Mickey Linden
Encyclopedia
Michael Rory "Mickey" Linden is an Irish
Gaelic football
er 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 Championship
s and a National League
title with Down. In 1994 he also won an All Star award
and named Texaco Footballer of the Year
.
He usually played as a corner forward
. He was renowned for his speed, "electrifying skills", turn of foot and accuracy in front of the posts with both feet. He "tore defences apart with his pace and scoring power" and "took the best back lines to the cleaners". Linden is among the top twenty all-time top Ulster scorers in Championship football. His understanding with Down play-maker Greg Blaney
has been described as "near telepathic".
Linden is known as one of the Down'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.
, County Down
. Professionally he works as a Driving Test
examiner in nearby Newry
.
.
with the county. Down reached the 1986 Ulster Senior Football Championship
final, but were beaten by Tyrone
.
In 1991
he won his first Ulster Championship medal, with Down 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.
Linden won a second 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 Linden another All-Ireland Senior medal. For his performances that year he received an All Star award
and named Texaco Footballer of the Year
.
Linden reached further Ulster finals with Down in 1996, 1999 and 2003, in 2003 down where very unlucky in the ulster final in the last minute Peter Cavavan dived in the box and scored the plenty down lost the replay. but the county were beat on each occasion. He retired from inter-county football in 2003 .
winner 1983
footballer Patsy Forbes. Later that year at the age of 46 and six years after retiring from inter-county football - Linden added to his All-Ireland medal haul. In the 2009 Irish Over-45 Championships in Tullamore
, Offaly he won two golds and a silver in the 45-50 category. He was first in both the 100 metres
and long jump
and finished runner-up in the 200 metres
.
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...
Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er who played 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, 1990s and early 2000s. 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:...
. Linden also won two 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. In 1994 he also won 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...
and named Texaco Footballer of the Year
Texaco Footballer of the Year
The Texaco Footballer of the Year is a Gaelic football award, created in 1958, that honours the achievements of a footballer of outstanding excellence...
.
He usually played as a corner 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 renowned for his speed, "electrifying skills", turn of foot and accuracy in front of the posts with both feet. He "tore defences apart with his pace and scoring power" and "took the best back lines to the cleaners". Linden is among the top twenty all-time top Ulster scorers in Championship football. His understanding with Down play-maker Greg Blaney
Greg Blaney
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...
has been described as "near telepathic".
Linden is known as one of the Down'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.
Personal life
Linden is from MayobridgeMayobridge
Mayobridge is an area within Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland. It is located within the Newry and Mourne District Council area. It had a population of 842 people in the 2001 Census.-People :...
, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
. Professionally he works as a Driving Test
Driving test
A driving test is a procedure designed to test a person's ability to drive a motor vehicle. It exists in various forms worldwide, and is often a requirement to pass the exam to obtain a driver's license...
examiner in nearby 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...
.
Club
Linden plays club football for Mayobridge. He has won the Down Senior Football Championship on 8 occasions with the club in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008. He has also been beaten finalist twice in the Ulster Senior Club Football ChampionshipUlster Senior Club Football Championship
The Ulster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition played between the top clubs in Ulster. The trophy awarded to the winners is the Seamus McFerran Cup...
.
Senior
Linden made his Down Senior debut in 1982. In 1983 he won the 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...
with the county. Down reached the 1986 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...
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...
he won his first Ulster Championship medal, with Down 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.
Linden won a second 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 Linden another All-Ireland Senior medal. For his performances that year he 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...
and named Texaco Footballer of the Year
Texaco Footballer of the Year
The Texaco Footballer of the Year is a Gaelic football award, created in 1958, that honours the achievements of a footballer of outstanding excellence...
.
Linden reached further Ulster finals with Down in 1996, 1999 and 2003, in 2003 down where very unlucky in the ulster final in the last minute Peter Cavavan dived in the box and scored the plenty down lost the replay. but the county were beat on each occasion. He retired from inter-county football in 2003 .
Inter-county
- 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
- 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 (2): 1991, 1994
- Runner up: 1996, 1999, 2003
- 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 (2): 1984, 1985
- 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 1983
-
- Runner Up: 1982
- National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
:- Winner (1): 1983
- Runner up: 1990 2003 div 2
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 (1): 1994
- Texaco Footballer of the YearTexaco Footballer of the YearThe Texaco Footballer of the Year is a Gaelic football award, created in 1958, that honours the achievements of a footballer of outstanding excellence...
:- Winner (1): 1994
Athletics
In 2009 Linden joined Dunleer Athletics Club, at the behest of former TyroneTyrone 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....
footballer Patsy Forbes. Later that year at the age of 46 and six years after retiring from inter-county football - Linden added to his All-Ireland medal haul. In the 2009 Irish Over-45 Championships in Tullamore
Tullamore
Tullamore is a town in County Offaly, in the midlands of Ireland. It is Offaly's county town and the centre of the district.Tullamore is an important commercial and industrial centre in the region. Major international employers in the town include 'Tyco Healthcare' and 'Boston Scientific'. In...
, Offaly he won two golds and a silver in the 45-50 category. He was first in both the 100 metres
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
and long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
and finished runner-up in the 200 metres
200 metres
A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...
.