Peter Kavanagh (Irish footballer)

Football player infobox
playername = Peter Kavanagh


fullname = Peter J. Kavanagh
nickname =
dateofbirth = 1910
cityofbirth = Dublin
countryofbirth = Ireland
position = Outside Left
youthyears = 19xx-19xx
19xx-19xx
192x-1927
youthclubs = Munster Boys (Drumcondra)
Melrose Celtic of Fairview
Drumcondra
years = 1927-1929
1929-1932
1932-1933
1933
1934
1935-1936
1936-19xx
19xx-19xx
clubs = Bohemians
Celtic
Northampton Town
Guildford City
Hibernian
Stranraer
Waterford
Babcock and Wilcox
caps(goals) = 46 (11)
32 (5)
1 (0)

nationalyears = 1928-1929
1929
1931
nationalteam = League of Ireland XI
Ireland (IFA)
Irish Free State (FAI)
nationalcaps(goals) = 2 (2)
1 (0)
2 (0)

Peter Kavanagh (born 1910, Dublin, Ireland; died February 15, 1993, Leverndale Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland), is a former Irish footballer who, during the 1920s and 1930s, played for, among others, Bohemians and Celtic. Kavanagh was a dual internationalist and played for both Ireland teams - the IFA XI and the FAI XI. After leaving Celtic, Kavanagh had spells with several clubs before finishing his career with a works team prior to the Second World War. He eventually settled in Glasgow where he died in 1993.

Club career

Bohemians

Kavanagh played junior football in the Drumcondra area of Dublin before signing for Bohemians in 1927. Bohs manager, an ex-Rangers player, Bobby Parker, put the teenage Kavanagh straight into the first team. Together with Jack McCarthy, Harry Cannon, Jimmy White, Jimmy Bermingham, Jeremiah Robinson and Christy Robinson, he was a prominent member of the successful amateur Bohs team during the late 1920s. During the 1927-28 season they won a quartet of trophies including the League of Ireland title, the FAI Cup, the League of Ireland Shield and Leinster Senior Cup [Bohemian FC match programme, Vol. 53, no. 17] . In April 1928 he also played in a prestige friendly for Bohs against Celtic. While at Bohs, Kavanagh also played twice for the League of Ireland XI. In October 1928 he scored twice as they defeated a Welsh League XI, 4-3 at Dalymount Park. Then in October 1929 he played against an Irish League XI, losing 2-1.

Celtic

In April 1929 Kavanagh signed for Celtic and made his Scottish League debut in 2-1 win over Hearts on August 10 1929. He then scored his first goal for the club two weeks later against Aberdeen. Despite an initial bright start at Celtic, Kavanagh subsequently lost his first team place and was released by the club in May 1932.

Irish international

When Kavanagh played international football between 1929 and 1930, there were in effect, two Ireland teams, chosen by two rival associations. Both associations, the Northern Ireland - based IFA and the Irish Free State - based FAI claimed jurisdiction over the whole of Ireland and selected players from the whole island. As a result several notable Irish players from this era, including Kavanagh played for both teams.

IFA XI

On October 19 1929 at Windsor Park, Kavanagh made his one and only appearance for the IFA XI in a 3-0 defeat to England. His team mates on the day included Elisha Scott and Joe Bambrick. In 1931 he turned down the offer of a second cap from IFA in order to play for the FAI XI against Spain.

FAI XI

In 1931 Kavanagh he also played twice for the FAI XI against Spain. On April 26 1931 he helped an FAI XI that also included Tom Farquharson, Paddy Moore, Jeremiah Robinson, Harry Chatton and Charlie Dowdall gain a respectable 1-1 draw at the Montjuic Stadium in Barcelona. In the dying seconds of the game, Kavanagh almost won the game for the FAI XI. Just after Farquharson had saved a penalty, he kicked the ball out to Kavanagh, who then made a break down the wing. However as the Spanish goalkeeper, Ricardo Zamora advanced, his shot hit the post and went wide. He made his second and last appearance for the FAI XI in the return game against Spain on December 13 1931 at Dalymount Park. This time however, Spain easily won 5-0.

Honours

Bohemians

*League of Ireland
**"Winners" 1927-28: 1

*FAI Cup
**"Winners" 1928: 1

*Leinster Senior Cup
**"Winners" 1928: 1

*League of Ireland Shield
**"Winners" 1927-28, 1928-29: 2

References

ources

*"The Boys In Green - The FAI International Story" (1997): Sean Ryan [http://www.amazon.ca/dp/1851589392]

External links

* [http://nifootball.blogspot.com/2007/01/peter-kavanagh.html Northern Ireland Footballing Greats]
* [http://www.soccerscene.ie/sssenior/player.php?id=258 Irish Free State stats]