Gerard O'Kane

Gerard O'Kane (born 5 October 1984)[1] is a Gaelic footballer who plays for the Derry county team, with whom he has won a National League title.

Gerad O'Kane
Personal information
Sport Gaelic football
Position Centre Back
Born (1984-10-05) 5 October 1984
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Club(s)
Years Club
2001-
 Glenullin
Club titles
Derry titles 1
Colleges(s)
Years College
 Queens University Belfast
College titles
Sigerson titles 1
Inter-county(ies)
Years County
2005-
 Derry
Inter-county titles
Ulster titles 0
All-Irelands 0
NFL 1
All Stars 0

He plays his club football for John Mitchel's Glenullin and has won a Derry Senior Football Championship with the club. He plays in the half back line for club and county, with his pace and stamina being two of his key attributes.[2]

Early life and family

O'Kane was born in Philadelphia PA but now lives in Glenullin near Garvagh. He is a cousin of fellow Derry and Glenullin players Paddy and Eoin Bradley.[3][4] The Bradleys' father, Liam (former Antrim manager) is an uncle of O'Kane. O'Kane's father, also called Gerard, has served as chairman of the Derry County Board in the past.[5]

Playing career

Club

O'Kane plays club football for John Mitchel's Glenullin. O'Kane won the Derry Senior Football Championship with the club in the Derry Senior Football Championship of 2007.[5] Glenullin met Bellaghy in the final, and, after a replay, won the title.[6] He won the man of the match award for his performance in the final replay.

Earlier that year Glenullin won the Ulster Senior Club Football League, beating Latton of Monaghan in the final.[7] The club reached the Ulster League final again the following year, but were defeated by fellow Derry club Ballinderry.[8]

In 2008 the club reached the final of the All-Ireland Sevens Championship, organised by Kilmacud Crokes, but lost 1-11 to 0-13 to St. Gall's, Antrim in the decider, with O'Kane scoring 0-01 in the match.[9] He was Glenullin's goalkeeper during the tournament (often outfielders are used as goalkeepers in sevens football). Glenullin, jointly with Ballinderry, won the 2008 Derry Senior Football League.

Inter-county
O'Kane (right) in action against Donegal's Brian Roper during the 2008 Ulster Championship

O'Kane captained the Derry Minor side that won the 2002 Ulster Minor Championship and All-Ireland Minor Championship.[1]

He made his Derry Senior debut in 2004.[1] He was part of the Derry team that won the 2008 National League where Derry beat Kerry in the final.[10][11]

O'Kane and Derry again reached the National League final in 2009, but were defeated by Kerry.[12] Derry opened their 2009 Championship campaign with a win over Monaghan. However, they were defeated in the next round (Ulster semi-final) by Tyrone. They were drawn against Monaghan again in the first round of the Qualifiers and defeated them for the second time that year. Derry's 2009 campaign ended the following week with defeat to Donegal.

School/college

Gerard O'Kane captained St Pat's, Maghera, to success in the 2003 MacRory Cup and Hogan Cup.[1] These successes came months after winning the All-Ireland Minor title with Derry, becoming the first player since 1949 to captain a winning Hogan Cup team the year after captaining a victorious All-Ireland Minor side.[5] He was awarded Ulster Colleges Football All-Stars in both 2002 and 2003. In 2007 he won the Ryan Cup and Sigerson Cup with Queens University Belfast.[1] In 2005 and 2007 he was voted onto the Datapac Combined Universities (All Star) team.

Honours
O'Kane in action against Mayo in the 2009 National League

Inter-county

Club

College

Individual
  • Captain Derry minor Ulster and All-Ireland winning side: 2002
  • Captain St. Pat's MacRory Cup and Hogan Cup winning side: 2003
  • Ulster Colleges Football All-Star - Winner (2): 2002, 2003
  • Datapac Combined Universities - Winner (2): 2005, 2007
  • Irish News All Star 2009

Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.

References
  1. "Derry player profiles 2008". Official Derry GAA website. 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
  2. Heaney, Paddy (31 May 2008). "Donegal vs Derry Ulster Senior Football Championship 2008 quarter-final (Rory Kavanagh v Gerard O'Kane)". The Irish News.
  3. Heaney, Paddy (16 October 2008). "Bradley deserves a break from the game: Cassidy". p. 60. Archived from the original on 17 January 2016. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
  4. "Bradley and McCabe shoot the breeze ahead of Minor clash". The Irish News. 18 July 2015.
  5. "O'Kane fired up for glory". Belfast Telegraph. 26 March 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2009.
  6. "Glenullin win Derry final replay". BBC Sport Online. 21 October 2007. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
  7. "Latton lose final but win admirers". Hogan Stand. Lynn Publications. 31 December 2007. Retrieved 19 May 2009.
  8. McCann, Chris (25 March 2008). "Gilligan shoots Shamrocks to victory". County Derry Post. p. 91.
  9. Ó Conchuir, Daragh; Jim Smyth (2 September 2008). "Kilmacud glory for St Gall's hotshots". The Irish News. p. 50. Archived from the original on 17 January 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2008.
  10. "Derry 2-13 Kerry 2-09 2008 National League Final report". RTÉ. Archived from the original on 30 April 2008. Retrieved 27 April 2008.
  11. "Derry 2-13 Kerry 2-09 2008 National League Final report". Derry GAA website. Retrieved 27 April 2008.
  12. Heaney, Paddy (1 May 2009). "No substitute to winning for the Kingdom". The Irish News. p. 62.
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