# Maxie McCann

James "Maxie" McCann (4 March 1934 – 16 November 2017) was an Irish soccer player from Dublin.
McCann joined Shamrock Rovers in 1954 and made his debut on 10 April in a 2–0 win against Bohemians at Dalymount Park having signed the previous week. He scored a hat-trick in his second senior game.
He played for Shamrock Rovers as a winger. He played in European competition for the Milltown club, scoring in a 3–2 defeat for Rovers against Manchester United in a 1957 European Cup preliminary round tie at Old Trafford.
This goal was the first ever scored in European competition by a player representing an Irish club. In total he made two appearances for Rovers in Europe and scored 46 League and 7 FAI Cup goals during his time at Glenmalure Park. He also represented the League of Ireland XI four times scoring three goals.
He won his one and only senior cap for the Republic of Ireland national football team on 25 November 1956, scoring the third goal in a 3–0 win over world champions Germany at Dalymount Park. He won two Republic of Ireland B national football team caps in 1958 scoring the winner in Iceland on his debut.
He shared his benefit with Tommy Hamilton against Sunderland at Dalymount Park on 30 April 1962.
His son Ray played for Bohemian F.C. in the 1980s. Of his other sons, Shay had a long career playing in the Athletic Union League, David (Maxie) played his schoolboy football at Belvo, part of the first Belvo team to win an A league in the D.D.S.L, then went on to Leinster Senior and League of Ireland and youngest son Paul played for Sheriff Y.C. His grandson Alan McCann played for St Patrick's Athletic F.C. before moving into coaching where he is now at Reading United AC in the US.
In February 2008, McCann, and Liam Hennessy were invited to the Munich commemoration at Manchester United.
McCann died in Dublin on 16 November 2017, at the age of 83.

## Sources

* The Hoops by Paul Doolan and Robert Goggins (ISBN 0-7171-2121-6)
* Shamrock Rovers programme 29 August 2008

## Footnotes

* ↑ Murphy, W.P. (11 April 1954). "Lackadaisical Bohs Lose To Rovers". Sunday Independent. Retrieved 9 May 2017 – via Irish Newspaper Archive.(subscription required)
* ↑ "Junior Player Goes to Rovers". Irish Press. 6 April 1954 – via Irish Newspaper Archive.
* ↑ "Dublin Side's Resounding Win Over Waterford". Irish Examiner. 14 April 1954. Retrieved 9 May 2017 – via Irish Newspaper Archive.
* ↑ (subscription required)
* ↑ "European Results 1957 - date". Shamrock Rovers Football Club. Archived from the original on 23 January 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
* ↑ "Ireland's International Players". Football Association of Ireland. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
* ↑ Piondar, Sean (26 November 1956). "Ireland battle to 3-0". Irish Press – via Irish Newspaper Archive.(subscription required)
* ↑ "Irish Team's 3-2 Win Over Iceland". Irish Independent. 13 August 1958. Retrieved 9 May 2017 – via Irish Newspaper Archive.
* ↑ Mathers, Vincent (1 May 1962). "Sunderland Put Up Good Show". Irish Press – via Irish Newspaper Archive.
* ↑ (subscription required)
* ↑ "Reading United's Alan McCann named PDL Coach of the Year". Philadelphia Union. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
* ↑ "Rovers invited to Munich commemoration". RTÉ.ie. 28 January 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
* ↑ "James McCann". EU Football. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
* ↑ "RIP Maxie". RTE News. Retrieved 17 November 2024.