The following article was published on the Hoganstand about one of players Armagh Kevin McGeeney

"In the blood" 06 January 2011

This past season saw Armagh claim their first Knock-Out & Intermediate Football Championship success in New York. A familiar name was behind the Orchard County's drive for silverware in The Big Apple, as Hogan Stand found out.

Success breeds success'. The old saying comes up every so often in sports commentary when men, or women, emulate the triumphs of their relatives and ancestors on the playing field.

In Armagh GAA, the name McGeeney is one that now routinely commands respect following the historic success of Joe Kernan's team in 2002, which to this day still seems unforgettable for die-hard Gaelic football supporters all across the country and beyond.

When Kieran McGeeney lifted the Sam Maguire Cup after helping his team to a dramatic comeback against Kerry, who were and still are very much the aristocrats of the game, he lifted an entire county. For that, the Mullaghbawn man will forever go down as one of the greatest players to ever don the orange jersey and his endeavours as Kildare senior manager over the past three seasons have saw him maintain a high-profile in Gaelic games to date.

Across the Atlantic, 3,000 miles away his second cousin, Kevin McGeeney, has managed to lead somewhat of a quieter life, despite working and playing football in the biggest smoke of them all, New York.

A former stalwart at centre-field for Culloville Blues, the south Armagh club's loss has certainly been Armagh NY GAA's gain, as the now 29-year-old has followed in the footsteps of his cousin by proudly captaining his county, albeit in a lower profile competition than the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.

"My club back home is Culloville Blues and I played senior for them for about eight years before deciding to make the move to New York," explained Kevin.

"We had some good players in the club and we won a league title during the time I played senior, but at that time Crossmaglen were still the dominant force in the county and they're going well again this year."

He added: "My dad's cousin is Kieran McGeeney and I suppose anyone that would hear my last name and see me play over here would know me for that."

In 2005, Kevin and his partner Denise made the decision to pack up and head to New York - Yonkers, to be more specific, where he would eventually set-up his own electrical Contracting company.

To this day, Creggan Contracting Corp is still going strong and Kevin has settled in nicely in his new home with the help of being kept busy at work and the outlet of Gaelic football with the Armagh team, with whom he lines out in the number 8 jersey every weekend of the playing season.

However, it wasn't Armagh whom Kevin enjoyed his first championship success with in New York playing senior football with Cavan, the midfielder helped the Breffni Blues to a Senior B Championship triumph. To date Kevin still lines out with Cavan Senior Team.

"I came here about five years ago and started playing football straight away, practically," he stated. "A man called Eugene Grant from Silverbridge, who is highly involved with Armagh New York Club, got me involved with the club here and we've got into a couple of semi-finals since I started playing here.

"To be honest, the standard wouldn't be what it is back home, but it's certainly very tough and hard-hitting football in New York. A lot of people find that when they move over here and start playing and I certainly did. You hold nothing back, especially when it comes to championship."

This past season saw Armagh make big strides on the intermediate championship stage, under the managership of Kevin Keegan (Crossmaglen), Joe Crilly (Belleek) and Tony McCaul (Dromintee) who had a strong panel of players. Like any devoted captain, Kevin played his part as well.

One of his most outstanding performances for the Armagh club came back in May, when the Orchard men overcame the challenge of Astoria Gaels at Gaelic Park to help pave their way to the Intermediate Championship final. After a tight and entertaining first-half of football, the sides were deadlocked at half-time on 0-4 each. In the second-half, Keegan's team upped it a gear and scored 1-8 without reply, with Kevin's younger brother, Johnny grabbing the goal to cap off what the trusted media called "a man-of-the-match performance". Johnny played along side his brother Kevin in midfield, to Kevin's delighted Johnny took leave from Cullolive on a 90 day sanction to Armagh, where he was a great asset to the team.

Kevin is quick to brush aside the praise though and instead points to his team mates, whom he credits for their effort all year in helping the team get to the final against Mayo.

Unfortunately for Kevin and his Armagh team mates, their denial of the New York GAA Intermediate Championship title would not come in the manner as straightforward as a defeat to Mayo.

After playing out a thrilling draw after extra time in the decider with the westerners, the replay was fixed for a mere two days later - something which Armagh couldn't commit to.

"The replay was scheduled for the Tuesday, two days after and we couldn't field a team for it because we had too many lads injured, so the cup was then awarded to Mayo," Kevin explained.

Understandably, the decision to award the title to Mayo was one that disappointed all involved with the Armagh club, but under the rules of the GAA, the cup was subsequently awarded to Armagh due to illegal players on the Mayo team.

"This is not how we wanted to win the intermediate championship and would of loved to have a proper replay of the match, but that was not to be on the decision of the New York County board so Armagh where awarded the cup," said McGeeney.

Kevin is now looking forward to next year as the Orchard men will be playing senior and will be hoping to clinch some silverware at this level. You can be sure that he won't be the only McGeeney looking to make improvements on the playing field in 2011 either.

In August, Kieran McGeeney's Kildare were cruelly denied a place in the All-Ireland SFC final when they went down by just two points to the men of Down, who come September 19 would lose out on the title by a point to Cork.

Provided Armagh don't catch fire next season under Paddy O'Rourke, which they should well be able to with the talent at their disposal, you can be sure that Kevin McGeeneny and most of the Orchard County will be behind the Lilywhites if they get themselves into the last four of the All-Ireland series once again for another charge towards the Sam Maguire Cup.