Ciarán McDonald

Ciarán McDonald (Irish: Ciarán Mac Dónaill) is a former Irish Gaelic football player for Mayo and plays his club football for Crossmolina.^[1]

Playing career

McDonald has been among the most consistent forwards in Gaelic football for the last ten years. He is yet to lift the All-Ireland title with Mayo, having lost to Kerry in 1997, 2004 and 2006 in the All-Ireland Final. Ciaran made his intercounty début in the Under-16 Ted Webb Cup in 1990 at the age of 15. He won the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship title with Crossmolina with a 0-16 to 1-12 win over Cork's Nemo Rangers in 2001. He is known for his playmaking role and his exemplary passing. He is considered one of the best exponents of the difficult skill of kicking the ball with the outside of the boot.

His first Championship for the Mayo Seniors was 1994. He came on and scored as a substitute in the Connacht Final. However that game ended Mayo's involvement that year in what was an historic season for Leitrim.

He missed the eventful 1996 season, where Mayo lost the All-Ireland Final in a replay with Meath, deciding to spend the summer abroad. He returned in 1997 when Mayo again lost in the final game, in which McDonald scored a second half penalty. In 1998 Mayo were knocked out early in the Championship by arch-rivals Galway but McDonald scored two goals in that game and famously hit the crossbar very late in the game when looking for a 3rd goal which would have turned the game in Mayo's favour. Galway went on to win the Championship that year.

He is still a panel member for his home team Crossmolina.

References