Youngest LoI player and goalscorer ever

**gspain** · 03/11/2010, 2:12 PM

Stephen McGann played and scored for Limerick on saturday last October 30th aged 15 years and 358 days.

He is Limerick's youngest ever player and goalscorer.

I know Waterford had a player aged 15 years and 200 days against Limerick in 1964.

Anyone know anyone younger or indeed any younger goalscorers.

**harps1954** · 03/11/2010, 3:07 PM

It would be hard to beat that, I'd say. We were having a similar debate over on the Harps forum earlier this week and reckoned Barry Patton was our youngest scorer just a few days after his 17th birthday - he scored on his debut.

**gspain** · 11/11/2010, 9:13 AM

I still can't find a younger goalscorer than Stephen.

Liam O'Shea aged 15 years and 200 days was the youngest player ever afaik played for Waterford v Limerick in March 1964.

The Limerick record was held by Vinny Prendergast aged 16 years and 3 months.

**Dodge** · 11/11/2010, 9:46 AM

Its something I've never looked into (and I've looked into some amount of geekery). I'd say you'd be doing very well to get records of too many 15 year olds playing LOI football.

I've something in my head about Jonathon Douglas being very young and playing for Monaghan before heading over to England but I couldn't put an exact age. Maybe magicme might know

Do you have many details on other clubs gspain (and by that I mean Pats...)?

**MariborKev** · 11/11/2010, 10:37 AM

I think Gerry Gill was 15 when he play for us against Cork

**Magicme** · 11/11/2010, 11:07 AM

Can't rem how old Douglas was but I know Paul Whelan made his debut at 16, don't think he scored. Last year philly Donnelly scored on his debut and he was 17 I think. Sorry am crap at rem stuff.

**shep** · 11/11/2010, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

I've something in my head about Jonathon Douglas being very young and playing for Monaghan before heading over to England but I couldn't put an exact age. Maybe magicme might know

I played with Jonny in the Milk Cup u14s and although he may have made a brief appearence with Monaghan Uniteds 1st team(i dont think he did) ...he deffo didnt score.He went to Celtic when he was 15 so i doubt he played many 1st team games as he was always either on trial in england or playing representative football at the weekends.
Monaghan did blood a few younsters shortly after that though...Thomas Heffernan and Ashley White...they may have been 15/16...not sure if they scored though??? Macicme might know better

**gspain** · 11/11/2010, 1:59 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Its something I've never looked into (and I've looked into some amount of geekery). I'd say you'd be doing very well to get records of too many 15 year olds playing LOI football.

I've something in my head about Jonathon Douglas being very young and playing for Monaghan before heading over to England but I couldn't put an exact age. Maybe magicme might know

Do you have many details on other clubs gspain (and by that I mean Pats...)?

I don't have any stats as such and much is word of mouth or snippets out of programmes etc which I appreciate can be wrong. Since FIFA were wrong for ten years on the fastest ever world Cup finals goal I'm happy just to ask and see what happens.

My father knows Vinny Prendergast and he remembers being the youngest LoI player ever circa 54 or 55 taking the record from Maurice Swan. He subsequently lost the league record to Bobby Brohan but remained Limerick's youngest ever player until last month. I thought originally that Kevin Fitzpatrick took Vinny's Limerick record albeit in a friendly but he definitely didn't even in the friendly.

The Liam O'Shea was again word of mouth from a friend who doesn't get these things wrong. However he and I are not sure if he still holds the league record.

No idea re Pats. Former Pats and Inchicore man Eamonn Collins does of course hold the UK record for a competitive game aged 14 & 323 days playing for Blackpool v Kilmarnock in the Anglo Scottish Cup.

**seand** · 11/11/2010, 8:51 PM

For some reason I'm thinking Home Farm had a 15 year old play for them in the league mid 70s. Maybe I'm thinking of Martin Murray who'd have played the 75 cup final at 16.

**Paddyfield** · 11/11/2010, 9:55 PM

Galway United's Billy Clery scored on his debut away to Drogheda when he was 16. Not surprisingly, he got sent off the following week on his home debut along with Shamrock Rovers' Alan Byrne following a heated altercation.

**passerrby** · 11/11/2010, 9:57 PM

I think players cant sign until they are 16 now so the record will not be broken

**Dodge** · 12/11/2010, 9:33 AM

Originally Posted by passerrby

I think players cant sign until they are 16 now so the record will not be broken

Was gspain's example in 2009? has the rule changed since then?

**Darkglasses** · 12/11/2010, 2:29 PM

Gareth Wallace made his senior competitive debut at the age of 15 with Wexford Youths in a League cup tie v Cobh Ramblers, 25/3/08. His birthday is in late February so he would've only just turned 15 too. Not sure if/when he scored his first goal though.

**KevB76** · 12/11/2010, 5:08 PM

Originally Posted by passerrby

I think players cant sign until they are 16 now so the record will not be broken

Does that depend upon whether they're signed as professional or amateur?
gspains example was a fortnight ago!

**Martinho II** · 12/11/2010, 7:14 PM

Originally Posted by seand

For some reason I'm thinking Home Farm had a 15 year old play for them in the league mid 70s. Maybe I'm thinking of Martin Murray who'd have played the 75 cup final at 16.

yeah seand I remember reading about Home Farm and Martin Murray so I agree wot you say!!