Aidan Forker (born 6 April 1992) is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for Sean McDermott's, Maghery, and the Armagh county team.[2]
Forker captained Armagh to the 2024 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, with Galway defeated in the final.
Inter-county
Forker made his inter-county debut against Down in the 2012 Dr McKenna Cup.[3]
He made his championship debut in the 2012 Ulster SFC quarter-final loss to Tyrone.[contradictory][4]
Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney appointed Forker as team captain in 2024.[5] Thus, Forker was captain when Armagh won the 2024 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, with a 1–11 to 0–13 win over Galway in the final.[6] He won an All Star at the end of the 2024 season.[7]
At the time Armagh won the 2024 All-Ireland SFC, Forker was vice-principal of Our Lady's Primary School, Tullsaran, and he brougth the Sam Maguire Cup there to show the children who were under his care.[8]
Live on television,[9] in the 2025 National League meeting of Armagh and Donegal at MacCumhaill Park, Forker headbutted Michael Murphy in the 44th minute.[10] This was within moments of Murphy's reintroduction (as a substitute) to inter-county football, and referee Sean Hurson sent Forker off.[11][12][13] Forker's headbutt of Michael Murphy was widely compared to Zinedine Zidane's headbutt during the 2006 FIFA World Cup final, though — unlike Zidane's opponent — Murphy stood firm and did not even move.[14][15][16]
Honours
- Armagh
- Individual
- All Star (1): 2024
References
- ^ "Staff". ourladyspstullysaran.com. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ "A profile: Armagh's new All-Ireland captain Aidan Forker". The Irish News. 1 August 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ "McKenna Cup: Down too strong for Armagh". www.hoganstand.com. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ "Tyrone 0–10 Armagh 0–13". RTÉ News. 13 July 2024. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ "Forker "earned" captaincy says McGeeney". The Sideline Eye. 29 January 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ "Armagh: All-Ireland winners to be welcomed home by fans". BBC News. 29 July 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ "Conroy and O'Donnell scoop Player of the Year awards". RTÉ News. 1 November 2024. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ Macauley, Conor (19 September 2024). "Watch: Armagh captain brings Sam Maguire back to school". RTÉ News.
- ^ "Murphy díreach ar an bpáirc agus tionchar ollmhór déanta aige cheana féin: Aidan Forker is shown a red and Armagh are down to 14". TG4. 16 February 2025.
- ^ "Forker red card 'a moment of madness', says Staunton". Hogan Stand. 18 February 2025.
- ^ Bell Curran, Joshua (16 February 2025). "Forker Receives Ridiculous Red Card Moments Into Michael Murphy's Return". Balls.ie.
- ^ "We let our discipline go — McGeeney". Hogan Stand. 17 February 2025.
- ^ "Forker headbutt on Murphy 'didn't look good' — McConville". BBC. 17 February 2024.
- ^ "Indo Sport podcast: Bits & Bobs — Forker's Zidane moment, McIlroy's 'ice age' putter, Ulster's Italian collapse". Independent.ie. 17 February 2024.
- ^ Healy, Martin (17 February 2024). "Armagh star labelled 'stupid' by county legend for bizarre red card against Donegal".
- ^ "Murphy dominates script after Forker loses his head". The Herald. 17 February 2025.
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