Damian Cassidy
Encyclopedia
Damian Cassidy is an Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 retired Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...

er and a former manager
Manager (Gaelic games)
In Gaelic games, a manager or coach is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of a team. Managing, or coaching, entails the application of sport tactics and strategies during the game itself, and usually entails substitution of players and other such...

.

He played for Derry
Derry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...

 in the 1980s and 1990s and was part of the county's 1993 All-Ireland Championship
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1993
-All-Ireland Football Final:-Top championship scorer:...

 winning side, starting at left half forward. He also won two Ulster Senior Championship
Ulster Senior Football Championship
For information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...

 medals, three National League
National Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...

 titles, and a range of under-age inter-county medals with the county. Cassidy played his club football for Bellaghy Wolfe Tones and won five Derry Championships and the 1994 Ulster Senior Club Football Championship
Ulster Senior Club Football Championship
The Ulster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition played between the top clubs in Ulster. The trophy awarded to the winners is the Seamus McFerran Cup...

s with the club. For both club and county he usually played as a forward. Cassidy was also a talented hurler
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...

.

Since retiring from playing football he has managed a number of teams. He guided home-club Bellaghy to success in the 2005 Derry Championship, and Tyrone
Tyrone GAA
The Tyrone County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Tyrone GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Tyrone. The county board is also responsible for the Tyrone inter-county teams....

 club Clonoe O'Rahilly's to the Tyrone Championship in 2008. He was the manager of the Derry Senior from 2008 to 2010 and Under 21 teams. His brother Joe
Joe Cassidy (Gaelic footballer)
Joe Cassidy is an Irish retired Gaelic footballer and currently a manager. He played for Derry between 1997 and 2001. Cassidy played his club football for Bellaghy Wolfe Tones and won the Ulster Senior Club Football Championship twice, and the Derry Senior Football Championship 6 times with the club...

 also played for Derry.

Playing style

Cassidy played the majority of his career in the forward line (corner forward for Bellaghy and half forward for Derry), but also had a spell in the half back line early in his career. Adrian McGuckin who coached him at St. Pat's, Maghera said he had a superb left foot and was very comfortable on the ball. GAA journalist and former Derry team-mate Joe Brolly
Joe Brolly
Joe Brolly is an Irish barrister, TV pundit, and ex Gaelic footballer who played for Derry in the 1990s and early 2000s. He was part of Derry's first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winning side in 1993 and also won two Ulster Senior Football Championships and four National League...

 said that despite the presence of many other great footballers at the time, Cassidy at his peak "was easily the best club footballer in Derry".

Inter-county

Cassidy was part of the Derry Minor side that won the 1983 Ulster Minor
Ulster Minor Football Championship
The Ulster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Ulster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Ulster Council. The trophy for the winning side is The Liam Murray Cup. The competition began in 1930, with...

 and All-Ireland Minor Championship
All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
The All-Ireland Minor Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for under-18 competitors of the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland...

s. Cassidy scored 2-03 (2 goals and 3 points—each goal equals 3 points; 2 x 3 + 3 = 9 points, see GAA scoring rules) in the Ulster minor final victory over Monaghan
Monaghan GAA
The Monaghan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Monaghan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Monaghan and the Monaghan inter-county football and hurling teams. Separate county boards are responsible for the...

. He scored 0-04 from left half forward in the All-Ireland semi-final victory over Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...

, before going on to defeat Cork in the decider, playing at left half forward. He also won back-to-back Ulster Under 21 Championships
Ulster Under-21 Football Championship
For the Senior equivalent see: Ulster Senior Football ChampionshipThe Ulster Under-21 Football Championship known for sponsorship reasons as the Cadbury Ulster Under-21 Football Championship is a Gaelic football tournament for players under the age of 21, contested by the nine counties of Ulster in...

 with the Derry Under 21 side in 1985 and 1986. In 1985 Derry Under 21s were defeated by Cork in the All Ireland Under 21 Championship final and by Cork in the 1986 All-Ireland semi-final.

He made his Derry Senior debut straight out of Minors the following year (1984) and was on the 1987 Ulster Senior Football Championship
Ulster Senior Football Championship
For information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...

 winning team, at right corner forward. The side defeated Armagh
Armagh GAA
The Armagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Armagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Armagh...

 in the final. In 1992 Cassidy was part of the Derry panel that won the National League
National Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...

. It was 1992 until Cassidy and Derry got back to an Ulster final, however this time they were beat by Donegal
Donegal GAA
The Donegal County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Donegal GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Donegal. The county board is also responsible for the Donegal inter-county teams.Gaelic football is strongest in the...

. Derry however defeated Donegal in the 1993 Ulster decider and went on to win the 1993 All-Ireland Championship
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1993
-All-Ireland Football Final:-Top championship scorer:...

 with a semi-final victory over Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...

 and a final victory over Cork. The success was the county's first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...

. Cassidy won further National League medals in 1995 and 1996.

Club

At underage level with Bellaghy he won Derry Under 16 (1981) and Derry Minor Championships
Derry Minor Football Championship
The Derry Minor Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition between the top Derry Minor clubs. The winners of the Derry Championship qualify to represent their county in the Ulster Minor Club Football Championship...

. He made his Senior debut for the club in 1982. He won his first Derry Senior Football Championship medal with Bellaghy in 1986, with victory over Ballinderry in the final; Bellaghy also won the league that year. Despite Bellaghy not reaching the final, Cassidy was the Derry Championship's top-scorer in 1991, with a total haul of 4-06 (18 points). The club won the Derry Championship again in 1994, and also won that year's Ulster Senior Club Football Championship
Ulster Senior Club Football Championship
The Ulster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition played between the top clubs in Ulster. The trophy awarded to the winners is the Seamus McFerran Cup...

. The club went on to contest the 1995 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament run since 1971, played between the thousands of senior football clubs in Ireland. The current champions are Crossmaglen Rangers of Armagh, who defeated St. Brigid's of Roscommon on March 17, 2011 to win their...

 final against Kilmacud Crokes
Kilmacud Crokes GAA
Kilmacud Crokes are a large Gaelic Athletic Association club located in Stillorgan, Dublin, Ireland.-Background:Kilmacud football club was formed in 1959 following a historic public meeting in Saint Laurence's Hall, where Stillorgan shopping centre now stands. The first meeting of the club took...

 of Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...

. Bellaghy were beat by three points and unfortunately for Cassidy he missed a vital penalty late in the match. Cassidy won further Derry Championship medals with the club in 1996, 1998 and 1999 —winning Derry league medals in the latter two years as well. Bellaghy were also Ulster Club runners-up in 1996 and 1998. He was awarded the man of the match
Man of the match
In sport, a Man of the Match or Player of the Game or Man of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a...

 accolade in both the 1994 and 1999 Derry Championship finals. Cassidy won player of the tournament in the All Ireland 7's hosted by Kilmacud in Dublin in 1996. He was also on the 7's team that won the All Ireland 7's in 1986. Cassidy won Player of the Tournament at the 1997 Castlewellan 7's, which Bellaghy won. Cassidy retired in 1999.

Cassidy also played for High Moss Sarsfields
Sarsfields GAA (Armagh)
High Moss Sarsfields G.F.C. is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Derrytrasna, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. In addition to having numerous teams it is also a centre for other sports and activities. Sarsfields currently play in the Armagh ACL Division I under the management of TBA...

 of Armagh
Armagh GAA
The Armagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Armagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Armagh...

 in1992, where they were defeated by Pearse Og of Armagh City in the County Final, before transferring back to Bellaghy.

School

Cassidy won three MacRory Cup
MacRory Cup
The MacRory Cup is an inter-college Gaelic football tournament in Ulster. It is staged every year with the stipulation that players must be under eighteen-and-a-half at the start of the tournament...

 medals in 1982, 1983 and 1984 whilst at St. Patrick's College, Maghera (secondary school). He also played hurling for the college and won a Mageean Cup in 1984.

Inter-county

Cassidy was Derry assistant manager to Eamonn Coleman
Eamonn Coleman
Eamonn Coleman was an Irish Gaelic footballer and later manager.He had two separate stints as manager the Derry senior football team, and his chief success was guiding the county to the victory in the 1993 All-Ireland Championship - Derry's first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title...

 from 2000 until 2002. Derry won the National League in 2000 and got to the All-Ireland semi final in 2001. Following the resignation of Coleman in July 2002, Cassidy said he was not interested in becoming Derry manager. Mickey Moran
Mickey Moran
Mickey Moran is a retired footballer and currently a manager. He played inter-county football for Derry in the 1970s and early 1980s. He played his club football for Watty Graham's Glen....

 in the end succeeded Coleman. In late 2002, Cassidy was linked with the vacant Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...

 manager's job, but rejected it. The post eventually went to PJ O'Hare.

Following illness to then Cavan
Cavan GAA
The Cavan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Cavan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Cavan...

 manager Eamonn Coleman before the start of the 2005 Championship
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...

, assistant Martin McElkennon became acting-manager and Cassidy became McElkennon's assistant. He described his position as a "consultancy role", but was assigned an assistant manager / coach's role the following year.

In 2008 he applied for the vacant Derry Senior football manager's job. Cassidy was announced as new Derry boss late on 7 October 2008. His backroom team will include former Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...

 star Kevin Madden, as well as Martin McConnell, Brendan McCrory and goalkeeping coach Kevin O'Neill.

Club

He managed the Senior and Under-21 teams of St. Teresa's Loughmacrory
Loughmacrory St. Teresa's
Loughmacrory St. Teresa's is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the village of Loughmacrory in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.-External links:*...

 in 2003 and led the club to the Tyrone Under 21 Championship title.

Cassidy became Bellaghy manager for the 2004 season and managed them to the county final of 2004
Derry Senior Football Championship 2004
-See also:*Derry Senior Football Championship*Derry club football competitions*Derry Senior Hurling Championship-External links:***...

 where they lost to Slaughneil by 2 points. He also secured the league title in the same season. They captured 2005 Derry Championship title and they also reached the final of that year's Ulster Club Championship. Then reached the Derry final again in 2007 under his leadership, but lost by a point to Glenullin
Glenullin GAC
John Mitchel's GAC Glenullin is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Glenullin, County Londonderry - a valley near Garvagh, partly coinciding with the parish of Errigal. The club is a member of the Derry GAA. They currently cater for both Gaelic football and Camogie...

 after a replay. He announced in December 2007 that he was stepping down as Bellaghy boss.

He was appointed manager of Tyrone club Clonoe O'Rahilly's in January 2008. He successfully guided the club to success in the 2008 Tyrone Championship, the club's first title since 1991. They shocked the "big two" of Tyrone club football - Errigal Ciarán
Errigal Ciarán GAC
Errigal Ciarán GAC is a Gaelic Athletic Association Gaelic football club founded in 1990, in the town of Ballygawley, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland....

 and Carrickmore
Carrickmore St. Colmcille's
Carrickmore St. Colmcille's is a Gaelic Athletic Association gaelic football club based in Carrickmore, Tyrone, Northern Ireland.They have an illustrious history in the Tyrone Senior Football Championship, having won it 15 times in their history, and in the Tyrone All County League, they are the...

 in the first round and quarter-final respectively. Clonoe then defeated Donaghmore
Donaghmore St. Patrick's
Donaghmore St. Patrick's is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the village of Donaghmore in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. They play in blue and gold colours.- Foundation :...

 to progress to their first Championship final in 17 years. They faced defending champions Dromore
Dromore St. Dympna's
Dromore St. Dympna's is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the village of Dromore in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.The club was established in 1933....

 in the final, who went in as red-hot favourites. However, Clonoe beat Dromore by a point after extra time. The feat is all the more remarkable, considering Clonoe are a very young team and have no Tyrone county players on the team. They were however beaten by St. Eunan's of Donegal
Donegal GAA
The Donegal County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Donegal GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Donegal. The county board is also responsible for the Donegal inter-county teams.Gaelic football is strongest in the...

 in the quarter-final of the 2008 Ulster Club Championship
Ulster Senior Club Football Championship 2008
*Source: Hogan Stand website.-Preliminary round:-Quarter-finals:-Semi-finals:-Final:-Replay:-See also:*Ulster Senior Club Football Championship*Ulster Senior Club Hurling Championship-External links:*...

.. Cassidy was reappointed manager of Clonoe O'Rahilly's in 2011, where he guided them back into the Tyrone championship final against Dromore, a repeat of the 2008 final, this time Dromore got their revenge winning by a point.

Senior

  • All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
    All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
    The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...

    :
    • Winner (1): 1993
      All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1993
      -All-Ireland Football Final:-Top championship scorer:...

  • National Football League
    National Football League (Ireland)
    The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...

    :
    • Winner (3): 1992, 1995, 1996
  • Ulster Senior Football Championship
    Ulster Senior Football Championship
    For information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...

    :
    • Winner (2): 1987, 1993
    • Runner up: 1985, 1992
  • Dr. McKenna Cup:
    • Winner (1?): 1993

Under-21

  • All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
    All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
    The All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months...

    :
    • Runner-up: 1985
  • Ulster Under-21 Football Championship
    Ulster Under-21 Football Championship
    For the Senior equivalent see: Ulster Senior Football ChampionshipThe Ulster Under-21 Football Championship known for sponsorship reasons as the Cadbury Ulster Under-21 Football Championship is a Gaelic football tournament for players under the age of 21, contested by the nine counties of Ulster in...

    :
    • Winner (2): 1985, 1986

Minor

  • All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
    All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
    The All-Ireland Minor Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for under-18 competitors of the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland...

    :
    • Winner (1): 1983
  • Ulster Minor Football Championship
    Ulster Minor Football Championship
    The Ulster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Ulster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Ulster Council. The trophy for the winning side is The Liam Murray Cup. The competition began in 1930, with...

    :
    • Winner (1): 1983

Club

  • All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
    All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
    The All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament run since 1971, played between the thousands of senior football clubs in Ireland. The current champions are Crossmaglen Rangers of Armagh, who defeated St. Brigid's of Roscommon on March 17, 2011 to win their...

     - Runner-up: 1995
  • All-Ireland Kilmacud Crokes Sevens Championship - Winner (1): 1986
  • Castlewellan Sevens - Winner (1): 1997
  • Ulster Senior Club Football Championship
    Ulster Senior Club Football Championship
    The Ulster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition played between the top clubs in Ulster. The trophy awarded to the winners is the Seamus McFerran Cup...

     - Winner (1): 1994
  • Ulster Senior Club Football Championship
    Ulster Senior Club Football Championship
    The Ulster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition played between the top clubs in Ulster. The trophy awarded to the winners is the Seamus McFerran Cup...

     - Runner up: 1996, 1998
  • Derry Senior Football Championship - Winner (5): 1986, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999
  • Derry Senior Football Championship - Runner up: 1995
  • Derry Senior Football League - Winner (3): 1986, 1998, 1999
  • Underage awards

School / college

  • MacRory Cup
    MacRory Cup
    The MacRory Cup is an inter-college Gaelic football tournament in Ulster. It is staged every year with the stipulation that players must be under eighteen-and-a-half at the start of the tournament...

     - Winner (3?): 1982, 1983, 1984
  • Mageean Cup (hurling) - Winner (1?) - 1984

Individual

  • All Star
    GAA All Stars Awards
    The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...

     - Nominated (runner up): ?
  • Derry Championship First Trust Top Scorer award - Winner (1): 1991
  • Derry Championship Forbes Kitchen Man of the Match award - Winner (2): 1994, 1999
  • All-Ireland Kilmacud Crokes Sevens Championship Player of the tournament - Winner (1): 1996
  • Castlewellan Sevens - Winner (1): 1997
  • Sunday Independent Inter-county Team of the year (Left Half Forward) - Winner: 1993

Managerial Honours

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

External links

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