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Rory Kavanagh

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Rory Kavanagh
Personal information
Irish nameRuairí Caomhánach[1]
SportGaelic football
Born (1982-08-23) 23 August 1982 (age 42)
Letterkenny, Ireland
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
OccupationTeacher
Club management
Years Club
St Eunan's
Personal information
Irish name Ruairí Caomhánach[2]
Sport Gaelic football
Position Midfield
Born (1982-08-23) 23 August 1982 (age 42)
Letterkenny, Ireland
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Occupation Teacher
Club(s)
Years Club
2000–2020
pre-2009
c. 2015
 St Eunan's
Donegal Boston
Donegal Boston
Club titles
Donegal titles 6
Inter-county(ies)
Years County Apps (scores)
2001–2016
 Donegal 100+
Inter-county titles
Ulster titles 3
All-Irelands 1
NFL 1

Rory Kavanagh (Irish: Ruairí Ó Caomhánach; born 23 August 1982) is an Irish Gaelic football manager and former player with St Eunan's and the Donegal county team. He was manager of St Eunan's from November 2020 until the end of the 2023 championship. He currently manages Watty Grahams, Glen.

First called up to play for the senior Donegal team in 2001, Kavanagh made substitute appearances in the 2004 Ulster Senior Football Championship (SFC) final, which Donegal lost, and the 2007 National Football League final, which Donegal won. He captained his county during the 2009 season, and again on his 100th appearance for the county, in the 2012 Ulster SFC preliminary round, in the absence of regular team captain Michael Murphy. That year, Kavanagh was part of the Donegal team that retained the Ulster SFC title it had won the previous year, adding the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship as well, on this occasion. By the end of the 2014 Ulster Senior Football Championship, Kavanagh had added a third, and final Ulster SFC medal to his collection.

Alongside Colm McFadden and Christy Toye, Kavanagh would have been considered one of the experienced members of the Donegal senior football panel in his final days.[3] His haul of Ulster Senior Football Championships was a joint county team record (alongside such past players as Anthony Molloy, Martin McHugh, Joyce McMullan and Donal Reid) for four years until Patrick McBrearty, Neil McGee, Paddy McGrath, Leo McLoone, Frank McGlynn, Michael Murphy and Anthony Thompson surpassed it in 2018. After retiring from inter-county football, Kavanagh became involved in club management.

Early life

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Kavanagh is from Letterkenny.[4] His father Charlie also played Gaelic football.[5]

Kavanagh attended Scoil Colmcille and St Eunan's College in Letterkenny.[6][7] He played in the St Eunan's College team that won the McLarnon Cup for a third time in 2000, their first win since 1979.

Playing career

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Club

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Kavanagh won six Donegal Senior Football Championship (SFC) titles while playing for the St Eunan's club.[4] He made his senior debut in 2000, when he was 18 years of age.[8]

Kavanagh made a substitute appearance for his club in the 2020 Donegal SFC semi-final loss to Naomh Conaill, and was substituted himself before the end.[9]

He also played for Donegal Boston.[10][11]

Inter-county

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Mickey Moran first called Kavanagh into the Donegal senior panel in 2001.[12]

Against Armagh in the 2004 Ulster Senior Football Championship (SFC) final at Croke Park, he came on as a substitute for the injured Christy Toye.[13] Against the same opponents at the same venue he played in the 2006 Ulster final, scoring 0–1.[14] Having spent much of the campaign on the bench, he came on as a substitute in the 2007 NFL Final against Mayo, scoring 0–1.[15][16]

On 19 December 2008, he was named captain for the 2009 season.[17]

Kavanagh went travelling abroad and only returned over Easter in 2010 but was sprung from the bench directly into the 2010 National Football League game against Armagh at O'Donnell Park shortly afterwards, having been sent off in his first game back for St Eunan's.[18]

He made his 100th appearance for his county in the 2012 Ulster SFC preliminary round match against Cavan, and captained the team in the absence of the injured Michael Murphy.[19]

Again against Mayo, this time under the management of Jim McGuinness, Kavanagh started at midfield in the 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final.[20][21] Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle from his team hotel in Dublin the following morning, he was still hoarse himself and described the win as "surreal".[22] He was nominated to be an All Star in 2012.[23] He won consecutive Ulster SFC titles in 2011 and 2012.[24][25] Against Derry in the 2011 Ulster SFC final, he was injured late in the first half and was replaced by Martin McElhinney.[24]

He won his third and final Ulster SFC in 2014, appearing as a substitute for Christy Toye in the final against Monaghan.[26]

Kavanagh decided to retire from the county set up at the end of 2014. In 2016, he unretired himself and returned to the Donegal panel. In January 2017, Kavanagh finally retired from the inter-county game.[27] It later emerged that much of this apparent indecisiveness was influenced by Rory Gallagher (McGuinness's assistant and, later, Donegal manager), who would lay in wait at Kavanagh's house, and approach him as he returned home from school, in efforts to attract him (both Rorys also bear a passing resemblance to each other).[28]

Training regime

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Until Jim McGuinness took over as team manager, Kavanagh was a frail and delicate sort of figure. McGuinness requested that he eat eight meals each day.[29] McGuinness requested his consumption be in the form of an early breakfast, followed by lunch at 10.30, more food at 12:30, followed by more food at 3.00, more food at 6.00 and more food at 9.00.[30] McGuinness also expected Kavanagh to eat half a tub of ice-cream if the player was not in satisfactory condition.[28]

Media career

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Kavanagh has appeared as a pundit on eir Sport.[31]

He has also appeared on The Sunday Game on RTÉ.

Management career

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Kavanagh managed Donegal to the 2018 Buncrana Cup.[32]

In December 2019, Kavanagh was unveiled as manager of the Donegal Under-15 Academy Squad.[32]

In November 2020, Kavanagh was appointed manager of the St Eunan's senior team.[4] He led the club to a first Donegal SFC title in seven years in his first season as manager, defeating favourites Naomh Conaill in the final.[33] Barry Meehan was announced as his successor in November 2023.[34]

On 9th November 2024 he was unveiled as manager to 2024 All-Ireland Club Champions Watty Graham, Glen club in Maghera, County Londonderry, following the departure of Malachy O'Rourke to manage the Co. Tyrone Senior Football Team. [35]

Personal life

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Kavanagh is a married man. He mentioned his wife on BBC Radio after winning the Sam Maguire Cup, explaining that the noise in the background was the sound of her snoring.[22]

He teaches at his old primary school in Letterkenny, Scoil Colmcille.[4][6]

Honours

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Player

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Donegal
St Eunan's
Donegal Boston
  • North-East Men's Senior Football Championship: 2015[11]
Ulster
Individual

Manager

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St Eunan's

References

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  1. ^ "Countdown to Croker: Donegal name 'team' for All-Ireland final". 20 September 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  2. ^ "Countdown to Croker: Donegal name 'team' for All-Ireland final". 20 September 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  3. ^ Foley, Alan (11 September 2012). "Forward thinking McFadden". Donegal Democrat. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d "Kavanagh named as new St Eunan's senior team manager". Donegal News. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020. He succeeds Coalisland man, Richie Thornton, who was at the helm for the last two seasons. Thornton had been assistant to Maxi Curran for the 2017/2018 season.
  5. ^ McEniff, Brian (30 April 2020). "When it comes to picking our best midfielders, Donegal has been blessed with talent". Rory Kavanagh was another outstanding player. A quality athlete who would deserve to be considered at midfield but would also be pushing for a place at wing half-forward. His father Charlie was a fine player too. I remember playing against him when he played with Convoy.
  6. ^ a b "Picture special: Rory Kavanagh returns to Scoil Cholmcille with Sam". 26 September 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012. Both Kevin and Rory are also past pupils of the school.
  7. ^ "Twitter feed". St Eunan's College. EunansFootball Best of luck 2our past pupils who r in Donegal panel v Cork in All Ire Semi-Final on Sun @neilgerardgalla @murphm95 @AntoinMcFadden @Tommyk_91 @BrickMolloy @123kav @kevin_raff @gmacfadden14 @mdboyler24 +Mr McFadden #TheCollege
  8. ^ Craig, Frank (12 May 2022). "St Eunan's will not be resting on their laurels". Donegal News. p. 76. Kavanagh himself burst onto the senior club scene as a rangy 18-year-old back in 2000.
  9. ^ Foley, Alan (13 September 2020). "Late winner gets Naomh Conaill over the line in controversial win over St Eunan's in SFC semi-final". Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  10. ^ "Donegal Boston come of age". Hogan Stand. 16 July 2009. Retrieved 16 July 2009.
  11. ^ a b Foley, Alan (30 August 2015). "Donegal Boston seal North-East Men's Senior Football Championship". Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  12. ^ Keys, Colm (5 November 2003). "Royals' seal of approval puts pressure on Boylan". Irish Independent. Retrieved 5 November 2003.
  13. ^ "Awesome Armagh destroy Donegal". RTÉ Sport. 11 July 2004. Retrieved 11 July 2004. Rory Kavanagh replaced the injured Christy Toye just before the break as two more McKeever points extended Armagh's lead to eight — 1–9 to 0–4.
  14. ^ "Donegal 0–09 1–09 Armagh". BBC Sport. 9 July 2006. Retrieved 9 July 2006.
  15. ^ "Donegal win National League title". BBC Sport. 22 April 2007. Retrieved 9 March 2010.
  16. ^ a b "Donegal achieve historic win — First national league title comes to county after victory over Mayo". Donegal Times. 25 April 2007. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2007.
  17. ^ "Kavanagh is named Donegal captain". BBC Sport. 19 December 2008. Retrieved 19 December 2008.
  18. ^ Foley, Cliona (12 April 2010). "Scintillating McDonnell piles misery on Donegal". Irish Independent. Retrieved 12 April 2010. Kavanagh only returned from travelling abroad at Easter and was sent off in his first club game back on Saturday night.
  19. ^ McNulty, Chris (17 May 2012). "Rory to lead Donegal". Donegal News. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  20. ^ "Live updates from the All-Ireland finals at Croke Park". RTÉ Sport. 23 September 2012. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
  21. ^ a b "Donegal 2–11 Mayo 0–13". RTÉ Sport. 23 September 2012. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
  22. ^ a b "Donegal's Rory Kavanagh relives 'surreal' Sam moment". BBC News. 24 September 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  23. ^ "Jim McGuinness sorry that Rory Kavanagh misses out on All-Star". BBC Sport. 25 October 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  24. ^ a b c "Donegal 1–11 Derry 0-08". RTÉ Sport. 17 July 2011. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
  25. ^ a b "Ulster Senior Football Final: Donegal 2–18 0–13 Down". BBC Sport. 22 July 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  26. ^ a b "Donegal reverse 2013 result to claim Ulster football title". The42.ie. 20 July 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  27. ^ O'Brien, Kevin (10 January 2017). "Trio of Donegal All-Ireland winners announce their retirement from inter-county football". The42.ie. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  28. ^ a b Bogue, Declan (16 June 2017). "Kavanagh: The old guard let Donegal down last year". Irish Independent. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  29. ^ "Lyster feasts on final glory". Evening Herald. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2012. "Now we know the secret of reaching an All-Ireland final. Eat eight meals a day," joked Michael Lyster. Many months ago, Donegal manager Jim McGuinness saw midfielder Rory Kavanagh as one of his key men, but felt he was too light. In order to bulk up, Jim asked him to eat eight meals a day.
  30. ^ McKenna, Ewan (23 August 2012). "Forward-thinking McGuinness and Horan have turned old ruins into new empires". Irish Independent. Retrieved 23 August 2012. When Rory Kavanagh was earmarked for midfield, he was told to eat a small breakfast before gym work, lunch at 10.30, a snack at 12.30, and then eat at 3.0, 6.0 and 9.0.
  31. ^ Hannigan, Mary (27 January 2020). "TV View: New League, new rules, and a whole new level of mathematics — Who needs Pythagoras when you have Marty Morrissey to explain advanced mark?". The Irish Times. Retrieved 27 January 2020. For those True Gaels who missed his contribution, the gist was that his fellow Eir pundit Rory Kavanagh declared, 'The king is back!'
  32. ^ a b McNulty, Chris (18 December 2019). "Rory Kavanagh, Maxi Curran confirmed as Donegal underage managers". Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  33. ^ Campbell, Peter (7 November 2021). "St Eunan's overpower Naomh Conaill in Donegal SFC final". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  34. ^ "Meehan confirmed as new St Eunan's manager". Donegal News. 30 November 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  35. ^ "Glen: Donegal All-Ireland winner Rory Kavanagh named new boss".
  36. ^ "Donegal dominate All-Star football nominations with 12 players selected". RTÉ Sport. 2 October 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
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Sporting positions
Preceded by Donegal Senior Football Captain
2009 		Succeeded by
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