Ciara Grant (footballer, born 1978)

Ciara Mary Grant (born 17 May 1978) is an Irish former footballer who played as a midfielder. She played club football for Arsenal L.F.C. and internationally for the Republic of Ireland national team.

Ciara Grant
Grant (centre) playing for Arsenal in 2006
Personal information
Full name Ciara Mary Grant[1]
Date of birth (1978-05-17) 17 May 1978
Place of birth Waterford, Ireland
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
19xx–19xx Benfica
19xx–1998 St Patrick's Athletic Ladies
1998–2014 Arsenal
2014 Reading 4 (0)
International career
1995–2012 Republic of Ireland 105 (11)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Grant was born in Waterford. She began her career with Benfica. After a spell with St Patrick's Athletic,[2] she joined Arsenal Ladies in August 1998.[3] She was employed as a development officer by the English club.[4]

In her first season Grant scored an equaliser against Everton as Arsenal won the Premier League Cup final 3–1. Arsenal also won the 1999 FA Women's Cup, but finished second to Croydon in the League.[4] In the following campaign Arsenal and Grant retained the Premier League Cup, but lost in the FA Women's Cup semi-final and came third in the League.[4] In 2000–01 Arsenal completed a domestic treble, with Grant providing an assist for the decisive goal in the FA Women's Cup final win over Fulham.[5]

That achievement was eclipsed in 2007, as Arsenal added the UEFA Women's Cup to their trophy haul, completing an unprecedented quadruple. Grant remained an important part of the team while being converted from a midfielder to a central defender.[6] After moving to Reading in 2014, Grant announced her retirement in April 2015.[7]

International career

Grant has reached a century of caps for Ireland and, since 2000,[8] has captained the national side. She made her debut as a teenager, in a 3–1 win over the Faroe Islands at Richmond Park.[4][9]

She won her 100th cap in Ireland's 2–1 defeat to Scotland at Tynecastle Stadium in April 2012.[10]

Grant announced her retirement from international football in February 2013.[11]

Honours

Arsenal

References
  1. "Player Statistics". FIFA. Archived from the original on 10 November 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
  2. "Senior Women Player Profiles". Football Association of Ireland. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  3. "7. Ciara Grant". Arsenal F.C. Archived from the original on 24 July 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  4. Peter Carbery (3 September 2000). "Gunner Grant sets her sights". Sunday Times.
  5. John Murphy (21 June 2001). "Gunners heroine Ciara gets sportstar award". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 17 December 2004. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
  6. "Senior Women Player Profiles". Football Association of Ireland. 16 January 2009. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
  7. O'Connell, Cian (21 April 2015). "Grant hangs up boots after glittering career". The Irish Post. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  8. Declan Hughes (27 October 2000). "Opel's Ireland Player of the Year nominees". Womens Soccer World. Archived from the original on 2 December 2010. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
  9. "Ciara Grant". UEFA. Archived from the original on 4 August 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
  10. Campbell, Alan (6 April 2012). "Two late goals keep Scotland in the running". The Herald. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  11. "Grant retires from international soccer". 20 February 2013.
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