Grant (centre) playing for Arsenal in October 2006
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Personal information | |||
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Full name | Ciara Mary Grant | ||
Date of birth | 17 May 1978 | ||
Place of birth | Waterford, Ireland | ||
Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
Playing position | Midfielder | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
19xx–19xx | Benfica | ||
19xx–1998 | St Patrick's Athletic Ladies | ||
1998–2014 | Arsenal | ||
2014 | Reading | 0 | (0) |
National team‡ | |||
1995–2012 | Republic of Ireland | 105 | (11) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20 February 2013 |
Ciara Mary Grant (born 17 May 1978) is an Irish former international football midfielder from Waterford. She played club football for Arsenal L.F.C. and internationally for the Republic of Ireland women's national football team.
Grant began her career with Benfica. After a spell with St Patrick's Athletic, she joined Arsenal Ladies in August 1998. She was employed as a development officer by the English club.
In her first season Grant scored an equaliser against Everton as Arsenal won the Premier League Cup final 3–1. Arsenal also won the 1999 FA Women's Cup, but finished second to Croydon in the League. In the following campaign Arsenal and Grant retained the Premier League Cup, but lost in the FA Women's Cup semi-final and came third in the League. In 2000–01 Arsenal completed a domestic treble, with Grant providing an assist for the decisive goal in the FA Women's Cup final win over Fulham.
That achievement was eclipsed in 2007, as Arsenal added the UEFA Women's Cup to their trophy haul, completing an unprecedented quadruple. Grant remained an important part of the team, but had been converted from a midfielder to a central defender. After moving to Reading in 2014, Grant announced her retirement in April 2015.
Grant has reached a century of caps for Ireland and, since 2000, has captained the national side. She made her debut as a teenager, in a 3–1 win over the Faroe Islands at Richmond Park.