Shane Curran (footballer)

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Shane Curran (born 8 April 1971)^[1] is an Irish sportsperson from Castlerea, County Roscommon. He is the former inter-county Gaelic football goalkeeper for Roscommon, and his club St Brigids. He played association football as well with Athlone Town FC.

Curran was nominated for an All Star in 2003 and was Roscommon and Connacht GAA player of the year in 2003.^{[citation needed]} He holds the record of been the only goalkeeper to score both a goal and a point in championship football, his 1-1 versus Sligo in the Connacht championship led to him receiving the Irish Independent "May player of the Month" in 2004.^{[citation needed]} Curran followed in his father's footsteps in 2012 by winning a Connacht Club senior medal, becoming only the fourth father-and-son to hold such medals.^{[citation needed]} His career spanned four decades, with performances at minor, senior and club levels in 1989, 1990, 2003, 2004 and 2013.^{[citation needed]}

He also captained the Roscommon Junior Team to All Ireland success in 2000 with a win over Kerry in Nenagh proving to be the catalyst for a Senior Connacht Championship win in 2001.^{[original research?]}

Curran was featured in an episode of TG4's Laochra Gael documentary series in January 2021.^[2]

Sports[]

Football

With Roscommon, he won a Connacht Minor Football Championship medal in 1989. He made his senior championship debut with Roscommon as a forward in 1991, however he picked up an injury early on in the game. He lined out in the 1992 Connacht Senior Football Championship but couldn't help his side from a heavy loss to Mayo. He drifted away from intercounty football for the next few seasons after the loss but played in both the ‘94 and ‘97 championships.^{[citation needed]}

He returned to the senior set-up in 2001 making his first championship appearance in four years in the Connacht Senior Football Championship opening round clash with New York. He was sent off during the game and failed to regain the starting spot as Roscommon won a first Connacht title since 1991.^{[citation needed]}

In 2003 he was made captain of the side by new manager Tommy Carr. Roscommon lost out to Galway in Connacht but went on a good run in the qualifiers. Wins over Cork, Leitrim and two games needing extra time against Offaly and Kildare saw Roscommon qualify for an All-Ireland quarter-final with Kerry. It was Roscommon's first game in Croke Park since 1991, and despite scoring three goals they came up short on a 1-21 to 3-10 scoreline.

His performances in 2003 senior championship saw him nominated for an All Star and receive the Roscommon Supporters POTY award.^{[citation needed]}

In 2004 his performance versus Sligo and subsequent 1-1 remain a record in senior inter-county championship football, leading to further recognition.^{[citation needed]}

He was awarded the GPA "Player of the Month" in May 2004, while also receiving the Irish Independent "sports star of the week" for the same month.^{[citation needed]}

Curran was also the goalkeeper with Athlone Town FC in the League of Ireland.^{[citation needed]} He was the club's, supporters' and players' POTY in 1995.^{[citation needed]} He retired from association football in 1997 to devote his sporting time to Gaelic football.^{[citation needed]}

Business[]

Since retiring from inter-county football, Curran has set up a number of businesses as part of his STC group portfolio.^{[citation needed]}

He was commissioned by the GAA games department, under Pat Daly, to contribute to the development of a kicking tee for use in Gaelic football.^{[citation needed]} Curran was "involved in producing the Puntee", for use by goalkeeper in kick-outs, as a means of "reducing goalkeeping injuries".^[3]

Curran co-founded a flood defence company, Global Flood Solutions, in 2009.^[4][5] This company has entered into contracts internationally,^[5] with governments, NGOS, UN, European Union training mission to Somalia, Afghanistan and other entities for military and flood defence barriers.^{[citation needed]}

Politics[]

Curran stood unsuccessfully in the 2016 general election as a Fianna Fáil candidate in the Roscommon–Galway constituency.^[6][7] He received approximately two thousand first presence votes (4%), and was eliminated on the seventh count.^[8]

Honours[]

Gaelic football[]

St Brigid's (club)

• All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship (1): 2013
• Connacht Senior Club Football Championship (2): 2011,2012
• Roscommon Senior Football Championship (6): 2005, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014.

Roscommon (inter-county)

• Connacht Senior Football Championship (1): 2001
• Connacht Minor Football Championship (1): 1989
• All ireland Junior Championship Captain winners (1) : 2000

Individual

• All Star nominee: 2003
• GPA Player of the Month (1): May 2004
• Roscommon Senior Player of the Year (1): 2003
• Captained Roscommon: 2003–2004
• Holds Championship record for being the only goalkeeper in GAA history to score 1 goal and 1 point in a championship match and finish top scorer.^{[citation needed]}

Soccer[]

• Athlone Town Player of the Year (1): 1995
• Leinster Senior league Medal (1): 1995^{[citation needed]}

References[]