Kevin Moran (footballer)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article or section needs sources or references that appear in reliable, third-party publications. Primary sources and sources affiliated with the subject of the article are generally not sufficient for a Wikipedia article. Please include more appropriate citations from reliable sources, or discuss the issue on the talk page. This article has been tagged since March 2008.

Kevin Bernard Moran (born April 29, 1956 in Dublin, Ireland) is a former Irish Gaelic football and soccer player. He is known for his time as a Dublin player, winning two All-Ireland senior football championships with them, and for his footballing career with Manchester United FC and Ireland. He was the first man to be sent off in an FA Cup Final.

Moran grew up in Rialto, Dublin until his early teens, before he moved to the Long Mile Road in Walkinstown. While there, he attended James' Street CBS and Drimnagh Castle CBS where Gaelic football was the dominant sport although soccer proved to be the sport he played on the streets while growing up.[1] During the period in which he played for UCD he had divided loyalties between the UCD soccer team and his football club Good Counsel, as both sports were then played on a Saturday.

[edit] Gaelic Football

Moran was an inter-county Gaelic football player for Dublin in Ireland. He won two All-Ireland Championship medals with Dublin in 1976 and 1977. He helped Dublin to defeat Kerry — who had beaten Dublin in the 1975 final — in the 1976 final (by 3-8 to 0-10) and again in the 1977 semi-final thanks to new tactics by manager Kevin Heffernan that hindered Kerry's tactic to pull defenders forward and take full advantage of the space behind the half back line. The 1977 final saw a 5-12 to 3-6 victory over Armagh in Croke Park. Moran was awarded an All-Star for his performance in the 1976 championship.

Moran was also part of the 1976/77 side that won the National Football League for Dublin with a win over Derry in the final. He played his club football for Dublin based GAA club Good Counsel.

[edit] Soccer

In soccer, Moran starting playing with Dublin side Pegasus. He was spotted by Billy Behan, a Manchester United scout, who reported to United manager Dave Sexton, and Moran signed for Manchester United in 1978. He made his senior debut on April 20, 1979 against Southampton. Playing as a central defender, he won FA Cup medals with the club in 1983 and 1985.

Moran is notable for being given a red card in the 1985 FA Cup Final against Everton, the first player ever to be sent off in an FA Cup final. TV cameras revealed that he had gone for the ball, and not for Peter Reid, in the offending tackle, and he was later presented with the winner's medal that had at first been withheld.

Moran left Old Trafford as a 32-year-old in the summer of 1988. He transferred to Sporting Gijon, where he remained for two seasonsm making 33 appearances without scoring.

In 1990, he returned to England to join Second Division Blackburn Rovers. He was an automatic choice in the first team, but endured a disappointing first season at Ewood Park as Rovers finished 19th in the second division. The following season was a huge success, however, as playoff victory ended the club's 26-year exile from the top division and secured their place in the new Premier League. Moran helped Rovers finish fourth in 1992-93 and runners-up in 1993-94, and finally retired at the end of the 1993-94 season - one year before Rovers won their first league title in 81 years.

Moran made his debut for the Republic of Ireland against Sweden in 1980 and played a key role in Ireland's unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the 1982 World Cup finals in Spain. He played 71 times for Ireland between 1980 and 1994, including the European Championships in 1988 in Germany and the World Cup in 1990 in Italy, and scored 6 goals. He was also a member of the Irish squad at the World Cup in 1994 in the U.S. but did not play.

Moran currently works as a pundit on Irish television channel TV3.

[edit] External links

• Official Good Counsel GAA Website

v • d • e Republic of Ireland squad - UEFA Euro 1988 1 Bonner • 2 Morris • 3 Hughton • 4 McCarthy • 5 Moran • 6 Whelan • 7 McGrath • 8 Houghton • 9 Aldridge • 10 Stapleton • 11 Galvin • 12 Cascarino • 13 O'Brien • 14 Kelly • 15 Sheedy • 16 Peyton • 17 Byrne • 18 Sheridan • 19 Anderson • 20 Quinn • Coach: Charlton

v • d • e Republic of Ireland squad - 1990 FIFA World Cup 1 Bonner • 2 Morris • 3 Staunton • 4 McCarthy • 5 Moran • 6 Whelan • 7 McGrath • 8 Houghton • 9 Aldridge • 10 Cascarino • 11 Sheedy • 12 O'Leary • 13 Townsend • 14 Hughton • 15 Slaven • 16 Sheridan • 17 Quinn • 18 Stapleton • 19 Kelly • 20 Byrne • 21 McLoughlin • 22 Peyton • Coach: Charlton

v • d • e Republic of Ireland squad - 1994 FIFA World Cup 1 Bonner • 2 Irwin • 3 Phelan • 4 Moran • 5 McGrath • 6 Keane • 7 Townsend • 8 Houghton • 9 Aldridge • 10 Sheridan • 11 Staunton • 12 G. Kelly • 13 Kernaghan • 14 Babb • 15 Coyne • 16 Cascarino • 17 McGoldrick • 18 Whelan • 19 McLoughlin • 20 D. Kelly • 21 McAteer • 22 A. Kelly • Coach: Charlton