Joe Kearney
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Seosamh Ó Cearnaigh | ||
| Sport | Dual player | ||
| Football Position: | Full-forward | ||
| Hurling Position: | Left corner-forward | ||
| Born |
22 January 1898 Drinagh, County Cork, Ireland | ||
| Died |
14 June 1952 (aged 54) Ballsbridge, Dublin, Ireland | ||
| Occupation | Medical doctor | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
|
St Finbarr's Collegians | |||
| Club titles | |||
| Football | Hurling | ||
| Cork titles | 3 | 1 | |
| Colleges(s) | |||
| Years | College | ||
| University College Cork | |||
| College titles | |||
| Sigerson titles | 2 | ||
| Fitzgibbon titles | 2 | ||
| Inter-county(ies)* | |||
| Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
1920-1928 1921-1928 |
Cork (football) Cork (hurling) |
4 (3-1) 8 (2-0) | |
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Football | Hurling | ||
| Munster Titles | 1 | 1 | |
| All-Ireland Titles | 0 | 1 | |
| *Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 23:57, 6 April 2015. | |||
Joseph Kearney (22 January 1898 – 14 June 1952) was an Irish hurler and Gaelic footballer who played as a forward for the Cork senior teams.
Kearney first arrived on the inter-county scene when he first linked up with the Cork senior football team. He made his senior debut during the 1920 championship. Kearney later became a regular member of the hurling team as well, and won one All-Ireland medal and one Munster medal in hurling, while he also won one Munster medal as a footballer.
At club level Kearney was a three-time championship medallist with Collegians. He also won a championship medal with St Finbarr's.
Throughout his career Kearney made a combined total of 12 championship appearances. He retired from inter-county hurling following the conclusion of the 1928 championships.
Playing career
[edit]University
[edit]During his medical studies at University College Cork, Kearney was an automatic inclusion for the Collegians hurling and football teams. In 1922 he was at left corner-forward as UCC faced arch rivals University College Dublin in the inter-varsities hurling decider. Goals proved decisive as Cork powered to a 6-1 to 3-2 victory, with Kearney collecting a first Fitzgibbon Cup medal.
Three years later UCC pulled off a remarkable double with Kearney playing a key role as a dual player. A 7-1 to 2-2 trouncing of University College Dublin secured a second Fitzgibbon Cup medal. Later that year Kearney won a first Sigerson Cup medal as Cork defeated University College Galway by 1-2 to 0-2.
UCC retained their football title in 1926, with Kearney collecting a second Sigerson Cup medal following a 4-3 to 0-2 defeat of University College Dublin.
Club
[edit]Kearney first experienced success in the club championship as a member of the University College Cork senior football team. In 1920 he won his first championship medal as UCC defeated three-in-a-row hopefuls Cobh by 5-4 to 0-1.
In 1926 Kearney was lining out with St Finbarr's, who qualified for the final of the hurling championship. Blackrock were the opponents; however, a narrow 6-2 to 5-4 victory gave him a championship medal in that code.[1]
The following year Kearney had further success with the UCC footballers. A 3-3 to 1-0 defeat of Macroom gave him a second championship medal.
University College Cork retained their title in 1928. A 1-6 to 0-2 defeat of Duhallow United gave Kearney a third and final championship medal.
Inter-county
[edit]Kearney first played for Cork as a member of the senior football team. He made championship debut on 20 June 1920 in a 2-6 to 0-4 Munster semi-final defeat by Kerry.
On 28 May 1922 Kearney made his first championship appearance with the Cork senior hurling team. His side faced a 5-2 to 1-2 defeat by Limerick in what was the delayed Munster final from the previous year.
Kearney was a regular member of the senior hurling team by 1926. He won a Munster medal following a three-game saga with Tipperary, culminating in a 3-6 to 2-4 victory for Cork.[2] On 24 October 1926 he lined out in his first senior All-Ireland decider, as Cork faced Kilkenny for the first time since 1912. At a snow-covered Croke Park, the first half was even enough with Cork holding an interval lead of one point, however, Kilkenny slumped in the second half, going down to a 4-6 to 2-0 defeat. The victory gave Kearney an All-Ireland medal.
Two years later in 1928 Kearney was at full-forward on the Cork football team that faced Tipperary in the provincial decider. A hat-trick of goals from Kearney secured a 4-3 to 0-4 victory and a Munster medal. He had earlier claimed a second Munster hurling medal as a non-playing substitute following a 6-4 to 2-2 defeat of Clare in a replay. On 9 September 1928 Cork faced Galway in the All-Ireland decider. The Westerners, who got a bye into the final without lifting a hurley, were no match as a rout ensued. Cork triumphed by 6-12 to 1-0 with Kearney collecting a second All-Ireland medal as a substitute.
Honours
[edit]Player
[edit]- University College Cork
- Cork Senior Football Championship (3): 1920, 1927, 1928
- Sigerson Cup (2): 1925, 1926
- Fitzgibbon Cup (2): 1922, 1925
- St Finbarr's
- Cork Senior Hurling Championship (1): 1926
- Cork
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship (2): 1926, 1928 (sub)
- Munster Senior Hurling Championship (2): 1926, 1928 (sub)
- Munster Senior Football Championship (1): 1928
References
[edit]- ^ "The Barrs – A History". St. Finbarr's GAA. Archived from the original on 5 July 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
- ^ O'Grady, Donal (15 August 2014). "Cork v Tipp: A game which touches the parts others just can't reach". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
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