Ciara Grant (footballer, born 1978)
{{Short description|Irish footballer (born 1978)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Ciara Grant
| image = Ciara grant.jpg
| upright =
| caption = Grant (centre) playing for Arsenal in 2006
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1978|05|17}}
| birth_place = Waterford, Ireland
| height = 1.73 m
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 19xx–19xx
| clubs1 = Benfica
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 19xx–1998
| clubs2 = St Patrick's Athletic Ladies
| caps2 =
| goals2 =
| years3 = 1998–2014
| clubs3 = Arsenal
| caps3 =
| goals3 =
| years4 = 2014
| clubs4 = Reading
| caps4 = 4
| goals4 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 1995–2012
| nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland
| nationalcaps1 = 105
| nationalgoals1 = 11
}}
Ciara Mary Grant (born 17 May 1978) is an Irish former footballer who played as a midfielder. She played club football for Arsenal L.F.C. and internationally for the Republic of Ireland national team. Grant was a nine-time winner of the Women's FA Cup.
Club career
Grant was born in Waterford. She began her career with Benfica. After a spell with St Patrick's Athletic,{{cite web|url=http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4571&catid=80:archive&Itemid=355|title=Senior Women Player Profiles|publisher=Football Association of Ireland|accessdate=12 April 2012}} she joined Arsenal Ladies in August 1998.{{cite web|url=http://www.arsenal.com/ladies/players/ciara-grant|title=7. Ciara Grant|publisher=Arsenal F.C.|accessdate=13 August 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090724061027/http://www.arsenal.com/ladies/players/ciara-grant|archive-date=24 July 2009|url-status=dead}} She was employed as a development officer by the English club.{{cite news|title=Gunner Grant sets her sights|work=Sunday Times|date=3 September 2000|author=Peter Carbery}}
In her first season Grant scored an equaliser against Everton as Arsenal won the Premier League Cup final 3–1. Arsenal also won the 1999 FA Women's Cup, but finished second to Croydon in the League. In the following campaign Arsenal and Grant retained the Premier League Cup, but lost in the FA Women's Cup semi-final and came third in the League. In 2000–01 Arsenal completed a domestic treble, with Grant providing an assist for the decisive goal in the FA Women's Cup final win over Fulham.{{cite web|url=http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2001/06/21/story6196.asp|title=Gunners heroine Ciara gets sportstar award|work=Irish Examiner|date=21 June 2001|accessdate=3 October 2010|author=John Murphy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041217015721/http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2001/06/21/story6196.asp|archive-date=17 December 2004|url-status=dead}}
That achievement was eclipsed in 2007, as Arsenal added the UEFA Women's Cup to their trophy haul, completing an unprecedented quadruple. Grant remained an important part of the team while being converted from a midfielder to a central defender.{{cite web|url=http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=42|title=Senior Women Player Profiles|publisher=Football Association of Ireland|accessdate=3 October 2010|date=16 January 2009}}
Grant won the FA Women's Cup with Arsenal again in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2013. The victory in 2013 was her ninth win in the competition. In the 2012-13 season Arsenal also won the Continental League Cup.{{cite book |last1=Slegg Chris |first1=Gregory Patricia |title=A History of the Women's FA Cup Final |date=2021 |publisher=thehistorypress |isbn=9780750996594}}
After moving to Reading in 2014, Grant announced her retirement in April 2015.{{cite web | url=http://www.irishpost.co.uk/sport/grant-hangs-up-boots-after-glittering-career | title=Grant hangs up boots after glittering career | work=The Irish Post | date=21 April 2015 | last=O'Connell | first=Cian | accessdate=22 May 2015 | archive-date=28 June 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150628070517/http://www.irishpost.co.uk/sport/grant-hangs-up-boots-after-glittering-career | url-status=dead }}
International career
Grant has reached a century of caps for Ireland and, since 2000,{{cite web|url=http://www.womensoccer.com/refs/uefa/uefa-irelandpoy_27oct00.html |title=Opel's Ireland Player of the Year nominees |publisher=Womens Soccer World |date=27 October 2000 |accessdate=3 October 2010 |author=Declan Hughes |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202092127/http://womensoccer.com/refs/uefa/uefa-irelandpoy_27oct00.html |archivedate=2 December 2010 }} has captained the national side. She made her debut as a teenager, in a 3–1 win over the Faroe Islands at Richmond Park.{{cite web|url=https://uefa.com/teamsandplayers/players/player=30358/profile/index.html|title=Ciara Grant|publisher=UEFA|accessdate=3 October 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110804233142/http://www.uefa.com/teamsandplayers/players/player%3D30358/profile/index.html|archivedate=4 August 2011}}
She won her 100th cap in Ireland's 2–1 defeat to Scotland at Tynecastle Stadium in April 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/mobile/sport/football/two-late-goals-keep-scotland-in-the-running.17237286?_=25cc07e9be5ebfd75cda8f6b53a9772e45ee4467|title=Two late goals keep Scotland in the running|work=The Herald|first=Alan|last=Campbell|accessdate=12 April 2012|date=6 April 2012}}
Grant announced her retirement from international football in February 2013.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/international/2013/0220/368766-grant-retires-from-international-football/|title = Grant retires from international soccer|date = 20 February 2013}}
Honours
Arsenal
- FA Women's Premier League National Division (9): 2000–01, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10
- FA Women's Cup (9): 1998–99, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010{{nbnd}}11, 2012{{nbnd}}13
- Women's League Cup (6): 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08
- UEFA Women's Cup: 2007
References
{{reflist}}
{{FAI Women's Senior International Player of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grant, Ciara}}
Category:Republic of Ireland women's association footballers
Category:Arsenal W.F.C. players
Category:Republic of Ireland women's international footballers
Category:FA Women's National League players
Category:Expatriate women's footballers in England
Category:Women's Super League players
Category:FIFA Women's Century Club
Category:St Patrick's Athletic F.C. players
Category:Association footballers from County Waterford
Category:Dublin Women's Soccer League players