Tadhg Kennelly | |||
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![]() Kennelly coaching in July 2018 | |||
Personal information | |||
Full name | Tadhg Kennelly | ||
Date of birth | 1 July 1981 | ||
Place of birth | Listowel, County Kerry, Ireland | ||
Original team(s) | Listowel Emmets (club)/Kerry (underage, county team) | ||
Height | 190 cm (6 ft 3 in) | ||
Weight | 90 kg (198 lb) | ||
Playing career1 | |||
Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
2001–08; 2010–11 | Sydney | 197 (30) | |
International team honours | |||
Years | Team | Games (Goals) | |
2001–2011 | Ireland | 6 | |
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2011. | |||
Career highlights | |||
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Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com |
Tadhg Kennelly (born 1 July 1981) is an Irish-Australian former international sportsperson turned recruiter and coach. He is most known for his top-level careers in both Gaelic football and Australian rules football being the only holder of both an AFL Premiership medallion and a Senior All-Ireland Championship medal, the highest-possible team-based achievement in both sports. He has also represented Ireland in the International Rules Series.
Kennelly grew up playing Gaelic football with Listowel Emmets in County Kerry, but he moved to Australia to play professional Australian rules football in the Australian Football League. He is best known in Australia as the first Irish-born player to have received an AFL Premiership medallion and the first AFL player to represent Ireland against Australia in the International Rules Series. After Jim Stynes, he is the third-most-experienced player associated with the Irish experiment.
Kennelly returned to his native Listowel to play in the 2009 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (SFC). On 20 September 2009, he started the All-Ireland SFC Final as part of Kerry's All-Ireland winning side, scoring two points during the game and thus becoming the first person to win an AFL Premiership and an All-Ireland SFC. After achieving his dream, he returned to the AFL to play for Sydney after missing one season.