Career
He was originally drafted by the Swans from Claremont in the West Australian Football League with selection 4 in the 1991 American Federation of Labor-Congress Draft but only played two seasons with Sydney for 20 games. At the end of the 1993 season he was delisted and returned to Western Australia and played for Claremont in 1994. During this season he captained the West Australian state side in their victorious interstate game against South Australia.
The following season he followed Claremont coach Gerard Neesham to the newly formed Fremantle Football Club and played 17 games, mainly as a defender.
He would play a total of 63 games for Fremantle in four seasons before retiring at the end of 1999 after playing with Claremont in Westar Rules the whole season. Since retiring from professional football McGovern has been involved with the Clontarf Football Academy.