Fergal Doherty
{{Short description|Derry Gaelic footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox GAA player
| image =
| name = Fergal Doherty
| irish =
| nickname = Ferbie
| feet = 6
| inches = 1
| occupation = Roof, cladding contractor
Part Half Owner Of Pats Bar Portglenone{{Cite web |url=http://www.derrygaa.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=666&Itemid=184 |title=Derry player profiles 2008 |accessdate=9 January 2009 |work=Official Derry GAA website |year=2008 }}
| sport = Gaelic football
| code = Football
| county = Derry
| province = Ulster
| clposition = Midfield
| club = Bellaghy
| clyears =
| clapps(points) =
| clcounty = 2
| clprovince = 1
| clubs = Bellaghy
| counties = Derry
| icposition = Midfield
| icyears = 2001–2015
| icapps(points) = 3735 Championship appearances as per following source, has since played two additional games bringing total to 37. – {{cite news |first=Declan |last=Bogue |title=McGrane set for '60' |work=Gaelic Life |date=16 May 2008 }}
| icprovince =
| icallireland =
| nfl = 1
| allstars =
| icupdate = 23:14, 8 January 2009 (UTC)
Includes Championship games only.
| clupdate =
| birth_date={{Birth date and age|1981|10|7|df=yes}}
| birth_place=Bellaghy, County Londonderry,
Northern Ireland
}}
Fergal Doherty (born 7 October 1981) is a former Gaelic footballer who played for the Derry county team, with whom he won a National League title. He was nominated for an All Star four times but narrowly missed out on each occasion.
Doherty played his club football for Bellaghy Wolfe Tones. Doherty won the Derry Senior Football Championship twice with the club, as well as winning the 2000 Ulster Senior Club Football Championship.
For both club and county Doherty usually played in midfield. He was highly regarded for impressive high-fielding skills and work-rate,{{cite news |first=Paddy |last=Heaney |title=Donegal vs Derry Ulster Senior Football Championship 2008 quarter-final preview – Man of the moment... Fergal Doherty |work=The Irish News |date=31 May 2008 }} often helping in attack and also tracking back to help in defence. His ability to win breaking ball, read the game and plug gaps was impressive.{{cite news |first=Chris |last=McCann |title=Bradley's sparkling seven-up sees off Tyrone |work=County Derry Post |date=8 August 2008 }} Irish News journalist Paddy Heaney says of Doherty "The Bellaghy man does not seek headlines, just victories. He was at one point the Derry captain.
On 3 November 2022 Doherty appeared in court charged with manslaughter over the death of Aaron Law. Father of two Aaron Law, 34, was found lying unconscious on Main Street in the village of Portglenone in the early hours of 30 October 2022. He died later that day in Antrim Area Hospital{{Cite news |date=2022-11-03 |title=Aaron Law death: Fergal Doherty charged with manslaughter |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-63496983 |access-date=2022-11-03}}
Playing career
=Inter-county=
Doherty made his Championship debut as a 19-year-old against Antrim in 2001.{{cite news |first=Paddy |last=Heaney |author2=Brendan Crossan |title=Derry may appeal Doc ban |work=The Irish News |date=5 June 2008 }}{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/1360005.stm |title=Derry's new look |accessdate=9 June 2008 |publisher=BBC |date=30 May 2001 }} That year he put in some impressive performances in Derry's run to the 2001 All-Ireland semi-final, where they lost out to Galway. He was awarded the Bass Ulster Monthly Merit Award for August 2001, for his performances against Tyrone and Galway that month.{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/1530293.stm|title= Fergal earns monthly honour|accessdate=29 March 2008 |work= BBC News| date=7 September 2001}} He along with brother Gareth was nominated for an All Star in 2001.{{cite web |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/2001/1101/allstars.html |title=Tohill left out of All Star nominations |work=RTÉ Sport |accessdate=5 April 2008 }} Doherty was again nominated for All Stars in 2004{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/3757378.stm |title=Ernemen's seven All Star chances |publisher=BBC |accessdate=5 April 2008 | date=19 October 2004}} and 2007.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/7015019.stm |title=Ulster 11 in All Star nominations |publisher=BBC |accessdate=5 April 2008 | date=26 September 2007}}
He had instrumental in the 2008 National League, which Derry won, defeating Kerry in the final.{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2008/0427/derrykerry.html |title=Derry 2–13 Kerry 2-09 2008 National League Final report |accessdate=27 April 2008 |work=RTÉ Sport |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430222703/http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2008/0427/derrykerry.html |archive-date=30 April 2008 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.derrygaa.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=630&Itemid=56 |title=Derry 2–13 Kerry 2-09 2008 National League Final report – Derry GAA website |accessdate=27 April 2008 |work=Derry GAA website }} He scored a vital goal in the match and was awarded man of the match. He received the Vodafone All Stars Footballer of the Month award for April 2008 for key performances against Tyrone, Donegal and Kerry en route to Derry's National League success.{{cite web |url=http://www.hoganstand.com/allstars/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=94358 |title=Doherty and McGrath named as Players of the Month |accessdate=24 May 2008 |date=7 May 2008 }} Doherty was Derry's lone All Star nominee in 2008, his fourth in total.{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2008/0924/allstars.html|title=Champions Tyrone top All-Stars nominations |accessdate=29 September 2008 |work=RTÉ Sport |date=29 September 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080925072409/http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2008/0924/allstars.html?gaa |archive-date=25 September 2008 }}
He was appointed Derry captain for the 2009 season.{{cite news |first=Paddy |last=Heaney |title=Doherty the new Oak Leaf skipper |work=The Irish News |page=54 |date=27 January 2009 }} Doherty and Derry again reached the National League final in 2009, but were defeated by Kerry.{{cite news |first=Paddy |last=Heaney |title=No substitute to winning for the Kingdom |work=The Irish News |page=62 |date=1 May 2009 }}
He left the county panel for four years, returning in 2014 then retiring from inter-county football in 2015.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/gaelic-games/34411942|title=Fergal Doherty retires from Derry football duty|work=BBC Sport|date=1 October 2015}}
=Club=
Among his club awards Doherty has won the Derry Championship in 1999??,{{cite news |first=Gerry |last=McDermot |title=Wexford shock as Martin's triumph |url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/wexford-shock-as-martins-triumph-393381.html |work=Irish Independent |date=11 October 1999 |accessdate=7 August 2008 }} 2000 and 2005. In 2000 the club also went on to win the Ulster Senior Club Football Championship. He has also won the All-Ireland Kilmacud Sevens in 2002{{cite web |url=http://www.hoganstand.com/Meath/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=44963 |title=Too good to struggle |accessdate=24 May 2008 |date=31 December 2002 }} and the 2002 Castlewellan Sevens with the club.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishnews.com/gaaworld/Ulster/down/Castlewellan/Castlewellan7s.html |title=Bellaghy win 2002 Castlewellan and Kilmacud Sevens |accessdate=24 May 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041223092031/http://www.irishnews.com/gaaworld/ulster/down/castlewellan/Castlewellan7s.html |archive-date=23 December 2004 }}
Honours
=Inter-county=
- National Football League:
- Winner (1): 2008
- Runner-up: 2009
- Dr McKenna Cup:
- Runner up: 2005,{{cite web|url=http://derry.gaa.ie/Football/team_news.htm |title=Derry line-ups 2005 |work=Derry GAA website |accessdate=2 April 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719145748/http://derry.gaa.ie/Football/team_news.htm |archive-date=19 July 2008 }} 2008, more?
=Club=
- All-Ireland Kilmacud Crokes Sevens Championship:
- Winner (1): 2002
- Castlewellan Sevens:
- Winner (at least 1): 2002, more?
- Runner up: 2003
- Ulster Senior Club Football Championship:
- Winner (1): 2000
- Runner up: 2005
- Derry Senior Football Championship:
- Winner (2?/3?): 1999??, 2000, 2005
- Runner up: 2001, 2004, 2007
- Derry Senior Football League:
- Winner (2/3/4??): 1998??, 1999??, 2000, 2004
- Underage competitions
=Individual=
- All Star:
- Nominated (runner up): 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008
- Irish News Ulster GAA All-Star: – Winner (?): 2007, more?
- Ulster Tennent's Merit Award – Winner (1): August 2001
- National Football League Final man of the match: – 2008
Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090507072542/http://www.cul4kidz.com/culstarsfball_doherty.htm Cul4kidz interview]}}
- [http://www.derrygaa.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=666&Itemid=184 Player profiles on Official Derry GAA website]
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