John Cleary

John Cleary (born 20 June 1963) is an Irish former Gaelic footballer who played as a left corner-forward at senior level for the Cork county team.

Born in Castlehaven, County Cork, Cleary first arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of sixteen when he first linked up with the Cork minor team before later joining the under-21 side.

Cleary first played for Cork as a member of the minor team on 8 May 1980.

He scored 3-2 after being introduced as a substitute in Cork's 8-20 to 1-2 Munster semi-final defeat of Limerick.

In 1981 Cleary won a Munster medal in the minor grade following a narrow 0-9 to 1-5 defeat of archrivals Kerry.

On 20 September 1981 Cork faced Derry in the All-Ireland decider.

A comfortable 4-9 to 2-7 victory gave Cleary, who scored 1-4, an All-Ireland Minor Football Championship medal.

Cleary joined the Cork under-21 team the following year and enjoyed further success.

A 2-12 to 0-4 trouncing of Kerry gave him his first Munster medal in that grade.

He made his senior debut during the 1983 championship.

Cleary immediately became a regular member of the starting fifteen and won two All-Ireland medals, three Munster medals and one National Football League medal.

He was an All-Ireland runner-up on three occasions.

Cleary was a member of the Munster inter-provincial team on a number of occasions but never won a Railway Cup medal.

At club level he is a three-time Munster medallist with Castlehaven.

In addition to this Cleary also on two championship medals.

Cleary's sister, Nollaig Cleary, and his brother-in-law, Niall Cahalane, are also All-Ireland medallists with Cork.

Throughout his career Cleary made 21 championship appearances.

Cleary made his senior championship debut on 3 July 1983 in a 1-11 to 1-5 Munster semi-final defeat of Clare.

Cork later shocked nine-in-a-row hopefuls Kerry in the provincial decider.

A last-minute Tadhg Murphy goal secured a narrow 3-10 to 3-9 victory and a first Munster medal for Cleary.

In 1984 Cleary was in his final year with the under-21 team.

He won a second Munster medal that year as Limerick were accounted for by 1-18 to 0-4.

On 26 August 1984 Cork faced Mayo in the All-Ireland decider.

A narrow 0-9 to 0-6 victory gave Cleary an All-Ireland medal.

Kerry dominated the next three championships, however, Cork ended their greatest generation in 1987.

A 0-13 to 1-5 victory in the provincial decider replay gave Cleary a second Munster medal.

On 20 September 1987 Cork faced Meath in the All-Ireland decider.

Cork were well on top for the opening twenty minutes and nearly took a seven-point lead when Jimmy Kerrigan's shot was blocked by Mick Lyons.

In 1989 the club qualified for only their second ever championship decider with St. Finbarr's providing the opposition.

A narrow 0-9 to 0-7 victory gave Cleary his first championship medal.

Castlehaven later qualified for the provincial decider.

A 0-13 to 1-8 defeat of St. Senan's gave Cleary his first Munster medal.

He retired from inter-county football following the conclusion of the 1993 championship.

In retirement from playing Cleary became involved in team management and coaching.

He is an All-Ireland-winning manager and selector with the Cork under-21 team while he also had championship success as a selector with Castlehaven.

After enjoying championship success in the under-21 grade with Castlehaven, Cleary subsequently joined the senior team.

Cleary won a second championship medal in 1994 as Castlehaven defeated bitter local rivals O'Donovan Rossa by 0-12 to 0-10 in one of the greatest deciders of all time.

He later won a second Munster medal following a 2-14 to 1-4 defeat of Clonmel Commercials.

In spite of losing a controversial championship decider in 1997, Castlehaven still represented Cork in the provincial series as divisional side Beara were prohibited from doing so.

A 1-14 to 1-8 defeat of Fethard in the decider gave Cleary a third Munster medal.