About Owen McNally
Lived 1906 – 1973 (aged 66–67). Owen McNally was an association football player.
Owen McNally (20 June 1906 – 1973) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a forward. He began his senior career with Celtic but his first team opportunities were restricted by Jimmy McGrory. After loans spells with Arthurlie and Hamilton Academical, he left the club and embarked on a nomadic playing career that included spells in Ireland, Switzerland and the English Football League.
Career After playing for junior side Denny Hibernian, McNally joined Celtic and made his professional debut on 9 April 1927 in a 3–3 draw with Dundee United. At the start of the following season, he was loaned to Scottish Second Division side Arthurlie. On 1 October 1927, he scored eight goals in a single match during a 10–0 victory over Armadale, the joint record for the most goals scored by a single player in a Scottish Football League match. After a prolific season with Arthurlie, he returned to Celtic for the 1927–28 season. He scored his first goal for the club against Hamilton Academical but made only two appearances during the season as he struggled to displace Jimmy McGrory from the first team. he decided to move on, signing for Irish side Bray Unknowns.
In 1931, he signed for Cardiff City; however, after playing in five consecutive matches without scoring at the start of the 1930–31 season, he was replaced by Albert Keating. He made one further appearance before returning to Bray Unknowns soon after. He eventually lost his place in the side to Jack Bowers and left to join French side Calais before finishing his career with Shamrock Rovers.
Honours Shamrock Rovers League of Ireland winner: 1939–40
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Important facts
People in Owen McNally's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Owen McNally's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Owen McNally?
association football player (1906-1973)
When was Owen McNally born?
Owen McNally was born on 20 June 1906 in Denny.
When did Owen McNally die?
Owen McNally died in 1973 in Denny, Falkirk.
What was Owen McNally's occupation?
Owen McNally was an association football player.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Owen McNally. https://biography.guide/owen-mcnally/
MLA: "Owen McNally." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/owen-mcnally/.
Chicago: "Owen McNally." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/owen-mcnally/.
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