Stephen Cluxton

Stephen Cluxton
Personal information
Irish name Stiofán Cluxton
Sport Gaelic Football
Position Goalkeeper
Born September 17, 1981 (1981-09-17) (age 30)
Coolock, Dublin
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Nickname Cluxo, Clucko
Occupation Teacher, part-time Student
Club(s)
Years Club
Parnells
Inter-county(ies)
Years County Apps (scores)
2001– Dublin 49 (0-05)
Inter-county titles
Leinster titles 7
All Irelands 1
All Stars 4

Stephen "Clucko" Cluxton (born 17 September 1981 in Coolock, County Dublin) is a Gaelic football goalkeeper with Dublin. He plays his club football for Parnells. Cluxton is unusual for a goalkeeper as he often opts to take frees during games. He is an intensely private individual, known for his great mental ability in front of goal and is regarded as the most influential goalkeeper of his generation.[1]

After years of failure to reach the promised land, Cluxton won an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in 2011. He played an important role in securing Dublin's first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title since 1995 when he scored the winning point in stoppage time at the end of the 2011 final. He is the only goalkeeper in the history of the game to have done so.[2] Cluxton was also part of the Dublin side that won the Leinster Senior Football Championship title in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 2009 and 2011. In 2002, 2006, 2007 and 2011 he received an All Star Award.

Contents

Early life

Cluxton was born into a soccer background. His father Pat Cluxton won a lot of medals with Postal Celtic. Stephen played soccer at St David's primary school in Artane, Co. Dublin, and played at left back or on the left wing with Tolka Rovers. It wasn't until he went to St David's secondary school that he began to play Gaelic football. He played at corner forward for St Davids until the school goalkeeper Robert O'Connor was suspended. Cluxton was asked to stand in for him in that position and he has remained in that position ever since.[3]

Outside football

Cluxton is currently studying for a BSc in Science Education part time, and is also a secondary school teacher at St Vincents CBS in Glasnevin where he teaches Science. He became a member of the faculty at the beginning of the September 2006 term. He is usually viewed as the school celebrity and is held in high regard by many students. Stephen has also served as a member of the school football team coaching staff.

He does not participate in media work and regards “not speaking to the media” as the best advice he has been given.[1]

Charity work

In April 2011, while participating in a charity soccer match between Darndale F.C. and Liverpool/Manchester United Legends in aid of Autism Ireland, Cluxton clashed with former Republic of Ireland soccer team player Jason McAteer. Cluxton and McAteer were both sent off.[4]

Inter-county football

Cluxton was an All-Star winner in 2002, and he received the Young Personality of the Year Award at the 2002 RTÉ/Hibernian Sports Ceremony held in the Burlington Hotel, on Saturday 4 January 2003. Following Cluxton's sending off in the third round of the All-Ireland qualifiers in 2003 against Armagh, then manager Tommy Lyons blamed him for Dublin's defeat.[5] After this incident, Cluxton seriously considered quitting the Dublin panel to play professional soccer with League of Ireland side St. Patrick's Athletic.

Stephen was part of the Dublin City University team which won the 2006 Sigerson Cup, winning a place on the Third Level Hotshots Team. He was an All-Star winner that year.

Cluxton won the 2007 O'Byrne Cup with Dublin against Laois at O'Connor Park in Offaly. The game finished on a scoreline of 1–18 to 2–13. Cluxton to this day remains the best shot-stopper in Ireland with bags of skill and fast reflexes. Overall, he has been described as "arguably...the best shot-stopper at inter-county level".

Cluxton played an important role in Dublin's 2011 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winning season.[6] He scored the winning point in the 2011 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final. He is the only goalkeeper in the history of the game to have done so.[2] After the final whistle he slowly walked off the pitch down the tunnel beneath the Hogan Stand in keeping with his famously private persona and desire to shy away from the spotlight. It is believed Cluxton actually exited the pitch straight away as his beloved Manchester United were playing Chelsea in the premier league, and the second half was about to start.[1] Dublin teammate Paul Flynn paid tribute afterwards: "He [Cluxton] is out training an hour before everybody else and he kicks them over with his eyes closed. I didn't even look at the kick. I looked at him and he just kicked it and ran back. He is a phenomenal man, I am delighted for him."[7]

National League appearances

Cluxton has played 52 senior inter-county league games for Dublin. He has kept 22 clean sheets in those 52 appearances.

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 10 February 2002 Parnell Park, Dublin Donegal – 2–10 : 0–14 National Football League Round 1
2 17 February 2002 Healy Park, Omagh Tyrone – 2–10 : 0–18 National Football League Round 2
3 3 March 2002 Parnell Park, Dublin Westmeath – 3–13 : 1–16 National Football League Round 4
4 24 March 2002 Parnell Park, Dublin Roscommon – 0–16 : 2–12 National Football League Round 6
5 31 March 2002 Tuam Stadium, Galway Galway – 1–12 : 1–12 National Football League Round 7
6 2 February 2003 Parnell Park, Dublin Armagh – 0–7 : 1–15 National Football League Round 1
7 16 February 2003 Parnell Park, Dublin Tyrone – 0–12 : 0–11 National Football League Round 3
8 2 March 2003 Fitzgerald Stadium, Kerry Kerry – 0–14 : 2–11 National Football League Round 4
9 23 March 2003 Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon Roscommon – 0–17 : 0–14 National Football League Round 6
10 6 April 2003 Parnell Park, Dublin Galway – 0–12 : 1–9 National Football League Round 7
11 1 February 2004 Parnell Park, Dublin Tyrone – 0–9 : 0–8 National Football League Round 1
12 8 February 2004 McHale Park, Castlebar Mayo – 0–3 : 1–10 National Football League Round 2
13 15 February 2004 Parnell Park, Dublin Kerry – 0–12 : 1–12 National Football League Round 3
14 7 March 2004 Cusack Park, Mullingar Westmeath – 0–15 : 0–10 National Football League Round 4
15 21 March 2004 Parnell Park, Dublin Cork – 0–9 : 0–9 National Football League Round 6
16 5 February 2005 Parnell Park, Dublin Mayo – 2–13 : 1–15 National Football League Round 1
17 13 February 2005 Healy Park, Omagh Tyrone – 0–9 : 1–10 National Football League Round 2
18 5 March 2005 Austin Stack Park, Tralee Kerry – 2–11 : 2–13 National Football League Round 3
19 12 March 2005 Parnell Park, Dublin Westmeath – 0–11 : 0–9 National Football League Round 4
20 20 March 2005 Parnell Park, Dublin Donegal – 1–11 : 0–13 National Football League Round 5
21 26 March 2005 Pairc Ui Rinn, Cork Cork – 1–6 : 0–18 National Football League Round 6
22 3 April 2005 O'Connor Park, Tullamore Offaly – 1–13 : 2–6 National Football League Round 7
23 12 February 2006 Parnell Park, Dublin Monaghan – 0–7 : 1–11 National Football League Round 2
24 4 March 2006 Parnell Park, Dublin Offaly – 1–10 : 3–2 National Football League Round 3
25 11 March 2006 Pairc Ui Rinn, Cork Cork – 1–10 : 1–11 National Football League Round 4
26 19 March 2006 Brewster Park, Fermanagh Fermanagh – 0–8 : 0–9 National Football League Round 5
27 25 March 2006 Parnell Park, Dublin Mayo – 4–10 : 1–10 National Football League Round 6
28 9 April 2006 Fitzgerald Stadium, Kerry Kerry – 0–13 : 0–13 National Football League Round 7
29 3 February 2007 Croke Park, Dublin Tyrone – 0–10 : 0–11 National Football League Round 1
30 10 February 2007 Gaelic Grounds, Limerick Limerick – 0–14 : 1–10 National Football League Round 2
31 25 February 2007 Ballyshannon, Donegal Donegal – 0–5 : 0–9 National Football League Round 3
32 10 March 2007 Parnell Park, Dublin Cork – 1–13 : 0–7 National Football League Round 4
33 24 March 2007 Parnell Park, Dublin Fermanagh – 3–15 : 0–7 National Football League Round 5
34 1 April 2007 McHale Park, Castlebar Mayo – 0–9 : 0–10 National Football League Round 6
35 8 April 2007 Parnell Park, Dublin Kerry – 2–7 : 1–12 National Football League Round 7
36 2 February 2008 Parnell Park, Dublin Westmeath – 1–7 : 1–5 National Football League Round 1
37 1 March 2008 Kingspan Breffni Park, Cavan Cavan – 1–9 : 0–7 National Football League Round 3
38 23 March 2008 Parnell Park, Dublin Monaghan – 1–10 : 0–13 National Football League Round 4
39 13 April 2008 Crossmaglen, Armagh Armagh – 1–10 : 3–13 National Football League Round 5
40 20 April 2008 Parnell Park, Dublin Meath – 0–13 : 2–6 National Football League Round 7
41 26 April 2008 Pairc Tailteann, Meath Westmeath – 0–10 : 0–15 National Football League Division 2 Final
42 31 January 2009 Croke Park, Dublin Tyrone – 1–16 : 1–18 National Football League Round 1
43 15 February 2009 Pearse Stadium, Salthill Galway – 0–13 : 3–12 National Football League Round 2
44 8 March 2009 Ballyshannon, Donegal Donegal – 0–13 : 1–8 National Football League Round 3
45 14 March 2009 Parnell Park, Dublin Derry – 1–12 : 0–20 National Football League Round 4
46 29 March 2009 Parnell Park, Dublin Kerry – 1–15 : 1–15 National Football League Round 6
47 12 April 2009 Parnell Park, Dublin Westmeath – 5–22 : 0–10 National Football League Round 7
48 7 February 2010 Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney Kerry – 1–12 : 1–10 National Football League Round 1
49 7 March 2010 McHale Park, Castlebar Mayo – 1–9 : 1–8 National Football League Round 3
50 13 March 2010 Parnell Park, Dublin Monaghan – 2–11 : 1–9 National Football League Round 4
51 20 March 2010 Pairc Ui Rinn, Cork Cork – 2–6 : 2–13 National Football League Round 5
52 27 March 2010 Parnell Park, Dublin Galway – 0–14 : 1–14 National Football League Round 6

Championship appearances

Cluxton has played 50 senior inter-county championship games for Dublin. He has kept 31 clean sheets in those 50 appearances.

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 27 May 2001 Croke Park, Dublin Longford – 2–19 : 1–13 Leinster Championship Quarter final
2 17 June 2001 Croke Park, Dublin Offaly – 1–12 : 0–13 Leinster Championship Semi final
3 1 June 2002 Dr. Cullen Park, Wexford Wexford – 0–15 : 1–10 Leinster Championship Quarter final
4 23 June 2002 Croke Park, Dublin Meath – 2–11 : 0–10 Leinster Championship Semi final
5 14 July 2002 Croke Park, Dublin Kildare – 2–13 : 2–11 Leinster Championship Final
6 5 August 2002 Croke Park, Dublin Donegal – 2–8 : 0–14 All-Ireland Quarter final
7 17 August 2002 Croke Park, Dublin Donegal – 1–14 : 0–7 All-Ireland Quarter final replay
8 1 September 2002 Croke Park, Dublin Armagh – 1–13 : 1–14 All-Ireland Semi final
9 1 June 2003 Croke Park, Dublin Louth – 1–19 : 0–9 Leinster Championship Quarter final
10 15 June 2003 Croke Park, Dublin Laois – 0–14 : 0–16 Leinster Championship Semi final
11 28 June 2003 St. Tiernach's Park, Derry Derry – 3–9 : 1–9 Qualifiers Round 2
12 5 July 2003 Croke Park, Dublin Armagh – 0–11 : 0–15 Qualifiers Round 3
13 12 June 2004 Parnell Park, Dublin London – 3–24 : 0–6 Qualifiers Round 1
14 3 July 2004 Carrick on Shannon, Leitrim Leitrim – 1–13 : 0–4 Qualifiers Round 2
15 10 July 2004 O'Moore Park, Portlaoise Longford – 1–17 : 0–11 Qualifiers Round 3
16 1 August 2004 Croke Park, Dublin Roscommon – 1–14 : 0–13 Qualifiers Round 4
17 14 August 2004 Croke Park, Dublin Kerry – 1–8 : 1–15 All Ireland Quarter final
18 15 May 2005 Croke Park, Dublin Longford – 2–23 : 0–10 Leinster Championship Preliminary Quarter final
19 5 June 2005 Croke Park, Dublin Meath – 1–12 : 1–10 Leinster Championship Quarter final
20 19 June 2005 Croke Park, Dublin Wexford – 1–17 : 2–10 Leinster Championship Semi final
21 17 July 2005 Croke Park, Dublin Laois – 0–14 : 0–13 Leinster Championship Final
22 13 August 2005 Croke Park, Dublin Tyrone – 1–14 : 1–14 All Ireland Quarter final
23 27 August 2005 Croke Park, Dublin Tyrone – 1–14 : 2–18 All Ireland Quarter final replay
24 4 June 2006 Pearse Park, Longford Longford – 1–12 : 0–13 Leinster Championship Quarter final
25 25 June 2006 Croke Park, Dublin Laois – 3–17 : 0–12 Leinster Championship Semi final
26 16 July 2006 Croke Park, Dublin Offaly – 1–15 : 0–9 Leinster Championship Final
27 13 August 2006 Croke Park, Dublin Westmeath – 1–12 : 0–5 All Ireland Quarter final
28 27 August 2006 Croke Park, Dublin Mayo – 2–12 : 1–16 All-Ireland Semi final
29 3 June 2007 Croke Park, Dublin Meath – 1–11 : 0–14 Leinster Championship Quarter final
30 17 June 2007 Croke Park, Dublin Meath – 0–16 : 0–12 Leinster Championship Quarter final replay
31 24 June 2007 Croke Park, Dublin Offaly – 1–12 : 0–10 Leinster Championship Semi final
32 15 July 2007 Croke Park, Dublin Laois – 3–14 : 1–14 Leinster Championship Final
33 11 August 2007 Croke Park, Dublin Derry – 0–18 : 0–15 All Ireland Quarter final
34 26 August 2007 Croke Park, Dublin Kerry – 0–16 : 1–15 All-Ireland Semi final
35 8 June 2008 Croke Park, Dublin Louth – 1–22 : 0–12 Leinster Championship Quarter final
36 29 June 2008 Croke Park, Dublin Westmeath – 0–13 : 1–8 Leinster Championship Semi final
37 20 July 2008 Croke Park, Dublin Wexford – 3–23 : 0–9 Leinster Championship Final
38 16 August 2008 Croke Park, Dublin Tyrone – 1–8 : 3–14 All Ireland Quarter final
39 7 June 2009 Croke Park, Dublin Meath – 0–14 : 0–12 Leinster Championship Quarter final
40 28 June 2009 Croke Park, Dublin Westmeath – 4–26 : 0–11 Leinster Championship Semi final
41 12 July 2009 Croke Park, Dublin Kildare – 2–15 : 0–18 Leinster Championship Final
42 3 August 2009 Croke Park, Dublin Kerry – 1–7 : 1–24 All Ireland Quarter final
43 13 June 2010 Croke Park, Dublin Wexford – 2–16 : 0–15 Leinster Championship Quarter final
44 27 June 2010 Croke Park, Dublin Meath – 0–13 : 5–9 Leinster Championship Semi final
45 10 July 2010 Croke Park, Dublin Tipperary 0-1 1-21 : 1-13 Qualifiers Round 2
46 17 July 2010 Croke Park, Dublin Armagh 0-1 0-14 : 0-11 Qualifiers Round 3
47 24 July 2010 Croke Park, Dublin Louth 0-2 2-14 : 0-13 Qualifiers Round 4
48 31 July 2010 Croke Park, Dublin Tyrone 0-1 1-15 : 0-13 All Ireland Quarter final
49 22 August 2010 Croke Park, Dublin Cork - 1-14 : 1-15 All Ireland Semi final
50 18 September 2011 Croke Park, Dublin Kerry 0-2 1-12 : 1-11 All Ireland Final

International Rules

Cluxton has a fear of flying and therefore, if he was selected, he could not play International Rules for Ireland in Australia. [3] However, he has appeared for Ireland against Australia in Ireland, winning the Irish player of the tournament award in 2004.[8] Cluxton has not been a member of the compromise rules panel since.[9] Cluxton played in goals for Ireland in the 2010 rules series in Limerick and kept a cleansheet in goal.[10]

He played in goals for Ireland in the 2011 series in Melbourne, Australia on the 28th of October 2011

See also

For more details of the GAA in Dublin, see Dublin GAA, Dublin GAA Honours and Dublin Senior Football Championship.

References

  1. ^ a b c "All-Ireland Championship: Cluxton just so cool". The Belfast Telegraph. 2011-09-19. http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/gaa/allireland-championship-cluxton-just-so-cool-16051603.html. Retrieved 2011-09-19. 
  2. ^ a b "Cluxton the hero as Dublin win All-Ireland". RTÉ Sport. 2011-09-18. http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2011/0918/dublin_kerry.html. Retrieved 2011-09-18. 
  3. ^ a b http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=95&si=&issue_id=13092 Irish Independent story
  4. ^ Ellis, Fiona; O'Connell, Edel (2011-04-05). "McAteer calls on Cluxton to apologise over punch". Irish Independent. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/mcateer-calls-on-cluxton-to-apologise-over-punch-2609496.html. Retrieved 2011-04-05. 
  5. ^ http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=95&si=&issue_id=9492 Irish Independent story
  6. ^ Clerkin, Malachy (2011-09-18). "Cluxton stays cool to claim Sam". The Irish Times. http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/gaa/2011/0918/1224304340812.html. Retrieved 2011-09-18. "In the end, it came down to one man. Or, if you prefer, a number one man. Stephen Cluxton, the Dublin goalkeeper who has been so crucial to their year, trotted forward with a minute of injury time left to drill an All-Ireland winning score into the Hill at last, after a breathless day in Croke Park." 
  7. ^ Houston, Rory (2011-09-19). "Flynn pays tribute to Gilroy's 'team'". RTÉ Sport. http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2011/0919/flynnp_dublin.html. Retrieved 2011-09-19. 
  8. ^ HILL 16
  9. ^ Hoganstand.com – GAA Football & Hurling
  10. ^ [1]

External links

1 S. Cluxton | 2 C. O'Sullivan | 3 R. O'Carroll | 4 M. Fitzsimons | 5 J. McCarthy | 6 G. Brennan | 7 K. Nolan | 8 D. Bastick| 9  MD. MacAuley| 10 P. Flynn | 11 B. Cahill | 12 B. Cullen | 13 A. Brogan | 14 D. Connolly | 15 B. Brogan |
Subs P. McMahon for O’Carroll (26, inj), K. McManamon for Cahill (ht), E. O’Gara for McCarthy (61), E. Fennell for Bastick (65), R. McConnell for Flynn (67, inj).
Manager: P. Gilroy
Selectors: M. Whelan, D. Hickey, P. O'Donoghue
(Team as of August 2011 versus Donegal)
2002 All Star Gaelic Football Team

1 S. Cluxton | 2 E. McNulty | 3 P. Christie | 4 A. Lynch | 5 A. O'Rourke | 6 K. McGeeneyFOTY | 7 K. Cassidy | 8 D. Ó Sé | 9 P. McGrane |
10 S. McDonnell | 11 E. O'Hara | 12 O. McConville | 13 P. Canavan | 14 R. Cosgrove | 15 C. Cooper
2006 All Star Gaelic Football Team

1 S. Cluxton | 2 M. Ó Sé | 3 B. Owens | 4 K. Lacey | 5 S. Moynihan | 6 G. Spillane | 7 A. O'Mahony | 8 D. Ó Sé | 9 N. Murphy |
10 P. Galvin | 11 A. Brogan | 12 A. Dillon  | 13 C. Mortimer | 14 K. Donaghy | 15 R. Clarke
2007 All Star Gaelic Football Team

1 S. Cluxton | 2 M. Ó SéFOTY | 3 K. McCloy | 4 G. Canty | 5 T. Ó Sé | 6 A. O'Mahony | 7 B. Cahill | 8 C. Whelan | 9 D. Ó Sé |
10 S. Bray | 11 D. O'Sullivan | 12 A. Brogan | 13 C. Cooper | 14 P. Bradley | 15 T. Freeman
2011 All Star Gaelic Football Team
Dublin - All-Ireland Senior Football Champions 2011 (23rd title)

1 S. Cluxton | 2 C. O'Sullivan | 3 R. O'Carroll | 4 M. Fitzsimons | 5 J. McCarthy | 6 G. Brennan | 7 K. Nolan | 8 D. Bastick | 9 M. D. MacAuley | 10 P. Flynn | 11 B. Cahill | 12 B. Cullen (c) | 13 A. Brogan | 14 D. Connolly | 15 B. Brogan |
Subs used: P. McMahon for J. McCarthy | K. McManamon for P. Flynn | E. O'Gara for B. Cahill | E. Fennell for D. Bastick |
Manager: P. Gilroy