Stephen Cluxton

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Stephen Cluxton
Personal information
Irish name Stiofáin Cluxton
Sport Gaelic Football
Position Goalkeeper
Born (1981-12-17) 17 December 1981 (age 43)
Dublin, Ireland
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Occupation Teacher
Club(s)
Years Club
1999– Parnells
Inter-county(ies)
Years County
2001– Dublin
Inter-county titles
Leinster titles 11
All-Irelands 3
NFL 3
All Stars 5

Stephen "Clucko" Cluxton (born 17 December 1981) is a Gaelic football goalkeeper. Dublin inter-county captain,[1] he plays his club football for Parnells. Cluxton is unusual for a goalkeeper as he often opts to take frees during games. An intensely private individual, he is known for his great mental ability in front of goal and is regarded as the most influential goalkeeper of his generation.[2]

After years of failure to reach the promised land, Cluxton won an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in 2011. He played an important role in securing Dublin's first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title since 1995 when he scored the winning point in stoppage time at the end of the 2011 final. He is the only goalkeeper in the history of the game to have done so.[3] Cluxton was also part of the Dublin side that won the Leinster Senior Football Championship title in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Cluxton has received five All Star Awards; these came in 2002, 2006, 2007, 2011 and 2013.

Early life

Cluxton was born into a soccer background. His father Pat Cluxton won a lot of medals with Postal Celtic. He played soccer at St David's Primary School, Artane, County Dublin, and played at left back or on the left wing with Tolka Rovers. It wasn't until he went to St David's Secondary that he began to play Gaelic football. He played at corner forward until the school goalkeeper Robert O'Connor was suspended. Cluxton was then asked to stand in for him in that position and he has remained in that position ever since.[4]

Playing career

Inter-county

Cluxton was an All Star winner in 2002, and he received the Young Personality of the Year Award at the 2002 RTÉ/Hibernian Sports Ceremony held in the Burlington Hotel, on Saturday 4 January 2003. Following Cluxton's sending off in the third round of the All-Ireland qualifiers in 2003 against Armagh, then manager Tommy Lyons blamed him for Dublin's defeat.[5] After this incident, Cluxton seriously considered quitting the Dublin panel to play professional soccer with League of Ireland side St Patrick's Athletic.

Cluxton was part of the Dublin City University team which won the 2006 Sigerson Cup, winning a place on the Third Level Hotshots Team. He was an All Star winner that year. Cluxton won the 2007 O'Byrne Cup with Dublin against Laois at O'Connor Park in Offaly. The game finished on a scoreline of 1–18 to 2–13. Cluxton to this day remains the best shot-stopper in Ireland with bags of skill and fast reflexes. Overall, he has been described as "arguably...the best shot-stopper at inter-county level".[citation needed]

Cluxton played an important role in Dublin's 2011 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winning season.[6] He scored the winning point in the 2011 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final. He is the only goalkeeper in the history of the game to have done so.[3] After the final whistle he slowly walked off the pitch down the tunnel beneath the Hogan Stand in keeping with his famously private persona and desire to shy away from the spotlight. It is believed Cluxton actually exited the pitch straight away as his beloved Manchester United were playing Chelsea in the premier league, and the second half was about to start.[2] Dublin teammate Paul Flynn paid tribute afterwards: "He [Cluxton] is out training an hour before everybody else and he kicks them over with his eyes closed. I didn't even look at the kick. I looked at him and he just kicked it and ran back. He is a phenomenal man, I am delighted for him."[7]

On 28 April 2013, Cluxton captained Dublin to win the 2013 National Football League after a 0–18 to 0–17 win against Tyrone at Croke Park.[8] His free kicks have attracted criticism – in the 2013 Leinster final he spent eight minutes of the match trotting up the field to kick the ball over the bar.[9]

On 22 September, Cluxton captained Dublin to win the 2013 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final against Mayo, and scoring the point from a free that was the deciding winning point in the game.[10]

International rules

Cluxton made his debut appearance for Ireland in the International Rules Series during the 2002 test series won by Australia. He was part of the victorious Irish team during the 2004 International Rules Series, winning the Irish player of the tournament award.[11]

Cluxton kept a clean sheet when he played in goal for Ireland in the 2010 International Rules Series in Limerick.[12] Cluxton captained Ireland during the 2011 International Rules Series in Australia. Ireland went on to win the Series.[citation needed]

Injury ruled him out of the 2013 International Rules Series so Paddy O'Rourke filled his gloves.[13][14][15]

Personal life

Cluxton is currently studying for a BSc in Science Education part-time, and is also a secondary school teacher at St Vincent's CBS, Glasnevin, where he teaches Biology. He became a member of the faculty at the beginning of the September 2006 term. He served as a member of the school football team coaching staff.[2]

Charity work

In April 2011, while participating in a charity soccer match between Darndale F.C. and Liverpool/Manchester United Legends in aid of Autism Ireland, Cluxton clashed with former Republic of Ireland soccer team player Jason McAteer. Cluxton and McAteer were both sent off.[16]

Career statistics

National League appearances

Cluxton has played 52 senior inter-county league games for Dublin. He has kept 22 clean sheets in those 52 appearances.

Championship appearances

Cluxton has played 50 senior inter-county championship games for Dublin. He has kept 31 clean sheets in those 50 appearances.

See also

For more details of the GAA in Dublin, see Dublin GAA, Dublin GAA Honours and Dublin Senior Football Championship.

References

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External links

Sporting positions
Sporting positions
Preceded by Dublin Senior Football Captain
2013 – present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
Achievements
Preceded by All-Ireland Senior Football Final
winning captain
2013		 Succeeded by
Incumbent

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  4. ↑ Profile, unison.ie; accessed 29 November 2015.
  5. ↑ Irish Independent story, unison.ie; accessed 29 November 2015.
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  11. ↑ Profile, HILL16.ie; accessed 29 November 2015.
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