Anthony Tohill

] Tohill represented Ireland in many International Rules Series and was captain of the victorious 2001 team.

Personal life

Tohill was born in Swatragh and is the son of Hugh and Eileen Tohill. He has three brothers and four sisters.cite web |url= http://www.hoganstand.com/Derry/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=66194|title= Young Anthony Is The Jewel In The Crown|accessdate=2008-03-22 |format= |work=Hogan Stand] His brother Hugh Martin was also on the panel of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland winning team. Tohill attended St. John's Primary School in the village. Tohill is currently a pundit for RTÉ's The Sunday Game GAA coverage.

Career

Inter-county

Tohill played a prominent part in the 1989 Ulster Minor and All-Ireland Minor Football Championship winning Derry Minor team. After leaving school Tohill spent some time as an under-age player in Australian Rules football in Melbourne. He returned home in 1991 to concentrate on Gaelic football.

Tohill was part of Derry's National League winning team in 1992, scoring a late goal and a point to secure vicotry over Tyrone. That year he won his first All Star award for his performances during the year. In 1993 he won the Ulster Championship with Derry, before going on to win the 1993 All-Ireland Championship after a semi-final victory over Dublin and final defeat of Cork. He again was awarded an All Star.

Derry won back-to-back National Leagues in 1995 and 1996, with Tohill being prominent on both sides. Despite Derry only playing two Championship games in 1995, he was awarded his third All Star award. Tohill and Derry finished runners-up to Offaly in the 1998 National League decider. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Lyons' pride pass tough test of character to land League |url=http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1998/04/27/shead.htm |work=Irish Examiner |publisher= |date=1998-04-27 |accessdate=2008-04-06 ] He added a second Ulster Championship medal in 1998, before losing out to Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final. Tohill captained Derry to another National League title in 2000 and received his fourth All-Star that year. At that stage he had received more All Star nominations that any other Ulster player ever. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/northern_ireland/988080.stm |title=Ulster have 14 All Star hopefuls |accessdate=2008-09-09 |work=BBC Sport Online |publisher= |date=2000-10-24 ] Tohill won Footballer of the Year at the 2000 Ulster GAA Writer's Association Awards. [cite web |url=http://www.ulstergaawriters.com/2000a.htm |title=Ulster GAA Writer's Association Awards - 2000|accessdate=2007-09-11 |format= |work= ] Tohill had another good season in 2001, when Derry reached the All-Ireland semi-final and his omission from the All Star nominations list caused great shock. [cite web |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/2001/1101/allstars.html |title=Tohill left out of All Star nominations |work=RTÉ |accessdate=2008-03-24] He exited the county scene in 2003. [cite news |first=Fergal |last=McCusker |authorlink=Fergal McCusker |coauthors= |title=23 fans, 17 players, One memorable win |url= |work=County Derry Post |publisher= |date=2008-04-08 |accessdate=2008-04-13 ]

Club

Tohill played a major role in Swatragh's run to the 1993 Derry Championship final. The game was played on St. Stephen's Day in the snow at Glenullin. Lavey narrowly defeated the Swatragh side. Tohill was top scorer in the 1993 Derry Championship with 2-26 (32 points). Prior to this he was part of Swatragh's first ever Derry Minor Championship winning side in 1988.

School and college

Tohill won MacRory Cups and one Hogan Cups with his school St. Patrick’s College Maghera.cite web | url= http://quis.qub.ac.uk/gaelicfc/halloffame/ulster.htm | title= Queen's Hall of Fame| accessdate= 2007-08-28 | author = | publisher = | date = ] He was also part of the 1993 Queens University Belfast team that won the Sigerson Cup. He was top scorer in the final with 0-06. [cite web |url= http://www.sigerson2007.com/roll.htm|title= Sigerson Cup Roll of Honour - Top Scorers|accessdate=2008-01-08 |format= |work= ]

Provincial

Tohill won five Railway Cup medals with Ulster.

International Rules

Tohill played for Ireland on four International Rules tours between 1998 (when the series was revived) and 2001.cite web|url=http://www.gaa.ie/plugins/matchfeed.cgi?rm=content&plugin_data_id=12476|title=May 11: Coca Cola International Rules Manager Announced|accessdate=2007-02-15] He made eight appearances for his country. [cite web |url=http://internationalrules.gaa.ie/irishpanel2006.html |title=Irish Panel 2006 - Squad & Management |accessdate=2008-10-11 |work=GAA International Rules website (2006) |publisher= |date= ] In 2001 he captained Ireland in their victorious tour of Australia. [cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/2001/0801/tohilla.html|title=Tohill to lead Irish Down Under|accessdate=2007-02-15] He has since moved into the backrooms of the international setup, under manager Sean Boylan. He was part of the 2006 backroom team, and will also be for the 2008 series.

Soccer

Tohill played soccer for Derry City, [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/953738.stm|title=Celtic pack the Brandywell|accessdate=2007-02-15] and Manchester United Reserves, during a two-week trial at the club in 1995. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/northern_ireland/1338077.stm|title=Neil Lennon tips Armagh|accessdate=2007-02-15]

Honours

County

*All-Ireland Senior Football Championship - Winner (1): 1993
*All-Ireland Minor Football Championship - Winner (1): 1989
*National Football League - Winner (4): 1992, 1995, 1996, 2000
*National Football League - Runner up: 1998
*Ulster Senior Football Championship - Winner (2): 1993, 1998
*Ulster Senior Football Championship - Runner up: 1992, 1997, 2000
*Ulster Minor Football Championship - Winner (1): 1989

Club

*Derry Senior Football Championship - Runner up: 1993
*Derry Minor Football Championship - Winner (1): 1988

Province

*Railway Cup - Winner (5?): 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, more?

College

*Sigerson Cup - Winner (1): 1993
*Sigerson Cup - Runner up: 1992?, 1994?
*Ryan Cup - Winner (1): 1992?
*Hogan Cup - Winner (1/2?): 1989, 1990?
*MacRory Cup - Winner (1/2?): 1989, 1990?

Individual

*All Star - Winner (4): 1992, 1993, 1995, 2000
*All Star - Nominated (runner up): 1996, [cite news |first=John |last=Campbell |title=Ulster's 15 'stars' |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/imported/ulsters-15-stars-13856662.html |work=Belfast Telegraph |publisher= |date=1996-10-26 |accessdate=2008-10-03 ] 1997, [cite news |first= |last= |title=GAA: Ulster players take their places in All Star line-up |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/imported/gaa-ulster-players-take-their-places-in-all-star-lineup-13868500.html |work=Belfast Telegraph |publisher= |date=1996-11-20 |accessdate=2008-10-04 ] 1999, [cite news |first=John |last=Campbell |title=Armagh in frame for 'star' haul |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/imported/gaa-armagh-in-frame-for-star-haul-13777111.html |work=Belfast Telegraph |publisher= |date=1999-10-26 |accessdate=2008-10-04 ] more?
*Irish News Ulster All Stars Team of the Decade (1995-2004) - Winner
*Irish News Ulster GAA All-Star - Winner (5): 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001
*Derry Senior football captain

Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.

External links

* [http://quis.qub.ac.uk/gaelicfc/halloffame/ulster.htm QUB Profile]

References