Jack McCarthy

Name: John O. McCarthy

Born: c.1898

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Position: Left-Back

Representative Honours: Ireland: 2 Amateur Caps (1920); Irish Free State: 6 Full Caps (1924-1930); League of Ireland: 1 Cap (1924).

Club Honours: (with Olympia) Irish Junior Cup Runner-Up 1917/18; Leinster Senior Cup Winner 1917/18; Leinster Junior Cup Winner 1917/18; (with Bohs) Free State League Champion; Free State Cup Winner 1927/28, Runner-Up 1928/29; League of Ireland Shield Winner.

Club Career:

Clubs	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	Other
Olympia Bohemians	- -	- -	Amateur Amateur	0/0 -	- -	- -
TOTALS		£-		-	-	-

Biography:
Jack McCarthy came to the fore with Dublin junior club Olympia during the First World War. He was part of the Olympia side that completed a unique double by winning both the Leinster Junior and Senior Cups in the 1917/18 season, defeating Shelbourne in the latter.

McCarthy was awarded two Amateur caps by the Irish FA, including in their landmark trip to face France in Paris, the first time that an Irish side had travelled outside the British Isles for an international fixture. Following the "split" he was a fixture in the FAI's earliest sides, traveling to Paris again for the 1924 Olympic Games and remaining part of the Free State's international set-up through to 1930.

He also claimed League, Cup and Shield winner's medals with Bohemians.

Wikipedia

Ireland Amateur Caps Details:

13-11-1920 England.... H L 0-4
08-02-1921 France..... A W 2-1 FR*

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

Irish Free State Cap Details:

28-05-1924 Bulgaria... N W 1-0 Ol*
02-06-1924 Netherlands N L 1-2 Ol*
04-06-1924 Estonia.... N W 3-1 FR*
21-03-1926 Italy...... A L 0-3 FR
12-02-1928 Belgium.... A W 4-2 FR
11-05-1930 Belgium.... A W 3-1 FR

Summary: 6/0. Won 4, Drew 0, Lost 2.

* The status of all of these matches is disputed. The 1920 match against France is considered a Full international by FIFA but only meets the British Association's criteria for an Amateur international. The Irish Free State matches played at the 1924 Paris Olympics and the friendly against Estonia (also played in Paris) are usually ignored by the record books which consider them Amateur internationals as per the British rules. They have however been recognised as Full internationals by FIFA since 1999.

Mick McElhinney

Name: Michael F. McElhinney

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Died:

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Position: Half-Back

Representative Honours: Ireland: 2 Amateur Caps (1907-1908).

Club Honours: (with Bohemians) Irish Cup Winner 1907/08.

Club Career:

Clubs	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	Other
Bohemians	-	-	Amateur	-	-	-
TOTALS		£0		-	-	-

Biography:

A member of Bohemians' only Irish Cup winning side, Mick McElhinney replaced Moran at left-half for the 1908 replay win over Dublin-neighbours, Shelbourne. Twice capped by Amateur Ireland, both games resulted in heavy defeats at White Hart Lane in 1907 and at Dalymount Park a year later.

Ireland Amateur Cap Details:

07-12-1907 England. A L 1-6

21-11-1908 England. H L 1-5

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

Ernie McCappin

Name: Ernest McCappin

Born: 26 July 1914*, Lurgan

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Position: Right-Half

Representative Honours: Ireland: 1 Amateur Cap (1937).

Club Career:

Clubs	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	Other
4th Old Boys	-	-	-	(Old Boys’ League)
Lisburn	-	-	-	(Irish Alliance)
Cliftonville	36/37	-	Amateur	-	-	-
Liverpool	36/37-37/38	Mar-37	-	0/0	-	-
Linfield	-	Jun-38	Free	-	-	-
TOTALS		£0		-	-	-

Biography:

Soccer-Ireland.com

Ireland Amateur Cap Details:

13-02-1937 England H W 5-1

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

*or 26th June 1914

James McNeill

Name: James S. McNeill

Born: Belfast

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Position: Centre/Right-Half

Representative Honours: Ireland: 5 Amateur Caps (1932-1936); Irish League: 1 Cap (1936).

Club Honours: (with Cliftonville) Irish Cup Runner-Up 1933/34; (with Glentoran) Co. Antrim Shield Runner-Up 1936/37.

Club Career:

Clubs	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	Other
Malone United	-	-	Amateur	(Combination)
Knocknagoney	-	-	Amateur	(Combination)
Dunmurry	-	-	Amateur	(Intermediate League)
Bangor	-	-	Amateur	-	-	-
Willowfield	-	-	Amateur	(Intermediate League)
Belfast Celtic	-	-	Amateur	-	-	-
Cliftonville	29/30-35/36	-	Amateur	-	-	-
Glentoran	36/37	-	-	*43/0	-	-
TOTALS		£0		-	-	-

* all games.

Biography:

"Strong and robust, his shoulders were made to bear heavy burdens and he has never been known to shrink the job. He is a player who dispenses with all frills, but this is in his favour ... wholehearted and reliable."

James McNeill was playing with adults from the age of 14 when turning out for Malone United in the North of Ireland Combination. It was while playing in the Intermediate League with Dunmurry that he was approached by representatives of Bangor. His first stay in the Irish League was short-lived and he played for Willowfield and Belfast Celtic IIs before joining Cliftonville in the 1929/30 season.

More usually the defensive pivot, McNeill appeared across the half-back line for Cliftonville. During his time the Amateurs enjoyed some rare successes, winning the Gold Cup and appearing in further Irish Cup and Co. Antrim Shield finals. He earned selection for Amateur Ireland and on his début was part of the team that defeated Scotland for the first time. He was also in the side three years later as the Irish enjoyed their first win on Scottish soil, with McNeill scoring from the penalty spot. As well as his five caps, McNeill was reserve in attendance on several occasions and in the absence of Bertie Fulton was handed the captaincy.

In the summer of 1936 McNeill was one of a host of new players signed by Glentoran. Early in the season he earned his only inter-league honour as the Irish League lost 5-2 to their Scottish counterparts at Ibrox. In what was a difficult season for the Glens the only highlight was a run to the Co. Antrim Shield final where they suffered a replay defeat to Belfast Celtic. In February 1937 Glentoran found themselves 4-0 down with 30 minutes remaining in a match against Ballymena and down to ten men as their goalkeeper had to leave the field injured. McNeill stepped in between the posts and by the 76th minute the scores were sensationally levelled. In the dying minutes, McNeill saved a penalty in what must be one of the most dramatic games the Irish League has ever seen.

Ireland Amateur Cap Details:

23-01-1932 Scotland H W 4-0

16-02-1935 England. H L 2-4

17-04-1935 Scotland A W 3-2 1 goal

15-02-1936 England. A L 0-5

22-04-1936 Scotland H L 3-5 1 goal

Summary: 5/2. Won 2, Drew 0, Lost 3.

With thanks to Jim Murphy for supplying the photo and ISN article on which this profile is largely based.

Fred McCurry

Name: Frederick McCurry

Born: c.1914, Belfast

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Position: Goalkeeper

Representative Honours: Ireland: 7 Amateur Caps (1935-39), 2 Schoolboy Caps (1929-30); Irish League: 2 Caps (1938); R.U.C.

Club Career:

Clubs	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	Other
Agnes.Street.School	-	-	Youth	-	-
4th Belfast Boys’ Brigade Company			Youth	-	-
Cliftonville	33/34-??/??	1930	Amateur	-	-
R.U.C.	-	-	-	-	-
TOTALS		£-		-	-

Biography:

As a youth Fred McCurry won two Schoolboy caps against Scotland and Wales while attending Agnes Street School. He also represented the Oldpark based 47th Company of the Boys' Brigade where he gained many admirers. In 1930 he joined Cliftonville, rising through the Strollers and Olympic sides before temporarily gaining his chance in the first eleven in 1934 due to the unavailability of Alfie Gardiner, and established himself in the firstteam the following season.

Initially criticised for his nervousness, McCurry quickly earned his spurs in Irish League football, "his handling is much more confident ... his anticipation is good, full of grit ... there is no situation he will not tackle." He earned a "fully merited" Amateur cap during his first season as a regular in senior football as Ireland proved they could "do a bit more than hold their own" in defeating Scotland at Ibrox Park.

McCurry lost his place in both the Cliftonville and Amateur Ireland teams to John Lillie during the 1935/36 season but, when Lillie left for Glentoran, McCurry quickly re-claimed both spots and held on to them through to the outbreak of the Second World War. In 1938 he played twice for the Irish League in a 3-1 win over the Eire League at Dalymount Park and an 8-2 defeat by the Football League at Windsor Park.

Throughout his time with Cliftonville, McCurry served in the RUC. He played in a number representative matches for them against club sides, other police forces and military representative teams. He became secretary of the RUC Athletic Association and was a key figure in their joining the Amateur League in 1956 and in the establishment of Newforge as a base for the team.

With his own playing days behind him, McCurry kept a close eye on the Irish League. However, in 1956 he lamented that the game had "gone back a lot this past few years. Players get more coaching than ever they did, and yet the football isn't any better. I think the trouble is that the natural ball player isn't allowed to play his own game." Perhaps proving that it was always better in the good old days!

Ireland Amateur Cap Details:

17-04-1935 Scotland A W 3-2

13-02-1937 England. H W 5-1

21-04-1937 Scotland A L 0-3

19-02-1938 England. A D 1-1

13-04-1938 Scotland H W 2-1

18-02-1939 England. H L 0-1

19-04-1939 Scotland A D 1-1

Summary: 7/0. Won 3, Drew 2, Lost 2.

With thanks to Jim Murphy for supplying the phto and ISN articles on which this profile is largely based.

Sam McIlveen

Name: Reverend Samuel J. McIlveen

Born: Kells, Co. Antrim

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Position: Left-Back

Representative Honours: Ireland: 1 Amateur Caps (1939).

Club Honours: (with Larne Olympic) Steel & Sons Cup Winner 1941/42, 1942/43.

Club Career:

Clubs	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	Other
Connor Boys’ Auxiliary		1931	(Ballymena Presbyterian Summer League)
Kells Olympic	-	1932	(Braidwater Summer League)
Larne	-	1933	Amateur	-	-
TOTALS		£-		-	-

Biography:

"A keen player, who enters wholeheartedly into the game, his tackles are well timed and his kicking strong and clean, with that method which makes the work the man behind of service to those in midfield. He is a bulwark in the Larne forces."

- Ireland's Saturday Night (14 December 1935)

After several seasons playing in junior football in and around his native Kells, Sam McIlveen stepped up to the Irish League with Larne at the start of the 1933/34 season. He remained a reliable and consistent fixture at left-back until the Co. Antrim team left senior football when the Irish League was suspended due to the Second World War.

McIlveen was ordained as minister at Ballywalter Presbyterian Church in 1944 where he served until his retirement in 1979.

Ireland Amateur Cap Details:

19-04-1939 Scotland A D 1-1

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

With thanks to Jim Murphy for supplying the photo and ISN article quoted above.