11 Facts about John Mooney - The Irish Ironman

Ireland all-rounder John Mooney is widely considered as the Ironman of Irish cricket. A genuine all-rounder, Mooney has been an important part of the Irish squad since his debut in 2001. Despite losing form in between, Mooney not only helped the Irish secure qualification but also helped them progress in World Cups. He is viewed as a limited overs specialist and a genuine all-rounder. Here are some interesting facts about John Mooney.

1. Birth:

John Francis Mooney was born on the 10^th of February 1982 in Dublin.

2. ODI debut:

Mooney made his ODI debut for Ireland against England at Stormont on the 13^th of June 2006. This also happened to be the inaugural ODI for Ireland cricket. Mooney performed well with the ball as he picked up the priceless wickets of Marcus Trescothick, Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell. He picked up his first and only Man of the Match award against Zimbabwe at Harare n 2010, he scored 55 and picked up 2 wickets in an Irish win.

3. Ireland A captaincy:

John Mooney was handed the captaincy of the Ireland A side in the 2008 intercontinental cup. He was also quote saying, “I just want to play games of cricket for Ireland. That’s why when I got the chance to captain the A squad, that I jumped at it. We’ve got a good mix of youth and experience, and hopefully, I can nurture the youngsters in the line-up.”

4. All the whisky in Ireland:

Following a successful 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup, it was reported that the returning Irish players were given a heroes homecoming. Myth also has it that ‘All the Whisky in Ireland’ was stocked for the reception of the players. John Mooney was an integral part of the 2011 World Cup campaign.

5. 2007 Cricket World Cup:

As a team, Ireland became one of the few associate members to secure qualification to the Knock-out phase of the 2007 Cricket World Cup. Mooney was part of the 15-man squad that beat Pakistan and secured a tie against Zimbabwe.

6. Mooney hits winning runs against England in 2011 World Cup:

Ireland’s biggest achievement in World Cricket came in the 2011 World Cup in India. Playing European rivals England, the Irish scored a shock 3 wicket win. In spite of a whirlwind 113 from Kevin O’Brien, Mooney exhibited his prowess as a finisher when he smashed a boundary off James Anderson to finish off the match.

7. World Cup 2015 controversy:

Controversy hit John Mooney in the 2015 World Cup where the Irish clinched a humdinger against Zimbabwe. Mooney dismissed Sean Williams, who was on 96 with a catch on the boundary. However, replays suggested that Mooney’s trailing leg might have touched the boundary. The incident was reviewed and Williams was eventually adjudged out.  He was heavily criticized by members of the Zimbabwean media.Mooney’s battle with Alcoholism

8. Battle with alcoholism:

John Mooney has battled with alcoholism and has been sober for the past few years. It has also been reported that Mooney survived a suicide attempt.

9. ‘I hope it was slow and painful’:

Following the death of former England Prime Minister Margret Thatcher, Mooney tweeted that ‘I hope it was slow and painful.’ He was banned for three international matches following the tweet.

10. Standout player in World T20 2009:

John Mooney’s performance in the World T20 in 2009 in England was commended by one and all. His performances were so good that Ireland coach Phil Simmons identified Mooney as the stand-out player in the tournament for the Irish.

11. Club cricket in Perth:

In order to get back to full fitness and good form, Mooney went off to play club cricket in Perth. “I’m heading off to the winter to play club cricket in Australia in Perth. I want to try and get selected for the Intercontinental Cup team as well, and feel this is the best way of getting experience in the longer format of the game. They play a format where you play 92 overs one week, and the other side bats the following week. It’ll be a good chance to bat for a longer time and improve my game.”