Niall Gilligan

Niall Gilligan (born 12 August 1976) is an Irish hurler who usually played as a right corner-forward for the Clare senior team.

Niall Gilligan
Personal information
Irish name Niall Mac Giollagáin
Sport Hurling
Position Left corner-forward
Born (1976-08-12) 12 August 1976
Sixmilebridge, County Clare, Ireland
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Nickname Gilly
Occupation Auctioneer
Club(s)
Years Club
1996-present
 Sixmilebridge
Club titles
Clare titles 7
Munster titles 2
All-Ireland Titles 1
Inter-county(ies)*
Years County Apps (scores)
1997-2009
 Clare 56 (21-197)
Inter-county titles
Munster titles 2
All-Irelands 1
NHL 0
All Stars 1
*Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 03:04, 9 June 2017.

Born in Sixmilebridge, County Clare, Gilligan first played competitive hurling whilst at school in St. Flannan's College. He arrived on the inter-county scene when he first linked up with the Clare under-21 team. He made his senior debut in the 1997 championship. Gilligan went on to play a key part for Clare for fourteen seasons, and won one All-Ireland medal and two Munster medals. He was an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion.

As a member of the Munster inter-provincial team on a number of occasions, Gilligan won four Railway Cup medals. At club level he won one All-Ireland medal, one Munster medal and three championship medals with Sixmilebridge.

Gilligan's career tally of 20 goals and 197 points marks him out as Clare's top championship scorer of all-time.

Throughout his career Gilligan made 56 championship appearances, marking him out as Clare's most "capped" player of all-time. He announced his retirement from inter-county hurling on 5 January 2010.[1]

Even during his playing days Gilligan became involved in team management and coaching. He has been a selector with the Sixmilebridge senior, under-21 and under-15 teams, while he was manager of the Sixmilebridge under-21 team that claimed championship honours in 2013.

Gilligan retired from hurling on 3 November 2019, as Sixmilebridge were defeated by Ballygunner in the 2019 Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship.[2]

Playing career

Club

Gilligan plays for Sixmilebridge. He helped the club to an All Ireland Club title in 1996, where he appeared as a substitute. He won further Clare titles in 2000 and 2002, and a Munster Senior Club Hurling title in 2002.[3] In 2013 after and 11-year gap he added a 4th title to his collection. In 2015, he won his 5th county title after a 1-21 to 0-15 win against Clonlara in the final.[4]

Inter-county

Gilligan made his debut for Clare in 1997, helping Clare to their 3rd All Ireland title. He won another Munster medal in 1998, and contested the Munster final in 1999 and 2008.[5] He also won an All Star in 1999.[6] In January 2010, Gilligan announced his retirement from inter-county hurling.[7]

In 2011, Gillgan played with the Clare Intermediate team in the Munster Intermediate Hurling Championship where he scored 1-5 against Cork in the semi-final.[8] He later helped Clare to their first ever Munster title when they beat Limerick in the final. In the semi final Clare overcame Galway helped by 0-08 from Gilligan. They went on to win a first All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship when they beat Kilkenny in the final, he scored 0-03 in the game.

Career statistics
Team Year National League Munster All-Ireland Total
DivisionAppsScoreAppsScoreAppsScoreAppsScore
Clare 1997 Division 1 52-1220-0520-0592-22
1998 Division 1A 61-1631-0530-01122-22
1999 61-1130-0533-07124-23
2000 32-0410-0200-0042-06
2001 42-1710-0000-0052-17
2002 30-0510-0153-1193-17
2003 85-4520-1010-06115-61
2004 75-3310-0445-271210-64
2005 84-4710-0550-2800-00
2006 41-1810-0653-20104-44
2007 50-1311-0142-15103-29
2008 Division 1B 50-0831-1310-0891-29
2009 Division 1 50-1210-0021-1281-24
Total 6923-241213-573517-14012543-438

Honours
Clare
Interprocincial
Sixmilebridge

Individual
Awards
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References
  1. "Niall Gilligan announces retirement". Irish Independent. 6 January 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  2. "23 years after All-Ireland club win, Clare great brings curtain down on club playing career". The 42. 3 November 2019. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  3. "Athenry win Connacht hurling title". RTÉ Sport. 17 November 2002. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  4. "Gilligan turns back the clock to call time on Clonlara's tilt". Irish Independent. 12 October 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  5. "Tipperary 2-21 Clare 0-19". RTÉ Sport. 13 July 2008. Archived from the original on 28 March 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  6. "GAA: Six Hurling All-Stars for Cork". RTÉ Sport. 2 December 1999. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  7. "Gilligan calls time on Clare career". Irish Independent. 6 January 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  8. "Old Clare heroes star". Irish Times. 20 June 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
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