Ryan McMenamin
Encyclopedia
Ryan 'Ricey' McMenamin is a Canadian-born Irish
Gaelic football
er who plays for Tyrone
. McMenamin has won three All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
medals, two Ulster Championships
and two National League
titles with the county. He has also been awarded an All Star
for his performances in 2005
McMenamin plays his club football for St. Dympna's Dromore
and has won two Tyrone Senior Football Championships with the club.
Despite normally starting at corner back for his county, he is not a traditional corner back, often running with the ball up the pitch, and getting himself into scoring positions. However, his marking is among the best in the country, and often marks the opposition's leading scorers. He also plays at centre half back for his club.
McMenamin's career has featured many examples of indiscipline, which some claim has overshadowed his footballing ability.
McMenamin helped Tyrone win the county's first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
. Two years later he won a second All-Ireland medal with Tyrone, and received an All Star award
for his performances that year
. In 2006, he captained the much-depleted side due to injury to the captain, Brian Dooher
. The side were knocked out of the Championship by Laois
in July. In 2008
, he won a third All-Ireland with Tyrone. As of 2009 he remains a member of the Tyrone senior football team.
in the final. Dromore also reached the following year's final, but were defeated by Clonoe. In 2009 he once again helped Dromore win the Tyrone Senior Football Championship in dramatic style against Ardboe
in the International Rules Series
.
in his autobiography.
His 2005 achievements were blotted somewhat by his disciplinary record. He was given a yellow card late on in the replayed Ulster Championship
, for dropping his knee onto a fallen player. This was upgraded to a sending off after the game, which meant that McMenamin would be suspended for the following four weeks, but Tyrone launched an appeal, employing the services of former player, and practising solicitor, Fergal Logan
. The appeal was successful but only after McMenamin missed the All-Ireland qualifier against Monaghan
.
In the opening game of the 2007 Ulster Senior Football Championship
, despite being one of the few first choice panelists available on the injury-hit side, he was substituted just before half time because he had already picked up a yellow card and a ticking—meaning he was one bad tackle away from being sent off. He was visibly upset when he was shown coming off the field.
As a result of his behaviour in a league match against Kerry on Sunday 15 February, where he was seen to grab Paul Galvin in the groin area, he was banned for eight weeks. Initially the ban was for six weeks, but due to the nature of McMenamin's behaviour the ban was raised to eight weeks, when the Tyrone County Board appealed the initial six week ban. In addition to the incident with Paul Galvin for which he received the ban, McMenamim was involved in a number of unsavoury incidents throughout the match, which led to intense criticism in the media.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
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 who plays for 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....
. McMenamin has won three 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...
medals, two Ulster Championships
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...
and two 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 with the county. He has also been awarded an 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...
for his performances in 2005
McMenamin plays his club football for St. Dympna's 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....
and has won two Tyrone Senior Football Championships with the club.
Despite normally starting at corner back for his county, he is not a traditional corner back, often running with the ball up the pitch, and getting himself into scoring positions. However, his marking is among the best in the country, and often marks the opposition's leading scorers. He also plays at centre half back for his club.
McMenamin's career has featured many examples of indiscipline, which some claim has overshadowed his footballing ability.
Inter-county
In 2003All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2003
The 2003 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was won by Tyrone in a landmark final that was the first All-Ireland final that was contested by two teams from the same province, Tyrone, and Armagh - both from Ulster....
McMenamin helped Tyrone win 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...
. Two years later he won a second All-Ireland medal with Tyrone, and received an All Star award
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...
for his performances that year
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2005
-Leinster Senior Football Championship:-----------------------------------------Ulster Senior Football Championship:-------------------------------------------------Connacht Senior Football Championship:--------...
. In 2006, he captained the much-depleted side due to injury to the captain, Brian Dooher
Brian Dooher
Brian Dooher is an Irish Gaelic footballer who was a member for Tyrone between 1995 and 2011.He has won three All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medals, five Ulster Senior Football Championship and two National League titles with the county...
. The side were knocked out of the Championship by Laois
Laois GAA
The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:...
in July. In 2008
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2008
The 2008 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was that year's Gaelic football championship, having kicked off on May 11 and ended with the All-Ireland Final in Croke Park on September 21...
, he won a third All-Ireland with Tyrone. As of 2009 he remains a member of the Tyrone senior football team.
Club
McMenamin helped Dromore win the Tyrone Senior Football Championship in 2007, beating CoalislandCoalisland Na Fianna
Coalisland Fianna is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the town of Coalisland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.-Honours:*Tyrone Senior Football Championship Winners: 1904/05, 1907/08, 1928, 1930, 1946, 1955, 1989, 1990, 2010....
in the final. Dromore also reached the following year's final, but were defeated by Clonoe. In 2009 he once again helped Dromore win the Tyrone Senior Football Championship in dramatic style against Ardboe
International Rules
McMenamin has represented IrelandIreland international rules football team
The Ireland International rules football team is the representative team for Ireland in international rules football, a compromise between Gaelic football and Australian rules football...
in the International Rules Series
International Rules Series
The International Rules Series is a senior men's International rules football competition between the Australia international rules football team and the Ireland international rules football team...
.
Disciplinary problems
Discipline has been an underlying problem in McMenamin's career, which at times threatened to overshadow his achievements. This indiscipline has been apparent throughout his career, and he has made a name for his verbal taunting of his direct opponents during matches as well, which was mentioned by Oisin McConvilleOisín McConville
Oisín McConville is an Irish Gaelic footballer who played for Armagh in the 1990s and 2000s. He has won an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medal, seven Ulster Championships and a National League title with the county...
in his autobiography.
His 2005 achievements were blotted somewhat by his disciplinary record. He was given a yellow card late on in the replayed Ulster 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...
, for dropping his knee onto a fallen player. This was upgraded to a sending off after the game, which meant that McMenamin would be suspended for the following four weeks, but Tyrone launched an appeal, employing the services of former player, and practising solicitor, Fergal Logan
Fergal Logan
Feargal Logan is a former Tyrone Gaelic footballer, who was a starting member of the team that reached the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final in 1995....
. The appeal was successful but only after McMenamin missed the All-Ireland qualifier against 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...
.
In the opening game of the 2007 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...
, despite being one of the few first choice panelists available on the injury-hit side, he was substituted just before half time because he had already picked up a yellow card and a ticking—meaning he was one bad tackle away from being sent off. He was visibly upset when he was shown coming off the field.
As a result of his behaviour in a league match against Kerry on Sunday 15 February, where he was seen to grab Paul Galvin in the groin area, he was banned for eight weeks. Initially the ban was for six weeks, but due to the nature of McMenamin's behaviour the ban was raised to eight weeks, when the Tyrone County Board appealed the initial six week ban. In addition to the incident with Paul Galvin for which he received the ban, McMenamim was involved in a number of unsavoury incidents throughout the match, which led to intense criticism in the media.