13 gave Kilkenny a 29th All-Ireland title and gave McGarry a fourth All-Ireland medal. For the seventh time in eight years McGarry was nominated for an All-Star
award, however, once again he was overlooked.
In 2007 McGarry was dropped as the first-choice goalkeeper on the Kilkenny senior team and was replaced by P.J. Ryan, his understudy of many years. In the All-Ireland semi-final against Wexford Ryan fractured his arm and for a while it looked like McGarry would make an emotional return to senior hurling after his wife’s death in a road traffic accident earlier in the year. In the end Ryan made a spectacular recovery and was fit to play. Kilkenny went on to defeat Limerick by 2-19 to 1-15 and McGarry and his son received a special mention from captain Henry Shefflin as he received the Liam McCarthy Cup
.
While many expected McGarry to retire from inter-county hurling following this win he returned to the panel in 2008 as Kilkenny launched an all-out attack in an attempt to capture a third All-Ireland title in-a-row. He remained on the substitutes’ bench for the entire campaign until the All-Ireland final against Waterford
. After fifty minutes the game was effectively over due to the huge score that Kilkenny had recorded. At that point goalkeeper P.J. Ryan was called to the sideline and McGarry went in as a substitute. He received a warm welcome from both the Kilkenny and the Waterford fans as they both realised the significance of the situation. Although the game was well beyond Waterford at that stage, McGarry did leave in an Eoin Kelly
goal. In spite of this Kilkenny won the game by 3-30 to 1-13. It was McGarry’s sixth All-Ireland medal and his fifth on the field of play. Furthermore, the team made history by capturing their elusive three-in-a-row. He retired from inter-county hurling following this win.
in the inter-provincial hurling competition and has enjoyed some success. He won his first Railway Cup medal in 2002 as Leinster defeated arch-rivals Munster
. McGarry won a second Railway Cup title in 2003 when Leinster defeated a Connacht
side made up entirely of Galway players. 2006 saw McGarry add a third and final Railway Cup medal to his collection.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
sportsperson. He plays 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...
with his local club Bennettsbridge
Bennettsbridge GAA
Bennettsbridge is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Bennettsbridge, County Kilkenny, Ireland. The Bridge last won the Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship in 1971, although they are no longer a senior championship side.-Achievements:...
and was a member of the Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny 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 Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
senior inter-county team from 1999 to 2008.
Club
McGarry was born in BennettsbridgeBennettsbridge
Bennettsbridge is a village in County Kilkenny in Ireland.It is situated on the river Nore south of Kilkenny city, in the centre of the county. It is located in the province of Leinster in the south-east of the island of Ireland...
, County Kilkenny
County Kilkenny
County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
, and plays his club hurling with his local club in Bennettsbridge
Bennettsbridge GAA
Bennettsbridge is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Bennettsbridge, County Kilkenny, Ireland. The Bridge last won the Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship in 1971, although they are no longer a senior championship side.-Achievements:...
. Although best known as a goalkeeper, McGarry began his playing career as an outfield player. While Bennettsbridge were once regarded as one of the best clubs in the county championship their fortunes have taken a downturn in the last few decades. In spite of this McGarry has still had some success with the club, winning intermediate league county medals and county junior football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
medals.
Junior
Surprisingly McGarry never lined out at minor or under-21 levels for his native county. Instead he first came to prominence as a goalkeeper on the KilkennyKilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny 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 Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
junior hurling team in the 1990s. He first tasted success in 1993 when he won a Leinster
Leinster Junior Hurling Championship
The Leinster Junior Hurling Championship is a junior "knockout" competition in the game of Hurling played in the province of Leinster in Ireland...
junior title following a win over Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
. McGarry later lined out against Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
in the All-Ireland final, however, Kilkenny were completely outclassed on that occasion. A final score of 3-10 to 0-8 gave Clare the victory.
In 1994 McGarry added a second Leinster junior title to his collection as Wexford fell again in the provincial decider. Once again Kilkenny later qualified for the All-Ireland final where Cork provided the opposition. After a close and exciting game it was Cork who stole the victory with a 2-13 to 2-11 score line.
1995 saw Kilkenny continue their provincial dominance with McGarry collecting a third consecutive Leinster medal. Once again Kilkenny subsequently qualified for the All-Ireland final. It was their third consecutive championship decider in-a-row; however, defeat had been their lot in the previous two deciders. Clare were the opponents on this occasion, however, Kilkenny were the masters in this game. A 1-20 to 1-6 victory gave McGarry a coveted All-Ireland
All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship was a hurling competition organized by the Gaelic Athletic Association in Ireland. The competition was originally contested by the second teams of the strong counties, and the first teams of the weaker counties...
junior medal.
Senior
McGarry subsequently joined the Kilkenny senior hurling panel in 1997 as sub goalkeeper to Joe DermodyJoe Dermody
Joe Dermody is an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club St. Lachtain's and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1997 until 1999.-References:...
. At the age of 26 it appeared that his chance at senior championship hurling may have passed by. All this changed in 1999 when he took over as the first-choice goalkeeper on the senior team under the new manager Brian Cody
Brian Cody
Brian Cody is an Irish hurling manager and former player, currently managing the Kilkenny senior inter-county team, where he has been in charge since 1998...
. That year he won his first senior Leinster
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
The Leinster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Leinster in Ireland....
title following a comprehensive victory over reigning All-Ireland champions Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
. McGarry later lined out in his first All-Ireland final, with arch-rivals Cork providing the opposition. Although he kept a clean sheet, a Cork team, with an average age of 22, came back from four points down to win the game by a solitary point.
In 2000, McGarry captured a second Leinster title as Kilkenny steamrolled Offaly once again in the provincial final. The ‘back-door system’ allowed the two sides to later meet again in the All-Ireland final. The game turned out to be a complete mismatch as the Kilkenny forwards went on a goal-scoring spree. It was one of the most one-sided All-Ireland finals in decades as ‘the Cats’ won by 5-15 to 1-14. This victory gave McGarry his first senior All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
medal.
In 2001 McGarry added a third successive Leinster medal to his collection as Kilkenny completely overpowered Wexford in the provincial final once again. After such a huge win ‘the Cats’ were hot favourites to retain their All-Ireland title; however, Kilkenny were outsmarted by Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
‘The Cats’ bounced back in 2002 with McGarry claiming a first National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
medal. He subsequently claimed a fourth Leinster title before later lining out in a third All-Ireland final. Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
, who were defeated in the first-round of the Munster championship but had made it to the final via the newly introduced qualifier system, put up a good fight, however, McGarry claimed another clean sheet in a championship decider. A combined tally of 2-13 for Henry Shefflin
Henry Shefflin
Henry Shefflin is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Ballyhale Shamrocks and has been a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team since 1999...
and D.J. Carey gave Kilkenny a seven-point victory and gave McGarry a second All-Ireland medal.
In 2003, McGarry captured a fifth consecutive Leinster medal after another huge win. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw ‘the Cats’ take on arch-rivals Cork. It was a close and tense affair as the Leinster men never led by more than four points. Kilkenny only secured victory with a late Martin Comerford
Martin Comerford
Martin Comerford is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club O'Loughlin Gaels and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 2002 until 2010.-References:-Teams:...
goal and won the day with a 1-14 to 1-11 score line. It was McGarry’s third All-Ireland medal in four years.
In 2004, Kilkenny were aiming for an unprecedented third All-Ireland victory in-a-row; however, the team was now under severe pressure from all quarters. For the first time in seven years Kilkenny failed in their bid to become Leinster champions as a last-gasp Wexford goal ended an almost unprecedented run of success in the provincial championship. Kilkenny took the scenic route via the qualifiers system; however, after a scare against Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
they still reached the All-Ireland final. Once again Cork provided the opposition on a gloomy and overcast day. The sides were level for much of the game; however, in the final twenty minutes Cork scored nine points without reply and secured the victory. Kilkenny ended the year with no silverware, however, McGarry kept a clean sheet in a third All-Ireland final.
Kilkenny were back in form in 2005 with McGarry adding a second National League medal to his ever-growing collection. He later collected a sixth Leinster title as ‘the Cats’ had a narrow win over reigning provincial champions Wexford. While a third successive All-Ireland showdown with Cork seemed extremely likely, Galway defeated Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final in one of the most exciting games of the decade.
In 2006 McGarry captured a third National League medal. He later won a third Leinster title following another victory over Wexford before later lining out in his third All-Ireland final. The game that everyone had predicted would happen in 2005 was now taking place as Cork squared up to Kilkenny for the third time in four years. The Leesiders were aiming for a third All-Ireland victory in-a-row; however, revenge was foremost in the minds of Kilkenny as it was Cork who denied their three-in-a-row bid in 2004. On the day Kilkenny were far too strong for Cork with McGarry playing a key role on the goal-line. The score of 1-16 to 1-13 gave Kilkenny a 29th All-Ireland title and gave McGarry a fourth All-Ireland medal. For the seventh time in eight years McGarry was nominated for an All-Star
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...
award, however, once again he was overlooked.
In 2007 McGarry was dropped as the first-choice goalkeeper on the Kilkenny senior team and was replaced by P.J. Ryan, his understudy of many years. In the All-Ireland semi-final against Wexford Ryan fractured his arm and for a while it looked like McGarry would make an emotional return to senior hurling after his wife’s death in a road traffic accident earlier in the year. In the end Ryan made a spectacular recovery and was fit to play. Kilkenny went on to defeat Limerick by 2-19 to 1-15 and McGarry and his son received a special mention from captain Henry Shefflin as he received the Liam McCarthy Cup
Liam McCarthy Cup
The MacCarthy Perpetual Challenge Cup is a trophy awarded annually by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the hurling team that wins the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.-The trophy:...
.
While many expected McGarry to retire from inter-county hurling following this win he returned to the panel in 2008 as Kilkenny launched an all-out attack in an attempt to capture a third All-Ireland title in-a-row. He remained on the substitutes’ bench for the entire campaign until the All-Ireland final against Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
. After fifty minutes the game was effectively over due to the huge score that Kilkenny had recorded. At that point goalkeeper P.J. Ryan was called to the sideline and McGarry went in as a substitute. He received a warm welcome from both the Kilkenny and the Waterford fans as they both realised the significance of the situation. Although the game was well beyond Waterford at that stage, McGarry did leave in an Eoin Kelly
Eoin Kelly (Waterford hurler)
Eoin Kelly is a famous Irish hurler who plays for both the Waterford senior inter-county hurling team and club hurling for Passage GAA...
goal. In spite of this Kilkenny won the game by 3-30 to 1-13. It was McGarry’s sixth All-Ireland medal and his fifth on the field of play. Furthermore, the team made history by capturing their elusive three-in-a-row. He retired from inter-county hurling following this win.
Provincial
McGarry has also lined out with LeinsterLeinster GAA
The Leinster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Leinster. The Leinster Council has been partnered with the European County Board to help develop Gaelic Games in Europe...
in the inter-provincial hurling competition and has enjoyed some success. He won his first Railway Cup medal in 2002 as Leinster defeated arch-rivals Munster
Munster GAA
The Munster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Munster.-Constituent counties:*Cork*Clare*Kerry*Limerick*Tipperary*Waterford-Honours:...
. McGarry won a second Railway Cup title in 2003 when Leinster defeated a Connacht
Connacht GAA
The Connacht Council are a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Connacht.-Constituent counties:*Galway*Leitrim*Mayo*Roscommon*Sligo-Special counties:...
side made up entirely of Galway players. 2006 saw McGarry add a third and final Railway Cup medal to his collection.