Paul Straney

Name: Paul Straney
Born: 7 October 1975, Downpatrick
Died: December 2017 (age 42)
Height: 6.00 ft
Weight: 12.00 st
Position: Goalkeeper

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: Under-18, Under-16, 6 Under-15 Caps (1991).
Club Honours: (with Cliftonville) Irish League Cup Winner 2003/04 ...

Club Career:
Clubs ...... --Seasons-- Signed -Fee- League
Glentoran.................. -89 ...... 0(0)/0
Glenavon................... -91 ...... 1(0)/0
Stoke City.............. Jun-93 ...... 0(0)/0
Glenavon................ Oct-94 ..... 15(0)/0
Telford Utd. 95/96 ..... Aug-95 Loan .10(0)/0
Newry Town.. 97/98 ..... Jul-97 Loan . 5(0)/0
Newry Town.. 98/99-00/01 c/s-98 ..... 20(1)/0
Cliftonville 01/02-05/06 Jun-01

Biography:
Paul Straney was a regular member of Northern Ireland's schools and youth squads prior to moving to Stoke City prior to his eighteenth birthday. Although he never made the first team while in hthe Potteries he remained in the thoughts of the Irish FA staff and was an unused substitute for the B international side as the faced England in May 1994. The following season he returned to the Irish League with Glenavon, but it was with Cliftonville, where he spent five seasons and played 179 matches that he is best known, with a League Cup win in 2003 the highlight.

Straney later acted as Cliftonville's goalkeeping coach during their successes under Tommy Breslin and at the time of his premature death was assistant manager at Kilmore Rec.

BBC

Malachy O'Neill

Name: Malachy O'Neill
Born: 1943
Height: 5.08 ft
Weight: 11.02 st
Position: Inside-Left

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 3 Amateur Caps, Youth (1961), Boys' Clubs (1960).
Club Honours:

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	Europe	Other
Newry Town	-	-	Youth	-	-	-	-
Distillery	-	-	Amateur	-	-	-	-
Coleraine	-	May-62	Amateur	-	-	-	-
TOTALS	-	£-		-	-	-	*

Biography:
A member of the Northern Ireland Amateur team that claimed the 1964 Home Nations title, Malachy O'Neill was a multi-honoured inside-forward. He represented the Irish Boys' Clubs against England in 1960, played against Scotland in a Youth international the following year and received a trial for the British Olympic squad following his amateur international appearances through 1963.

More to follow.

Northern Ireland Amateur Cap Details:
28-09-1963 England. H W 2-1
11-01-1964 Wales... H D 2-2
08-02-1964 Scotland  A D 2-2

Summary: 3/1. Won 1, Drew 2, Lost 0.

Billy Lyness

PSNI FC

Name: William Lyness
Born:
Height:
Weight:
Position: Centre-Forward

Representative Honours: Ireland: 1 Amateur Cap (1929).

Club Career:
Newry Town Amateur

Biography:

To follow.

PSNI

Ireland Amateur Cap Details:

10-11-1928 England H L 0-2

Summary: 1/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 1.

J. Jennings

Name: J. Jennings

Born:
Height:
Weight:
Position: Outside-Right

Representative Honours: Ireland: Amateur (1929).

Club Career:
Newry Town Amateur

Biography:
To follow.

Ireland Amateur Cap Details:
12-10-1929 Scotland H L 0-3

Summary: 1/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 1.

Harry McCracken

Name: Henry McCracken
Born: Castlewellan
Position: Centre-Forward / Inside-Right

Representative Honours: Ireland: 1 Amateur Cap / 3 Goals (1925); Irish League: 5 Caps (1928-1931).
Club Honours: (with Linfield) Irish League Champion; Irish Cup Winner 1929/30, 1930/31, 1933/34, Runner-Up 1931/32; Gold Cup Winner; City Cup Winner; Co. Antrim Shield Winner 1927/28, 1928/29, 1929/30.

Club Career:
Teams ........... --Seasons-- Signed League
Annsborough
Newry Town
Cardiff City .... 25/26 ..... Nov-25 0/ 0
Charlton Athletic 26/27 ......May-26 1/ 0
Linfield .................... Nov-26
Portadown ................... c/s-35

Biography:
One of four McCracken brothers from Castlewellan to appear in the Irish League and one of only five players to score a hattrick for Amateur Ireland. His three goals in three minutes early in the first half of a 1925 amateur international against England leveled the scores at 4-4 before the English eventually regained control of the match to win 6-4.

More to follow.

Ireland Amateur Cap Details:
07-11-1925 England A L 4-6 3 Goals

Summary: 1/3. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 1.

Irish League Representative Appearance Details:
31-10-1928 Scottish League A L 2-8
25-09-1929 Football League A L 2-7
09-10-1929 Scottish League H L 1-4
23-09-1931 Football League A L 0-4
03-10-1931 Scottish League H W 3-2

Summary: 5/0. Won 1, Drew 0, lost 4.

Additional club career details courtesy of Martin O'Connor.

John Convery

Name: John Convery
Born: 1 April 1980, Newtownards
Height: 6.01 ft
Weight: 11.11 st
Position: Centre-Back/Right-Back

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 4 Under-21 Caps (2000), Under-18.
Club Honours: (with Portadown) Irish Cup Winner 2004/05; IFA Championship Winner 2008/09; Irish League Cup Winner 2008/09; Mid-Ulster Cup Winner 2001/02; (with Ards) NIFL Championship One Winner 2015/16.

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	FL Cup	Europe	Other
Glenavon	-	-	Youth	0(0)/0	-	-	-	-
Celtic	97/98-01/02	Mar-97	Youth	0(1)/0	-	-	-	-
Falkirk	01/02	Feb-02	Loan	3(0)/0	-	-	-	-
Portadown	02/03-09/10	May-02	Free	-	-	-	-	-
Newry City	10/11	Jun-10	Free	35(0)/2	-	-	-	-
Cliftonville	11/12	Jun-11	Free	-	-	-	-	-
Glenavon	11/12	Jan-12	-	-	1(0)/0	-	-	-
Portaferry	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Ards	14/15-15/16	Aug-14	-	*49(3)/3	-	-	-	-
TOTALS	-	£-		-	-	-	-	-

* all games.

Biography:
A product of Glenavon's youth set-up, John Convery moved to Celtic as a seventeen year-old in 1997. Capable at right-back or in the centre of defence, he also played regularly as a striker in his younger days at Celtic. Convery collected Under-18 and Under-21 international recognition while at Parkhead. He played just once in the Celtic firstteam, as a late substitute in a 2-0 win over Dundee United during the 1999/2000 seaon.

After a brief loan spell at Falkirk, Convery was released by Celtic in 2002. He returned to the Irish League to join Portadown. While at Shamrock Park he has cemented his place as a solid centre-back and occasional stand-in forward. In 2001/02 he collected a Mid-Ulster Cup medal and in 2005 added to this an Irish Cup winner's medals, scoring in the 5-1 Final win over Larne.

Portadown's captain for several seasons, Convery was released after an injury plagued 2009/10 campaign. On 11th June 2010 he agreed a two-year deal with Newry City, but following their relegation at the end of the 2010/11 season he was made available and he joined Cliftonville.

Convery retired at the end of the 2015/16 season and took a position as Ards' Under-20 team manager.

Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details:
29-05-2000 Scotland H D 1-1 TT
02-06-2000 Wales... H D 2-2 TT
06-10-2000 Denmark. H L 0-3 ECQ
10-10-2000 Iceland. A W 5-2 ECQ

Summary: 4/0. Won 1, Drew 2, Lost 1.

Sean Friars

Name: Sean Martin Friars
Born: 15 May 1979, Londonderry
Height: 5.09 ft
Weight: 11.00 st
Position: Winger

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 21 Under-21 Caps / 2 Goals (1998-2001), 2 Under-18 Caps, 1 Under-17 Cap, 2 Under-16 Caps, 4 Under-15 Caps / 1 Goal.
Club Honours: (with Derry) FAI Cup Winner 2002.

Club Career:
Clubs........... --Seasons-- Signed --Fee-- -League- FA Cup FL Cup Europe Other
Foyle Harps.......................... Youth
Liverpool................... May-97 Trainee .0(0)/ 0
Ipswich Town.... 98/99-00/01 Jul-98 ...Free .0(1)/ 0
Portadown....... 99/00...... Mar-00 ...Loan .2(0)/ 0
Newry Town...... 01/02...... Aug-01 ...Free .2(3)/ 0 ...... 1(0)/0
Carlisle United. 01/02...... Nov-01 ...Free .0(1)/ 0
Derry City...... 2002 - 2004 ..........Free ??(?)/ ? ?(?)/2 ?(?)/? 0(2)/0
Finn Harps...... 2004 ...... Mar-04 ...Loan .5(1)/ 1
Cliftonville.... 04/05-07/08 Aug-04 ...Free ??(?)/13 ............. 2(2)/0
Limavady United. 06/07 ..... ......... Loan
Newry City...... 07/08-08/09 Jul-07 ...Free ??(?)/12*
Institute....... 08/09-11/12 Jan-09 Undisc.
Dungannon Swifts 11/12-12/13 Jan-12 ....... 14(8)/ 5 2(1)/3 
Carrick Rangers. 12/13 ..... Jan-13 .. Free
* all competitions.

Biography:
Northern Ireland's most capped player at Under-21 level, Sean Friars also captained the team. He played on the wing in the same Liverpool youth team alongside the likes of Michael Owen, Jamie Carragher and Michael Owen, but never broke into the first team. In April 1998 he enjoyed a successful trial with Ipswich Town, joining them when his Liverpool contract ended that summer. He made just a single first team appearance while at Portman Road, as a substitute in a 2-1 win over Crewe in November 1999, however, he spent the closing weeks of that season on loan at Portadown and was released in 2001.

After a number of trials and short-term deals, Friars enjoyed a lengthy spells with hometown club, Derry City then Cliftonville. In January 2012 he completed a move to Dungannon Swifts on the same day as his younger brother, Emmet. The pair had previously played together while with Newry.

Currently coaching Institute's Under-20 team.

More to follow.

PrideOfAnglia
BBC

Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details:
21-04-1998 Switzerland... H W 2-1 FR
20-05-1998 Scotland...... N D 1-1 MT
22-05-1998 Rep. Ireland.. A W 1-0 MT
04-09-1998 Turkey........ A L 0-2 ECQ
09-10-1998 Finland....... H D 1-1 ECQ
17-11-1998 Moldova....... H D 1-1 ECQ
26-03-1999 Germany....... H W 1-0 ECQ
31-03-1999 Moldova....... A D 0-0 ECQ
17-08-1999 France........ H W 3-1 FR
03-09-1999 Turkey........ H L 1-2 ECQ
07-09-1999 Germany....... A L 0-1 ECQ
28-03-2000 Malta......... A W 2-1 FR
29-05-2000 Scotland...... H D 1-1 MT
02-06-2000 Wales......... H D 2-2 MT. 1 Goal
01-09-2000 Malta......... H D 1-1 ECQ
06-10-2000 Denmark....... H L 0-3 ECQ
10-10-2000 Iceland....... A W 5-2 ECQ 1 Goal
23-03-2001 Czech Republic H L 0-2 ECQ
27-03-2001 Bulgaria...... A L 0-2 ECQ
01-06-2001 Bulgaria...... H D 1-1 ECQ
05-06-2001 Czech Republic A L 0-4 ECQ

Summary: 21/0. Won 6, Drew 8, Lost 7.

Frank Rushe

Name: Francis Rushe
Born: 23 October 1900, Bessbrook
Died: 29 March 1984, Warrenpoint
Height:
Weight:
Position: Centre-Forward

Representative Honours: Ireland: 1 Full Cap / 1 Goal (1924); Irish League: 2 Caps (1924).
Club Honours: (with Glenavon) Irish Cup Runner-Up 1921/22; (with Distillery) Irish Cup Winner 1924/25; Gold Cup Winner 1924/25; (with Shelbourne) Irish Free State League Runner-Up 1923/24.

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	FL Cup	Other
Bessbrook Athletic	-	-	(Portadown & District/Newry & District Leagues)
Glenavon	21/22	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dublin United	22/23	Oct-22	-	/ 9	4/4	-	-
Shelbourne	23/24	-	-	15/12	1/0	-	-
Distillery	24/25-25/26	-	-	* 39/17	-	-	-
GNR Dundalk	26/27	Aug-26	-	15/ 3	1/1	3/0	1/0
Glenavon	27/28-28/29	-	-	* /20	-	-	-
Newry Town	28/29-30/31	Jan-29	-	-	-	-	-
TOTALS	-	£-		/61	6/5	3/0	1/0

* all games

Biography:
Frank Rushe began his career with his hometown club, Bessbrook Athletic. He joined Glenavon where he made an immediate impact in the reserve side, scoring six times in his first couple of outings. Promotion to the Irish League side was rapid, and he played at centre-forward in the Lurgan side’s 1922 Irish Cup Final defeat by Linfield.

October 1922 onwards was spent by Rushe plying his trade in the Free State League with Dublin United. He scored nine times that season, finishing as the club’s topscorer, and also managed four goals in four FAI Cup matches, but they were not re-elected after just two years as a League club. The following season he was Shelbourne’s leading scorer as they finished runners-up to Bohemians in the League.

An end-of-season friendly between Shels and Distillery prompted Rushe’s move back north. While the Whites had a poor season in the Irish League the cups brought better luck. They claimed the Irish Cup with a 2-1 Final win over Belfast Celtic. A month later came a 2-0 Gold Cup Final replay defeat of Queen’s Island, with Rushe scoring the second goal. Once again he finished as his team’s top goalscorer.

While with Distillery Rushe was honoured in the Ireland side that faced South Africa in September 1924. His goal gave the Irish a half-time 1-0 lead before the South Africans ran-out 2-1 winners. That season he also played twice for the Irish League in 5-0 and 3-0 defeats by the Football League and Scottish League respectively. Still at Distillery for the 1925/26 season he completed a barren season.

After a season-long return to Glenavon, Rushe moved to Dundalk for their first campaign in the Free State League. He missed the opening match of the season at Fordsons (in Cork) due to a registration hitch and had to wait for the trip to Athlone the following week for his debut. As one of the few experienced players in the Dundalk squad he was employed in a variety of roles, eventually making his favoured centre-forward position his own. While it proved an inauspicious first senior campaign for Dundalk, Rushe did have the honour of scoring their first FAI Cup goal in a 6-1 defeat by Bohemians.

A return to Glenavon in 1927/28 proved Rushe still had the goalscoring touch before he signed for Newry Town in January 1929, remaining there until May 1931.

Rushe remained a regular and popular visitor to Dundalk games at the Athletic Grounds and later Oriel Park and he became a well-respected greengrocer in his native Bessbrook.

Dundalk Who's Who

Ireland Cap Details:
24-09-1924 South Africa H L 1-2 FR 1 Goal

Summary: 1/1. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 1.

This article is largely based on information supplied by Jim Murphy with additional details by George Glass.