Michael Graham (born 28 July 1975) is an Irish
Gaelic football
Gaelic football ( ga, Peil Ghaelach; short name '), commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA or Football is an Irish team sport. It is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score by kic ...
manager and former player. He has been the manager of the
Cavan senior football team
The Cavan county football team represents Cavan in men's Gaelic football and is governed by Cavan GAA, the county board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The team competes in the three major annual inter-county competitions; the All-Ireland ...
since 2018. He previously played for Cavan and was part of the team that won the
Ulster Senior Football Championship
The Ulster Senior Football Championship is an inter-county competition for Gaelic football teams in the province of Ulster. It is organised by the Ulster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and begins in early May. The final is usu ...
in 1997.
Playing career
Club
A native of
Cavan
Cavan ( ; ) is the county town of County Cavan in Ireland. The town lies in Ulster, near the border with County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. The town is bypassed by the main N3 road that links Dublin (to the south) with Enniskillen, Bally ...
town, Graham joined the
Cavan Gaels club at a young age. Graham played in his first county final in 1998 against
Mullahoran
Mullahoran ( ga, Mhullach Odhráin – Hilltop of Odhrán) is a townland in southern County Cavan, bordering County Longford, Ireland. It is also the name of a Roman Catholic parish. It is a constituent part of the electoral division and civil ...
. A goal in each half gave Mullahoran the title.
Graham was captain as Cavan Gaels lost the 2000 final to
Gowna, but the Gaels came back to beat the same opposition in the 2001 as Graham captained the club to their first title in 23 years. The teams met once again in the 2002 final, with Gowna coming out comfortably on top.
Cavan Gaels were back in the final in 2003, facing Mullahoran. Graham scored 1–1 and was named man of the match as the Gaels regained the title. The Gaels faced Mullahoran again in the 2004 decider. Graham scored 1–2 and received the man of the match award as Cavan Gaels claimed another championship. Graham scored a point in the 2005 final as the Gaels claimed their third championship title in succession.
After relinquishing their crown to Mullahoran in the 2006 final, Graham played in his last county final in 2007. Cavan Gaels got the better of Gowna, giving Graham his fifth championship medal.
Inter-county
In 1996, Graham was on the Cavan under-21 team that claimed the Ulster championship and reached the All-Ireland final. On 8 September, Graham started the All-Ireland final against
Kerry
Kerry or Kerri may refer to:
* Kerry (name), a given name and surname of Gaelic origin (including a list of people with the name)
Places
* Kerry, Queensland, Australia
* County Kerry, Ireland
** Kerry Airport, an international airport in County ...
, scoring 1–1 as Cavan suffered a four-point loss.
At this stage Graham had joined the senior squad. Cavan faced
Derry
Derry, officially Londonderry (), is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland and the fifth-largest city on the island of Ireland. The name ''Derry'' is an anglicisation of the Old Irish name (modern Irish: ) meaning 'oak grove'. The ...
in the
1997 Ulster Final, and Graham started the game on the bench. Graham came on in the second half as Cavan claim their first Ulster championship in 28 years by a single point.
Cavan reached the Ulster final again in 2001, where they faced
Tyrone. Graham was brought on as a substitute in the second half, and a strong finish from Tyrone meant they came out winners on a 1–13 to 1–11 scoreline.
In 2002, Cavan reached the final of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
, Graham scoring 2–1 in the semi-final win over
Roscommon
Roscommon (; ) is the county town and the largest town in County Roscommon in Ireland. It is roughly in the centre of Ireland, near the meeting of the N60, N61 and N63 roads.
The name Roscommon is derived from Coman mac Faelchon who built ...
. Graham started the final against Tyrone, with Cavan falling to a nine-point loss.
Management career
Club
Graham's first managerial job came at Butlersbridge, leading them to the
Cavan Junior Football Championship
The Cavan Junior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football competition contested by lower-tier Cavan GAA clubs. It was first competed for in 1913. The winner qualifies to represent their county in the Ulster Club Championship and in t ...
in 2004. He also managed
Drumalee to the
Cavan Intermediate Football Championship
The Cavan Intermediate Football Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association competition between the middle-tier Gaelic football clubs organised by Cavan GAA. It was first competed for in 1915, before a lapse prior to being revived in 1 ...
in 2006.
Ahead of the 2016 season, Graham was appointed as manager of
Longford
Longford () is the county town of County Longford in Ireland. It has a population of 10,008 according to the 2016 census. It is the biggest town in the county and about one third of the county's population lives there. Longford lies at the meet ...
club
Mullinalaghta St Columba's
Mullinalaghta (; Irish ''Mullach na Leachta''), also officially referred to as Mullanalaghta, is a half-parish in the north-eastern part of County Longford, Ireland, located about eight kilometres north of Granard.
Name and topography
Mullin ...
. He led Mullinalaghta to their first county title in 66 years in
2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
. He followed this up by winning championships again in
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
and
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
. In 2018, Graham managed Mullinalaghta to the
Leinster Club final, the first Longford club to reach that stage. Mullinalaghta caused a large
upset by beating
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
champions
Kilmacud Crokes
Kilmacud Crokes ( ir, Cill Mochuda Na Crócaigh) is a large Gaelic Athletic Association club located in Stillorgan, Dublin, Republic of Ireland.
Background
Kilmacud GAA club was formed in 1959 following a historic public meeting in Saint ...
to become Leinster champions. At this stage, Graham had been announced as the next
Cavan
Cavan ( ; ) is the county town of County Cavan in Ireland. The town lies in Ulster, near the border with County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. The town is bypassed by the main N3 road that links Dublin (to the south) with Enniskillen, Bally ...
manager, but continued with Mullinalaghta until their championship ended. Graham's last game with Mullinalaghta was the All-Ireland semi-final loss to
Dr Crokes
Dr Crokes is a Gaelic football and hurling club based in Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland. Notable players include Colm Cooper.
Founded in 1886, the club's successes include the capture of the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship i ...
in February 2019.
Cavan
Graham was announced as the manager of the
Cavan senior football team
The Cavan county football team represents Cavan in men's Gaelic football and is governed by Cavan GAA, the county board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The team competes in the three major annual inter-county competitions; the All-Ireland ...
on 21 August 2018, succeeding Mattie McGleenan.
Graham's first
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
campaign as manager ended in relegation from the top flight after defeat to
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
. The same year, Graham led Cavan to their first Ulster final since 2001. Cavan lost the final by five points to
Donegal Donegal may refer to:
County Donegal, Ireland
* County Donegal, a county in the Republic of Ireland, part of the province of Ulster
* Donegal (town), a town in County Donegal in Ulster, Ireland
* Donegal Bay, an inlet in the northwest of Ireland b ...
.
In 2020, Cavan suffered a second successive relegation after a loss to
Roscommon
Roscommon (; ) is the county town and the largest town in County Roscommon in Ireland. It is roughly in the centre of Ireland, near the meeting of the N60, N61 and N63 roads.
The name Roscommon is derived from Coman mac Faelchon who built ...
on the final day. Graham went on to manage Cavan to a second consecutive Ulster final. Cavan then claimed their first Ulster title since 1997, beating Donegal in the final.
Cavan's poor league form under Graham continued in 2021, ending with relegation to Division 4 after a defeat to
Wicklow
Wicklow ( ; ga, Cill Mhantáin , meaning 'church of the toothless one'; non, Víkingaló) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. It is located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island. According to the 2016 census, it has ...
. Cavan's reign as Ulster champions was brought to an end by Tyrone in the first round.
In 2022, Graham led Cavan to promotion from Division 4 at the first time of asking, and also won the league final by beating
Tipperary
Tipperary is the name of:
Places
*County Tipperary, a county in Ireland
**North Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Nenagh
**South Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Clonmel
*Tipperary (town), County Tipperary's na ...
. After exiting the Ulster championship to Donegal, Graham managed Cavan to the
inaugural final of the
Tailteann Cup
The Tailteann Cup is a second tier Gaelic football championship competition held annually since 2022 and organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is contested by those county teams who do not qualify for the All-Ireland Senior Foo ...
against
Westmeath
"Noble above nobility"
, image_map = Island of Ireland location map Westmeath.svg
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Ireland
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 =
, subdivis ...
. Westmeath were winners by a four-point margin. On 8 August 2022, it was confirmed that Graham would remain manager of Cavan for another 2 years.
Graham managed Cavan to their second consecutive promotion in 2023, and Cavan also claimed their second consecutive league title with a win over
Fermanagh
Historically, Fermanagh ( ga, Fir Manach), as opposed to the modern County Fermanagh, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Fermanagh. ''Fir Manach'' originally referred to a distinct kin group of al ...
in the final.
Honours
Player
Cavan
*
Ulster Senior Football Championship
The Ulster Senior Football Championship is an inter-county competition for Gaelic football teams in the province of Ulster. It is organised by the Ulster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and begins in early May. The final is usu ...
: 1997
*
Ulster Under-21 Football Championship
The Ulster GAA Football Under-20 Championship, known simply as the Ulster Under-20 Championship, is an annual inter-county Gaelic football competition organised by the Ulster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest in ...
: 1996
Cavan Gaels
*
Cavan Senior Football Championship
The Cavan Senior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association club competition between the top Cavan Gaelic football clubs. It was first competed for in 1888. The winners get the Oliver Plunkett Cup and qualifies to represent t ...
: 2001 (
c), 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007
Manager
Cavan
*
Ulster Senior Football Championship
The Ulster Senior Football Championship is an inter-county competition for Gaelic football teams in the province of Ulster. It is organised by the Ulster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and begins in early May. The final is usu ...
:
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
*
National Football League Division 3:
2023
Events
Predicted and scheduled events
* January 1
** In the United States, books, films, and other works published in 1927 will enter the public domain, assuming there are no changes made to copyright law.
** Croatia will adopt the eu ...
*
National Football League Division 4:
2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
Mullinalaghta St Columba's
*
Leinster Senior Club Football Championship
The Leinster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament played on a knockout basis between the senior club championship winners of the competing counties in Leinster. The current holders of the Leinster title are Ba ...
:
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
*
Longford Senior Football Championship
The Longford Senior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association competition organised by Longford GAA among the Senior grade Gaelic football clubs in County Longford, Ireland. The winning club qualifies to represent its coun ...
:
2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
,
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
,
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
Drumalee
*
Cavan Intermediate Football Championship
The Cavan Intermediate Football Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association competition between the middle-tier Gaelic football clubs organised by Cavan GAA. It was first competed for in 1915, before a lapse prior to being revived in 1 ...
: 2006
Butlersbridge
*
Cavan Junior Football Championship
The Cavan Junior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football competition contested by lower-tier Cavan GAA clubs. It was first competed for in 1913. The winner qualifies to represent their county in the Ulster Club Championship and in t ...
: 2004
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Graham, Michael
1975 births
Living people
Cavan Gaels Gaelic footballers
Cavan inter-county Gaelic footballers
Gaelic football managers
People from Cavan (town)