 McCarthy during the 2013 National Football League final against Tyrone at Croke Park | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Gaelic football | ||
| Position | Midfield | ||
| Born |
(1990-03-01) 1 March 1990 (age 34) Dublin, Ireland | ||
| Occupation | EBS | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
| Ballymun Kickhams | |||
| Club titles | |||
| Dublin titles | 2 | ||
| Leinster titles | 1 | ||
| Colleges(s) | |||
| Years | College | ||
| DCU | |||
| College titles | |||
| Sigerson titles | 1 | ||
| Inter-county(ies) | |||
| Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
| 2010–2024 | Dublin | 22 (1-2) | |
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Leinster titles | 14 | ||
| All-Irelands | 9 | ||
| NFL | 5 | ||
| All Stars | 5 | ||
James McCarthy (born 1 March 1990) is a Gaelic footballer who plays for the Ballymun Kickhams club and, formerly, for the Dublin county team. He is widely regarded as one of Dublin's greatest ever players.
Early life
He was a student at Sacred Heart BNS Ballygall and St Kevin's College in Ballygall.
Playing career
DCU
He attended DCU where he was a defender for the Gaelic football team. In 2012, he won the Sigerson Cup and the O'Byrne Cup with the college.
Ballymun
He won two Dublin Senior Football Championships in 2012 and 2020 with Ballymun. He added a Leinster Senior Club Football Championship to his collection in 2012. The team went on to beat Dr. Crokes in the All-Ireland semi-final before losing the 2013 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Final to St Brigid's GAA (Roscommon).
Dublin
Under-21
He won the 2010 Leinster Under-21 Football Championship and All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship with Dublin.
Senior
He made his championship debut for Dublin against Laois in the quarter-final of the 2011 Leinster Championship, winning his first Leinster Senior Football Championship against Wexford at Croke Park in July that year. Dublin progressed to an All-Ireland final against Kerry, and McCarthy won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. The game finished on a scoreline of 1-12 to 1-11. McCarthy was nominated for GAA GPA Young Player of the Year for his performances.
On 4 November 2024, McCarthy announced his retirement from inter-county football, ending his 14-year senior career. In a released statement he said "I have decided to retire from representing Dublin GAA at inter-county level, this decision hasn't been an easy one to make but I feel it's the right time."
Personal life
His father John was a senior footballer with Dublin who won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship on three occasions.
As of 2020, he was employed by AIB and lived within two kilometres of Poppintree Park, Albert College Park and Johnstown Park.
Honours
- Dublin
- All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (9): 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023 (c)
- Leinster Senior Football Championship (14): 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
- National Football League (5): 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
- All-Ireland Under 21 Football Championship (1): 2010
- Leinster Under-21 Football Championship (1): 2010
- Ballymun Kickhams
- Leinster Senior Club Football Championship (1): 2012
- Dublin Senior Football Championship (2): 2012, 2020
- DCU
- Sigerson Cup (1): 2012
- O'Byrne Cup (1): 2012
- Individual
- All Star (5): 2014, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2023
- All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final Man of the Match (1): 2017
- The Sunday Game Team of the Year (1): 2023
- The Sunday Game Footballer of the Year (1): 2023
- In May 2020, the Irish Independent named McCarthy at number eighteen in its "Top 20 footballers in Ireland over the past 50 years".
References
- "Brian Fenton on James McCarthy: 'The greatest Dublin player we will ever see'". Irish Examiner. 4 November 2024. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
- "GAA Legends Pay Tribute To James McCarthy But Kildare Star Is Pick Of The Bunch". Balls.ie. 4 November 2024. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
- Keane, Paul (28 March 2016). "Donegal turn blind eye to James McCarthy incident". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
It was McCarthy's tangle with Donegal substitute Martin McElhinney, ironically an ex-team-mate at DCU, that was particularly controversial as the Dublin defender's left hand made contact with McElhinney's eye area.
- Hill 16 – The Official Dublin County Board Website. Hill16.ie (2011-06-05). Retrieved on 2011-10-12.
- Hill 16 – The Official Dublin County Board Website. Hill16.ie (2011-07-10). Retrieved on 2011-10-12.
- "News".
- "News".
- "Dublin great James McCarthy retires from inter-county game". RTÉ News. 4 November 2024. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
- "End of an era for Dublin GAA as James McCarthy announces inter-county retirement". Irish Independent. 1 November 2024. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
- "JAMES MCCARTHY ANNOUNCES INTER-COUNTY RETIREMENT". Dublin GAA. 4 November 2024. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
- O'Brien, Kevin (7 April 2020). "'There are times you're going to lose motivation. It's normal to have those bad days'". The42.ie.
- Breheny, Martin (30 May 2020). "Revealed: The Top 20 footballers in Ireland over the past 50 years". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byJonny Cooper | Dublin senior football team captain 2022–2024 |
Succeeded byTBC |
| Awards and achievements | ||
| Preceded bySeán O'Shea | All-Ireland SFC winning captain 2023 |
Succeeded byAidan Forker |
| Awards | ||
| Preceded byMichael Fitzsimons | All-Ireland SFC Final Man of the Match 2017 |
Succeeded byJack McCaffrey |
| Dublin football team – current senior panel | |
|---|---|
Above is the starting lineup vs Galway on 29 June 2024 |
| Ireland football team – 2014 International Rules Series | ||
|---|---|---|
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