Stephen Cluxton

Stephen Cluxton (born 17 December 1981) is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays as a goalkeeper at senior level for the Dublin county team.

On 7 August 1999, he was in goal when Dublin defeated Wexford by 2–13 to 1–12 in the Leinster final replay.

Cluxton made his senior debut for Dublin during the 2001 Championship.

Since then he has established himself as Dublin's first-choice goalkeeper.

Cluxton subsequently joined the Dublin under-21 team, making his first appearance on 18 February 2001 in a Leinster quarter-final defeat of Longford.

Cluxton made his championship debut in goal for Dublin on 27 May 2001 in a 2–19 to 1–13 Leinster Championship defeat of Longford.

He made two appearances during the championship before being replaced by regular goalkeeper Davy Byrne who returned from injury.

After a disappointing debut season in the grade, Cluxton won a Leinster Championship medal in 2002 after a 1–17 to 2–04 defeat of Wicklow in the final at St Conleth's Park.

On 6 October 2002, Cluxton was in goal for Dublin when they suffered a 0–15 to 0–07 defeat by Galway in the All-Ireland final.

Byrne's retirement from Dublin in February 2002 allowed Cluxton to take over as first-choice goalkeeper.

Cluxton made his National Football League debut against Donegal in 2002; he would go on to complete his 99th league appearance against Donegal in 2018.

On 14 July 2002, he was in goal when Dublin won their first Leinster Championship title in seven years after a 2–13 to 2–11 defeat of Kildare in the final.

Cluxton ended the season by winning his first All Star Award as well as being named the RTÉ/Hibernian Young Personality of the Year.

On 5 July 2003, Cluxton was red-carded for kicking Steven McDonnell in the 43rd minute of Dublin's All-Ireland Qualifier defeat by Armagh.

Dublin manager Tommy Lyons publicly blamed him for the defeat stating that his dismissal "turned the whole game."

Reports suggested that Cluxton walked home alone from Croke Park without his gearbag as many suspected that he would receive a lengthy ban.

The uncertainty led to Cluxton questioning his future involvement with the team, particularly when St. Patrick's Athletic and other professional football clubs offered him a contract to switch codes and play in the League of Ireland.

Ultimately, he received a one-month ban and soon returned to the Dublin panel.

On 17 July 2005, Cluxton won his second Leinster Championship medal after Dublin's 0–14 to 0–13 defeat of Laois in the final.

On 25 February 2006, he won a Sigerson Cup medal as goalkeeper following DCU's 0–11 to 1–04 defeat of Queen's University Belfast in the final.

Cluxton joined the Parnells club at a young age and played in all grades at juvenile and underage levels.

Known for his shot stopping, reflexes and agility in these grades, some deemed him a "little small for a goalkeeper and questioned his aerial ability" when he eventually joined the club's senior team.

Cluxton subsequently worked on these "perceived weaknesses" in his game.

He plays midfield with them.

Cluxton first played for Dublin at minor level as a 17-year-old.

Cluxton won a third Leinster Championship medal on 16 July 2006 when Dublin retained the title after a 1–15 to 0–09 defeat of Offaly in the final.

He ended the season by winning his second All Star Award in goal.

On 15 July 2007, Cluxton won his fourth Leinster Championship medal when Dublin completed a hat-trick of provincial titles following a 3–14 to 1–14 defeat of Laois in the final.

In spite of some questionable kick-outs in the All-Ireland semi-final defeat by Kerry, Cluxton conceded just two goals in six championship games and was presented with his third All Star Award.

Cluxton won a fifth Leinster Championship medal on 20 July 2008 when Dublin retained the title for a fourth successive year after a 3–23 to 0–09 defeat of Wexford in the final.

Along with Mick Fitzsimons and James McCarthy, Cluxton holds the record of most All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medals, with nine medals, beginning with wins in 2011 and 2013, and including six championships in a row from 2015 to 2020.

Cluxton is the only player in the history of the game to captain a team to seven championship titles.

He has also won a record 17 Leinster medals, five National Football League medals and six All Stars.

Born in Coolock, Cluxton was raised in a house that had a strong association with association football.

His father, Pat, won a lot of medals with Postal Celtic, while Cluxton himself played with St David's Primary School and Tolka Rovers.

Cluxton first played competitive Gaelic football with St David's CBS in Artane.

He initially played association football at school and was reluctant to play Gaelic football as he believed that the sport was "too brutal".

Cluxton was eventually persuaded to join the St David's Gaelic football team and began as a corner-forward because of his ability to kick the ball off the ground before later moving to corner-back.

The suspension and emigration of the school's first and second-choice goalkeepers saw Cluxton fill in as goalkeeper.

During his studies at Dublin City University, Cluxton was selected for the college's senior Gaelic football team.