Brendan Coulter

Brendan "Benny" Coulter is an Irish Gaelic football manager and player who plays for his local club Mayobridge and, previously, for the Down senior football team until his retirement in 2014; he also teaches kids about Gaelic in different schools around Northern Ireland.^[1][2][3][4]

Playing career

During his prime, Coulter was regarded as one of the best attackers in Gaelic football.^[1] He is Ulster's leading Championship goal scorer of all-time.

He won an Ulster Minor Championship Medal in 1999, and later that year won the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship with Down he scored 1-02 in the All Ireland Final. Down manager Pete McGrath selected Coulter to make his debut for the senior team that year, despite his youth.^[5] He has since become one of Down's key players.^[5] He has captained Down,^[6] and has been described as the team's 'talisman'.^[7]

Coulter was selected to represent Ireland in the International Rules Series five times, in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2010. He has also won 4 Railway Cups he has also won U-12, U-14, U-16, Minor and Reserve League and Championship, and also won an All-Ireland Under-16 Football Championship with St Marks Warrenpoint.

Benny has won 8 county championship with his club Mayobridge and is one of the most iconic players to ever come from the Mourne county.

Coulter has admitted to being targeted by sledging while on the field of play.^[8] Coulter supports Liverpool F.C. Benny was player/manager of Mayobridge GAA in the 2017 and 2018 campaign alongside Francie Poland. He now manages Longstone GAA. One of his controversial goals was against Kildare as Kildare players thought it was a square ball denying them a place in the All - Ireland Final

Managerial career

Coulter was appointed Down minor football team manager ahead of the 2023 season.^[9]

Honours

Club

• 8 Down Senior Football Championships (1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
• 6 Down Senior Football League Division 1s (1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2009, 2010)

Inter-county

• 2 Down Minor Football Championships (1997, 1999)
• 1 Ulster Minor Football Championship (1999)
• 1 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship (1999)
• 1 All Ireland Under 16 Vocational School's (1997)
• 1 Ulster Under 16 Vocational School's (1997)
• 1 Down Vocational School's (1996)

Provincial

• 4 Railway Cups (2003, 2007, 2009, 2012)

International

• 3 International Rules (2004, 2008, 2009)

Individual

• 2 Down County Final Man of the Matches (2002, 2004)
• 1 Ulster final Man of the Match award (2002)
• 8 Down club Player of the Year awards (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
• 2 Irish News Ulster All Stars (2003, 2010)
• 1 All Star (2010)

References

1. "Mayobridge see off Carrickmore". BBC News. 21 November 2004. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
2. "Benny Coulter has announced his retirement". GAA.ie. 25 November 2014. Archived from the original on 8 December 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
3. "Benny Coulter calls time on outstanding Down career". Irish Independent. 25 November 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
4. "We'll be seeing less great inter-county goals as Down's Benny Coulter retires". The Score. 25 November 2014. Archived from the original on 25 November 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
5. "Linden insists that Down hot-shot Coulter's time has come". Irish Independent. 2 August 2008.
6. "Football: ..TODAY'S FOOTBALL NEWS". Sunday Mirror. 26 March 2006. ^{[dead link]}
7. "Tyrone v Down". RTÉ News. 5 June 2008.^{[permanent dead link]}
8. "Benny Coulter: 'I've been the victim of GAA sledging'". The Score. 28 March 2012. Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
9. "Coulter appointed Down minor football manager". Hogan Stand. 6 September 2021.

Sporting positions
Preceded by Seán Ward	Down Senior Football Captain 2004	Succeeded by Liam Doyle
Preceded by Liam Doyle	Down Senior Football Captain 2006	Succeeded by Declan Rooney
Preceded by Ambrose Rogers	Down Senior Football Captain 2011	Succeeded by Ambrose Rogers