Mattie Kerrigan

{{Infobox GAA player

| code= Football

| sport = Gaelic football

| image =

| name = Mattie Kerrigan

| irish = Maitiú Ó Ciaragáin

| birth_date= 1943

| death_date=

| feet = 6

| inches = 2

| nickname = MK

| occupation =

| county = Meath

| province = Leinster

| club = Summerhill

| clposition =

| clubs =

| clyears =

| clapps(points) =

| clcounty = 4

| clprovince= 1

| clallireland =

| counties = Meath

| icposition = Right corner-forward

| icyears = 1966–1977

| icapps(points) =

| icprovince = 2

| icallireland = 1

| nfl = 1

| allstars = 1

| clupdate =

| icupdate =

| birth_place=Summerhill, County Meath, Ireland

| death_place=

}}

Matthew Kerrigan (born 1943) is an Irish former Gaelic footballer and manager who played for the Summerhill club and at senior level for the Meath county team. He later had several successes as an inter-county manager.

Playing career

Kerrigan had an unconventional beginning{{says who?|date=October 2021}} to his inter-county career after failing to earn a call-up to the Meath minor football team. He later missed out in the under-21 grade as Meath didn't enter the Leinster Under-21 Championship at the time. Kerrigan first appeared for Meath as a member of the junior team that lost the 1964 All-Ireland home final, before making his senior debut against Louth during the 1966-67 National League. His debut season ended with a victory over Cork in the 1967 All-Ireland final.{{cite news|url=https://www.hoganstand.com/meath/Article/Index/275729|title=The Men of '67: Mattie Kerrigan|publisher=Hogan Stand|date=13 September 2017|access-date=30 October 2021|first=|last=}} Kerrigan made a second All-Ireland final appearance in 1970, losing out to Kerry on that occasion, before claiming a National League title in 1975 and ending the season by being selected on the All-Star team.{{cite news|url=https://www.hoganstand.com/Meath/Article/Index/142368|title=1970 Leinster football final: one of the great provincial deciders|publisher=Hogan Stand|date=27 November 2010|access-date=29 October 2021|first=|last=}}{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/droghedaindependent/sport/gaa/royals-saw-off-mayo-and-kerry-along-the-way-39250442.html|title=Royals saw off Mayo and Kerry along the way|publisher=Drogheda Independent|date=6 June 2020|access-date=29 October 2021|first=|last=}} He also enjoyed success on the club scene as part of the Summerhill four-in-a-row team from 1974 to 1977. Kerrigan ended his career by winning a Leinster Club Championship title.

Managerial career

In retirement from playing, Kerrigan's management career included roles with various Meath teams in all grades, including the senior team, and he guided the minors and under 21s to a number of Leinster titles. Kerrigan also had spells in charge of Westmeath and Cavan.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/battlers-who-thrive-on-hard-exchanges-26250029.html|title=Battlers who thrive on hard exchanges|publisher=Irish Independent|date=5 August 2001|access-date=30 October 2021|first=|last=}}{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/kerrigans-mystery-tour-26067785.html|title=Kerrigan's mystery tour|publisher=Irish Independent|date=14 November 2001|access-date=30 October 2021|first=|last=}}

He managed Westmeath for nearly four years, between 1992 and 1995.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/battlers-who-thrive-on-hard-exchanges-26250029.html|title=Battlers who thrive on hard exchanges|work=Sunday Independent|first=Dermot|last=Crowe|date=5 August 2001|quote=Kerrigan spent almost four years in charge of Westmeath up to 1995, arriving only weeks before a championship match in 1992 against Carlow. From such a sorry state of affairs he managed to set the revolution in place, raising them from Division 4 league status to Division 2 before his departure.}}

Media career

He has worked as an analyst for LMFM.{{cite news|url=https://www.meathchronicle.ie/2022/09/02/reeling-in-the-years-from-down-under/|title=Reeling in the years from Down Under|work=Meath Chronicle|date=2 September 2022|quote=Centre half forward on that All-Ireland winning team and well known LMFM analyst Mattie Kerrigan acted as MC while members of the team recalled highlights of the tour.}}