Billy Morgan (Gaelic footballer)

Billy Morgan
Personal information
Irish name Liam Ó Morgáin
Sport Gaelic football
Position Goalkeeper
Born (1945-02-02) 2 February 1945 (age 79)
Tonyville Terrace, Cork, Ireland
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Occupation Financial advisor
Club(s)
Years Club
1969-1995
Nemo Rangers
Club titles
Cork titles 7
Munster titles 4
All-Ireland Titles 2
Colleges(s)
Years College
1964-1968
University College Cork
College titles
Sigerson titles 2
Inter-county(ies)
Years County Apps (scores)
1966–1981
Cork 40 (0-00)
Inter-county titles
Munster titles 5
All-Irelands 1
NFL 1
All Stars 1
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William Morgan (born 2 February 1945) is an Irish former Gaelic football manager who played as goalkeeper at senior level for Cork County Team, and later managed it. His five-decade-long association with the team has led to him being regarded as one of the most iconic figures within Cork football.[1][2][3]

Born in Cork, Morgan was introduced to Gaelic games by his father, a native of County Galway who had played hurling at junior level with the county. He came to prominence with Coláiste Chríost Rí before winning back-to-back Sigerson Cup medals with University College Cork. A two-time All-Ireland medallist with the Nemo Rangers senior team, Morgan also won four Munster medals and seven championship medals.

Morgan made his debut on the inter-county scene at the age of eighteen when he first linked up with the Cork minor team. He enjoyed an unsuccessful tenure in this grade, and was later an All-Ireland runner-up with the under-21 team. Morgan made his senior debut during the 1966 championship. He went on to play a key role for Cork as a goalkeeper during a successful era, and won one All-Ireland medal, five Munster medals and one National Football League medal. An All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion, Morgan captained the team to All-Ireland victory in 1973.

As a member of the Munster inter-provincial team, Morgan won four Railway Cup medals. Throughout his inter-county career he made 40 championship appearances. Morgan retired from inter-county football following the conclusion of the 1981 championship.

Morgan has enjoyed success at all grades as a coach and selector with Nemo Rangers and University College Cork, however, it was as manager of the Cork senior team that he enjoyed his greatest triumphs. As manager on three separate occasions he guided Cork through a period of unprecedented provincial and national dominance, winning fourteen major honours. These include two All-Ireland Championships, the first time Cork claimed back-to-back titles, eight Munster Championships, two National Leagues, including one league-championship double, and two McGrath Cups.

  1. ^ Fogarty, Weeshie (10 March 2009). "Billy Morgan - A True Legend". Terrace Talk. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  2. ^ Shannon, Kieran (21 January 2014). "Even the greatest coaches know they don't know it all". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  3. ^ Cormican, Eoghan (18 July 2015). "The Big Interview: Billy Morgan and Mick O'Dwyer back to the table". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 24 October 2015.