Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | John McNinch | ||
Date of birth | 26 August 1908 | ||
Place of birth | Harryville | ||
Date of death | 24 May 1970 | (aged 61)||
Position(s) | Right-back | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1928–1934 | Ballymena | 238 | (12) |
1934–1936 | Ballymena United | 75 | (3) |
1936 | Sligo Rovers | ? | (?) |
1936–1937 | Larne | ? | (?) |
International career | |||
1931–1934 | Irish League XI | 3 | (0) |
1931 | Ireland | 3 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
John "Jock" McNinch was an Irish professional footballer. He was capped 3 times by Ireland during his career.
McNinch started his career with the local Summerfield team,[1] and in June 1928 was one of the first signings for the newly formed Ballymena team.[2]
McNinch was Ballymena's right-back in the 1928–29 Irish Cup final, as the Braidmen shocked Belfast Celtic to win the cup in their first season of senior football; his most prominent contribution to the game was a goal-line clearance after 10 minutes when goalkeeper Gough misjudged a high ball.[3]
He also picked up runners-up medals in 1930 and 1931, and in the latter final was watched by Bolton Wanderers.[4]
A scandal over amateurism saw Ballymena wound up in 1934, but McNinch signed for the phoenix Ballymena United side, as one of only three Irish players in the side.[5] After a disappointing 1935–36 season, McNinch was one of four United players to sign for Sligo Rovers in August,[6] but returned to the north in November when signing for Larne.[7]
He became the second player from the club (after Jimmy McCambridge) to earn an international cap, collecting the first of his three caps in February 1931,[8] a 0–0 draw against Scotland; after the match Liverpool and Preston North End both enquired about him, but the offers were turned down.[9] His second cap, the following September, came after outside-right Harry Duggan of Leeds United was unable to play, and regular right-back Hughie Blair was pushed up to his position, with McInch filling the vacancy.[10]
His final cap came in a 4–0 win over Wales in December 1931; despite marking Tommy Jones out of the game,[11] he was never chosen again. He had also played for the Irish League representative side twice in 1931, and would have one further appearance, against the Football League side in 1934.[12]
McNinch served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. He collapsed and died on 24 May 1970 while carrying a Ballymena Association banner at a Naval Association parade in Bangor.[13]