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Colm Begley

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Colm Begley
Personal information
Full name Colm Ó Beaglaoich
Date of birth (1986-08-31) 31 August 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth Stradbally, County Laois, Ireland
Original team(s) Laois (Gaelic football)
Draft International rookie
Brisbane Lions
83rd overall, 2008
St Kilda
Debut Round 20, 2006, Brisbane Lions vs. West Coast, at The Gabba
Height / weight 188cm / 83 kg
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com
Colm Begley
Personal information
Sport Gaelic Football
Position Wing Back
Club(s)
Years Club
 Stradbally
Parnells
Club titles
Laois titles 1
Colleges(s)
Years College
 DCU
College titles
Sigerson titles 1
Inter-county(ies)
Years County
2005–2006
2010–
 Laois
Laois
Begley at training prior to the 2009 AFL Grand Final

Colm Begley (born 31 August 1986) is an Irish Gaelic football player. He has also played Australian rules football for the St Kilda Football Club and the Brisbane Lions of the Australian Football League (AFL).

Recruitment

Begley was scouted by the Lions football manager Graeme Allan, along with several other potential recruits during a training camp in Ireland, having previously witnessed a near best on ground performance from the young Irishman in the Under 19s International Rules series playing for Ireland against Australia. Begley was later persuaded to move to Australia as a rookie listed professional Australian rules footballer in 2005.

AFL career

Brisbane Lions

Begley played his very first game of Australian rules immediately after moving from Ireland to Australia in 2006. In just his third game weeks later, he lined up in a NAB Cup quarter final. In that game he picked up a total of six possessions and one mark whilst playing on Melbourne speedster Aaron Davey.

He was later elevated to the senior list during the regular season when the Lions suffered a string of injuries. In his senior debut against the West Coast Eagles he gathered seven possessions, seven marks and two hitouts, lining up on Brownlow Medallist Chris Judd. At the end of the season he was retained by the club as a rookie listed player.

Following his good form through the 2007 NAB Cup, Begley was once again elevated onto the Brisbane Lions' senior playing list and was soon after named on the interchange bench in the Lions' first game for the season. He was soon playing regularly for the Lions.[1] Begley was named the club's Rookie Of The Year in 2007.[2] His rise after such a short time playing the sport was described as 'remarkable'.[3] However, Brisbane opted not to offer him a new contract for the 2009 season following an injury ravaged 2008 which restricted him to only eight appearances.[2]

Begley represented Ireland in the senior 2008 International Rules Series with rumours of his delisting circulating; many commentators claimed that he was playing for his career.[4] During this time he said that if his AFL career was over he would return to play Gaelic football with Laois.[5] He appeared in both matches in the series, which Ireland won.

St Kilda

In the hope that he would be redrafted, Begley trained with Collingwood prior to the 2008 AFL Draft. He was eventually selected by St Kilda at pick 83.[6]

Begley played in only one of the 22 matches of the 2009 AFL season home and away rounds in which St Kilda qualified in first position for the finals, winning the club’s third minor premiership.[7]

After the 2009 AFL season, Begley retired from the AFL, announcing his desire to return to Ireland.[8]

Return to Ireland and senior Gaelic football

Begley is currently playing for Dublin side Parnells and has returned to inter-county football with his native Laois. Begley has represented his country in the International Rules Series on no less than 12 occasions; in 2006 (2 test matches), 2008 (2 test matches), 2010 (2 test matches), 2011 (2 test matches), 2013 (2 test matches), 2014 (1 test match) and 2015 (1 test match).

See also

References

  1. ^ AFL Tables - Colm Begley - Statistics. AFL Tables (1986-08-31). Retrieved on 22 September 2011.
  2. ^ a b GAA Football & Hurling. Hoganstand.com. Retrieved on 22 September 2011.
  3. ^ "Brisbane Lions axe Irishman Begley". The Sydney Morning Herald. 28 October 2008.
  4. ^ Why Begley needs to have day in the sun - Gaelic Football, Sport. Independent.ie. Retrieved on 22 September 2011.
  5. ^ Begley not ruling out possible return to Laois - Gaelic Football, Sport. Independent.ie. Retrieved on 22 September 2011.
  6. ^ Holmesby, Luke (4 December 2008). "Begley's second shot". Australian Football League. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  7. ^ "2009 Season Scores and Results – Ladder". AFL Tables. 2009. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
  8. ^ "Begley calls time on AFL career". The Irish Times (21 October 2009). Retrieved on 22 September 2011.
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