Jody Gormley
Encyclopedia
Jody Gormley is a former Gaelic football
er for Tyrone
, and London
. He also played a coaching role for Down
following his retirement from Inter-County playing, and has held the role of Antrim
football manager. Gormley can now be found managing the Longstone
football club in Co. Down
.
, and went on end up runner-up in the All-Ireland Final. For Gormley, who was an ever-present throughout the Championship, memorable moments include scoring the winning point in a scorching Ulster Semi-Final against neighbouring rivals, Derry
. This win was notable because the Tyrone team had two players sent off, and were 0-8 to 0-5 down at half time.
In the All-Ireland Final of 1995, Tyrone lost to Dublin
by a point (Dublin 1-10, Tyrone 0-12). Gormley was only Tyrone player to score in that match, apart from an 11-point masterclass by Peter Canavan
.
The following year, Tyrone again won the Ulster Championship, but were beaten in All-Ireland Semi Final by Meath
. Gormley was one of several Tyrone players injured in that match, which many Tyrone fans attributed to Meath's heavy-handed tactics.
intercounty team, but they rarely performed well in the Championship.
Senior team that won the Co. Down Junior Championship Final, defeating Teconnaught 1-8 to 0-5 in Downpatrick
. They proceeded to hammer Drum of Derry
in the Quarter Final Of The Ulster Junior Championship in Newcastle, County Down
but lost to Noamh Brid of Donegal
in the Semi at Breffni Park
, Cavan
.
, and were knocked out of the qualifiers by Sligo
, after which, Gormley stepped down.
Now plying his trade as a teacher, Gormley coached Abbey CBS
, Newry to their first MacRory Cup
final in nineteen years, which they won. The team also went on to win the All-Ireland colleges championship, the Hogan Cup
.
He successfully applied to take over the Antrim
management for the 2007 Gaelic Football Championship
, where he managed for two seasons.
He has since moved back into club management, with Longstone
, where he took over at the beginning of the 2010 season. Gormley kept the club in the top flight after winning a relegation play-off at the end of the season.
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er for 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....
, and London
London GAA
The London County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or London GAA is one of the county boards outside Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in London...
. He also played a coaching role 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...
following his retirement from Inter-County playing, and has held the role of Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...
football manager. Gormley can now be found managing the Longstone
Longstone GAC
Longstone GAC is a Gaelic Athletic Association gaelic football club in County Down, Northern Ireland. In recent times Longstone claimed the runner-up spot in the Senior Football League , which is the top-flight division in the county...
football club in Co. Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
.
Tyrone
His career peak was probably in 1995, when Tyrone won the Ulster ChampionshipUlster 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...
, and went on end up runner-up in the All-Ireland Final. For Gormley, who was an ever-present throughout the Championship, memorable moments include scoring the winning point in a scorching Ulster Semi-Final against neighbouring rivals, Derry
Derry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...
. This win was notable because the Tyrone team had two players sent off, and were 0-8 to 0-5 down at half time.
In the All-Ireland Final of 1995, Tyrone lost to 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...
by a point (Dublin 1-10, Tyrone 0-12). Gormley was only Tyrone player to score in that match, apart from an 11-point masterclass by Peter Canavan
Peter Canavan
Peter Canavan is manager of Fermanagh and an Irish former Gaelic football player for Tyrone, and is one of the most decorated players in the game's history, winning two All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medals, six GAA All Stars Awards , four provincial titles, and two National Leagues and...
.
The following year, Tyrone again won the Ulster Championship, but were beaten in All-Ireland Semi Final by 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 :...
. Gormley was one of several Tyrone players injured in that match, which many Tyrone fans attributed to Meath's heavy-handed tactics.
London
Tyrone's fortunes faded following this, and Gormley's job brought him to London. There he joined the LondonLondon GAA
The London County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or London GAA is one of the county boards outside Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in London...
intercounty team, but they rarely performed well in the Championship.
Clubs
In 2006, Jody played midfield on the BredaghBredagh GAC
Bredagh GAC is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in County Down, Northern Ireland. It fields teams at all levels from U8 to Senior in Men's and Ladies Gaelic football, Hurling and Camogie...
Senior team that won the Co. Down Junior Championship Final, defeating Teconnaught 1-8 to 0-5 in Downpatrick
Downpatrick
Downpatrick is a medium-sized town about 33 km south of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is the county town of Down with a rich history and strong connection to Saint Patrick. It had a population of 10,316 at the 2001 Census...
. They proceeded to hammer Drum of Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
in the Quarter Final Of The Ulster Junior Championship in Newcastle, County Down
Newcastle, County Down
Newcastle is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 7,444 people recorded in the 2001 Census. The seaside resort lies on the Irish Sea coast at the base of Slieve Donard, one of the Mourne Mountains, and is known for its sandy beach and the Royal County Down Golf Club...
but lost to Noamh Brid of Donegal
Donegal
Donegal or Donegal Town is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. Its name, which was historically written in English as Dunnagall or Dunagall, translates from Irish as "stronghold of the foreigners" ....
in the Semi at Breffni Park
Breffni Park
Breffni Park—known for sponsorship reasons as the Kingspan Breffni Park— is a Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Cavan, Ireland. It is the home of the Cavan Gaelic football team. The ground has an overall capacity of about 32,000 with a 6,000 seated capacity. Breffni is the historic...
, Cavan
Cavan
Cavan is the county town of County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland. The town lies in the north central part of Ireland, near the border with Northern Ireland...
.
Management
Gormley started his intercounty management career with own GAA|Down]2005]. After a promising start to the 2006 National League, Down's challenge tailed off, and they were disappointing in the 2006 Ulster Senior Football ChampionshipUlster 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...
, and were knocked out of the qualifiers by Sligo
Sligo GAA
The Sligo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Sligo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Sligo...
, after which, Gormley stepped down.
Now plying his trade as a teacher, Gormley coached Abbey CBS
Abbey CBS
The Abbey CBS is a Christian Brothers Secondary School in Tipperary town, South Tipperary in Ireland. The school has a rich history in education going back hundreds of years....
, Newry to their first MacRory Cup
MacRory 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...
final in nineteen years, which they won. The team also went on to win the All-Ireland colleges championship, 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...
.
He successfully applied to take over the Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...
management for the 2007 Gaelic 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...
, where he managed for two seasons.
He has since moved back into club management, with Longstone
Longstone GAC
Longstone GAC is a Gaelic Athletic Association gaelic football club in County Down, Northern Ireland. In recent times Longstone claimed the runner-up spot in the Senior Football League , which is the top-flight division in the county...
, where he took over at the beginning of the 2010 season. Gormley kept the club in the top flight after winning a relegation play-off at the end of the season.