Gerald McCarthy
Encyclopedia
Gerald McCarthy is a retired Irish
hurling
manager
and former player. He played hurling with his local club St. Finbarr's
and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1965 until 1979. McCarthy captained Cork to the All-Ireland
title in 1966 and is regarded as one of Cork's greatest-ever players. He managed the Cork senior inter-county team from 2006 until 2009.
In a senior inter-county career that lasted for fourteen years McCarthy won five All-Ireland titles, nine Munster
titles, three National Hurling League
titles and five Railway Cup titles with Munster
. In 2000 he was chosen to partner Jack Lynch
at midfield on the Cork Hurling Team of the Century.
There were three striking aspects to McCarthy’s hurling. Firstly he almost never ran with the ball but believed in rapid delivery. The second was that he was very poor on his left-hand side and was quite adept at being able to manoeuvre onto his right. The third was his party trick which he did at will. McCarthy would catch a flying ball on his hurley, without touching it with his hand, and rapidly hit it.
As a manager McCarthy has had some moderate success. He took charge of Waterford
between 1997 and 2001 and succeeded in getting the team to both Munster final appearance and All-Ireland semi-final appearances. McCarthy, however, failed to make the big breakthrough with the Déise. In 2006 he took charge of Cork, however, his tenure was dogged by the suspension of key players, strike action by the panel of players and other unrest.
in 1945. He was educated locally and quickly showed a natural talent for hurling
. McCarthy has lived and worked in Cork all his life. He is a trophy-maker by trade. On 27 June 2006 McCarthy was named as having availed of the Bogus Non-Resident Account Amnesty set up by the Irish Revenue
. The settlement amounted to €420,000.
club on the south side of Cork city, a club where he enjoyed much success. In 1964 he was one of the younger members of the team as St. Finbarr's made it all the way to the final of the senior county championship. On that occasion they lost out to Glen Rovers
in what was to be Christy Ring
's last appearance in a county championship decider.
McCarthy didn't have to wait long for his first county championship medal. The ‘Barr’s’ were back in the final in 1965. A defeat of UCC
saw McCarthy collecting his first senior county title
. After this game St. Finbarr’s represented Cork in the struggling provincial club championship. A 3-12 to 2-3 trouncing of Waterford’s Mount Sion saw McCarthy winning a Munster
club title.
Three years after this in 1968 McCarthy added a second county championship medal to his collection following a defeat of east Cork divisional side Imokilly
.
After an absence of six years St. Finbarr’s were back at the top of the local hurling world again in 1974 following a defeat of Blackrock
. It was McCarthy’s third county championship title. Once again the ‘Barr’s’ were the Cork representatives in the provincial club championship and reached the final. Newmarket-on-Fergus were the opponents on that occasion; however, the game was a poor one. A 0-7 to 0-3 victory gave McCarthy his second Munster club title. The subsequent All-Ireland club final on St. Patrick’s weekend saw St. Finbarr’s take on the Fenian of Kilkenny. St. Finbarr’s ability to get goals at crucial times proved to be the difference in the 3-8 to 1-6 victory. It was McCarthy’s first All-Ireland
club title.
In 1977 McCarthy collected his fourth and final county championship title following a victory over north side rivals and reigning champions Glen Rovers. Once again St. Finbarr’s reached the Munster club final where Clare champions Sixmilebridge
provided the opposition. An interesting game developed, however, the ‘Barr’s’ were the easy winners by 2-8 to 0-6. It was McCarthy’s third Munster club medal. He later lined out in the subsequent All-Ireland club final. Rathnure
, the Wexford and Leinster champs, were the opponents. The first-half was a disaster for St. Finbarr’s as a gale-force wind resulted in the Cork side trailing by 0-8 to 0-1. The second thirty minutes saw the ‘Barr’s’ take control with Jimmy Barry-Murphy
scoring the deciding goal. A 2-7 to 0-9 victory gave McCarthy a second All-Ireland club medal.
In 1966 McCarthy was appointed captain of the Cork under-21 team and enjoyed much success. Cork reached the provincial decider that year; however, McCarthy didn’t start the game. He did come on as a substitute and helped Cork to a huge 5-12 to 2-6 victory over Limerick
. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork play Wexford
in an interesting encounter. After an entertaining sixty minutes of hurling both sides finished level with Cork scoring 3-12 to Wexford’s 5-6. The replay took place shortly afterwards, however, both sides finished all square again with 4-9 apiece. A second replay had to be played to eventually find a winner. At the third time of asking Cork emerged victorious with a huge tally of 9-9 to 5-9. This victory gave Cork their first All-Ireland title in this grade and gave McCarthy a coveted All-Ireland
under-21 medal while also the honour of collecting the cup.
of 1964 before lining out in the championship for the first time in 1965. The decade after the 1956 All-Ireland final appearance was a bleak period for Cork’s senior hurling team; however, in 1966 McCarthy took over the captaincy from Peter Doolan
as Cork hurling returned to the big time. That year Cork avoided Tipperary
, their old tormentors in the provincial championship, and qualified for a Munster showdown with Waterford
. An entertaining hour of hurling followed, however, victory went to Cork for the first time in ten years. It was McCarthy’s first senior Munster
medal. This victory allowed Cork to advance directly to the All-Ireland final where arch-rivals Kilkenny
provided the opposition. It was the first meeting of these two great sides since 1947 and ‘the Cats’ were installed as the firm favourites. In spite of this two goals by Colm Sheehan
and a third from John O'Halloran
gave Cork a merited 3-9 to 1-10 victory over an Eddie Keher
inspired Kilkenny. It was McCarthy’s first senior All-Ireland
medal while he also had the honour of collecting the Liam McCarthy Cup
.
Tipperary emerged as the Munster champions in both 1967 and 1968, however, Cork were back in 1969. That year McCarthy tasted success early in the year when Cork defeated Wexford by 3-12 to 1-14 to take the National Hurling League title. This victory gave Cork a huge boost going into the Munster campaign where the team qualified to meet Tipperary in the final. Cork were out to avenge the nine-point defeat administered by the same side in 1968 while Tipp were out to capture a third provincial title in-a-row. The game was a major triumph for Cork as ‘the Rebels’ won by 4-6 to 0-9. It was a victory that made up for all the beatings that Tipp had dished out to Cork in the early part of the decade and it gave McCarthy a second Munster winners’ medal. Once again this victory paved the way for an All-Ireland showdown with Kilkenny. The game was there for the taking for Cork, particularly after Kilkenny forward Pat Delaney
left the field on a stretcher. ‘The Rebels’ led ‘the Cats’ coming into the last quarter, however, Kilkenny scored five unanswered points in the last seven minutes to win by 2-15 to 2-9.
In 1970 Cork were still regarded as one of the best teams in the country and expectations were high. At the start of the year Cork defeated New York
with an aggregate score of 5-21 to 6-16 to take the National League title. It was McCarthy’s second winners’ medal in the competition. For the third year in-a-row Cork qualified for the Munster final where Tipperary provided the opposition. It was the first eighty minute final in the history of the provincial championship and a close affair developed. At the final whistle Cork were the victors by 3-10 to 3-8 and McCarthy captured his third Munster title. Cork later qualified for the All-Ireland final where Wexford were the opponents. That game broke all records with a huge 64-point score line. Cork's Eddie O'Brien
scored a hat-trick of goals to help his team to a 6-21 to 5-10 victory. It was McCarthy’s second All-Ireland medal.
Defeat was Cork’s lot in 1971, however, the team bounced back in 1972. After missing Cork’s National League victory over Limerick McCarthy later lined out against Clare
in the Munster final. An absolute rout took place on that occasion as Cork recorded a huge 6-18 to 2-8 victory over the ‘banner’ men. It was McCarthy’s fourth Munster winners’ medal. Another comprehensive victory over surprise package London
in the All-Ireland semi-final allowed Cork to advance to the championship decider where, once again, Kilkenny provided the opposition. The game itself is regarded as one of the classic games of the modern era. With time running out Cork were cruising to victory and led ‘the Cats’ by eight points. A Kilkenny fight-back, however, saw the team draw level with Cork and score seven further points without reply to capture a 3-24 to 5-11 victory. It was a huge blow to a Cork team that seemed destined for victory.
Cork lost their provincial crown in to Limerick in 1973, however, in 1974 the team bounced back with McCarthy capturing a third National League medal. It was 1975 before Cork contested their next provincial decider, the first one to last for seventy minutes. A 3-14 to 0-12 victory gave McCarthy a fifth Munster title. Cork looked set for another All-Ireland appearance; however, Galway
had other ideas in the semi-final. A 4-15 to 2-19 score line gave Galway their first-ever championship win over Cork.
1976 saw Cork retain their Munster title with another huge 4-14 to 3-5 win over neighbouring Limerick. It was McCarthy’s sixth Munster winner’s medal. This victory allowed Cork to advance directly to the All-Ireland final where Wexford provided the opposition. Both sides had high expectations. Cork got off to the worst possible start in an All-Ireland final and trailed by 2-2 after six minutes. McCarthy’s side battled back, however, the game hung in the balance for much of the seventy. With ten minutes left Wexford were two points to the good, however, three points by Jimmy Barry-Murphy, two by Pat Moylan
and a kicked effort from captain Ray Cummins
gave Cork a 2-21 to 4-11 victory. It was McCarthy’s third All-Ireland title.
In 1977 Cork reached their third consecutive Munster decider with Clare as the opposition. ‘The Rebels’ got off to a great start with a Tim Crowley
penalty after just seventy-five seconds. Clare fought back, however, Cork still defeated fourteen-man Clare by 4-15 to 4-10. A subsequent defeat of Galway set up a second consecutive All-Ireland final showdown with Wexford. Like the previous year the game turned into a close, exciting affair. A Seánie O'Leary
goal, together with some brilliant saves by goalkeeper Martin Coleman
helped Cork to a 1-17 to 3-8 victory. The victory also resulted in a fourth All-Ireland winners’ medal for McCarthy.
1978 saw Cork dominate the provincial championship once again. Clare provided the opposition in second consecutive Munster showdown between the two sides. The game was a close affair and one which Cork could have lost. At the full-time whistle Cork still had a narrow 0-13 to 0-11 win to give McCarthy an eighth Munster title. This victory paved the way for Cork to take on Kilkenny in the subsequent All-Ireland final. The stakes were high as Cork were attempting to capture a first three in-a-row since 1954. The game, however, was not the classic that many expected. Cork were never really troubled over the course of the seventy minutes and a Jimmy Barry-Murphy goal helped the team to a 1-15 to 2-8 victory over their age-old rivals. This victory gave Cork a third All-Ireland title in succession and gave McCarthy a fifth All-Ireland medal.
In 1979 Cork were invincible in the provincial championship once again. A 2-15 to 0-9 trouncing of Limerick gave the county a record-equaling fifth consecutive Munster title. On a personal level it was McCarthy’s ninth Munster winners’ medal. After this game it looked likely that Cork were set for a fourth consecutive appearance in the All-Ireland final and the chance to equal the seemingly unbeatable record of four championships in-a-row. The All-Ireland semi-final saw Galway catch Cork on the hop once again. A 2-14 to 1-13 defeat ended the dream of four in-a-row. This defeat also brought the curtain down on McCarthy’s hurling career as he retired from inter-county activity soon afterwards.
in the inter-provincial hurling competition and enjoyed much success. He first lined out for his province in 1968 as Munster defeated arch-rivals Leinster
to collect his first Railway Cup medal. It was the first of three Railway Cup victories in-a-row as Connacht
fell in 1969 and Leinster were defeated again in 1970 when McCarthy was captain of the side. Munster suffered five consecutive years without success between 1971 and 1975, however, McCarthy won a fourth Railway Cup title in 1976. A defeat of Connacht in 1978 gave McCarthy his fifth and final Railway Cup winners’ medal.
club, a side with which he would have much success. In his very first year in charge he brought the team a coveted county championship title following a victory over south side rivals Glen Rovers. The ‘Barr’s’ later won the Munster club title following a one-point victory over Tipp champions Roscrea
. McCarthy’s side were defeated by a Ballyhale Shamrocks
side featuring seven Fennelly brothers in the All-Ireland club final.
McCarthy went on to guide St. Finbarr’s to a famous three in-a-row of county championship titles with victories over Glen Rovers again in 1981 and Blackrock in 1982. St. Finbarr’s almost made it a four in-a-row; however, Midleton
defeated McCarthy’s side in the county final of 1983. In 1984 McCarthy guided his club to a sixth consecutive county championship final. Surprise package Ballyhea
provided the opposition on that occasion; however, victory went to St. Finbarr’s. It was the club’s fourth county title in six years. McCarthy remained as coach until 1986.
Twenty years later in 2006 McCarthy was back coaching at St. Finbarr's, however, this time it was the club’s senior camogie
side. Success was immediate as the club captured the senior county championship title.
in the final by 5-31 to 3-6. This victory allowed Cork to advance to the All-Ireland final where they were firm favourites to take the title. The game did not go Cork’s way as two goals by Kilkenny’s Christy Heffernan
in a forty-second spell was followed by a third goal by Ger Fennelly
. At the full-time whistle the final score was 3-18 to 1-15. McCarthy quit from the management team after this defeat in protest over his lack of input into the team selection.
In 1990 McCarthy returned to the Cork senior hurling team as assistant coach and trainer with Fr. Michael O'Brien
. At the time Cork’s hurlers were playing second fiddle to Tipperary in the provincial championship. Both Tipp and McCarthy’s side reached the Munster decider that year, however, Cork’s chances were dismissed by Tipperary manager Michael ‘Babs’ Keating
. His statement that ‘donkeys don’t win derbies’ severely riled the Cork team, so much so that they won the Munster final convincingly by 4-16 to 2-14. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork installed as underdogs against Galway. In one of the most open and exciting finals of the decade Cork steamrolled back from a seven-point deficit at half-time to win by 51-5 to 2-21.
After losing their provincial and All-Ireland titles in 1991 McCarthy’s side were back in the Munster final. Limerick were the opponents on that occasion, however, Cork won by 1-22 to 3-11. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork take on Kilkenny for the first time in almost a decade. Neither side could claim to be favourites going into the game, however, goals by D.J. Carey, John Power
and Michael Phelan
gave Kilkenny a 3-10 to 1-12 victory.
In 1993 Cork started well under McCarthy by winning the National Hurling League
following a three-game saga with Wexford. Cork were later defeated in the early stages of the Munster championship. With that defeat the Cork backroom team resigned and it was widely expected that McCarthy would be appointed full manager of the side. An obscure rule regarding the make-up of the selection committee resulted in McCarthy being disallowed from taking the post with Johnny Clifford
becoming manager instead.
of the Waterford
senior hurlers on November 16, 1996. At the time Waterford were not a major force in the hurling world, however, other hurling ‘minnows’ such as Offaly, Clare and Wexford had won All-Ireland titles in the mid-1990s. McCarthy’s appointment as manager was a signal of intent. He was initially appointed for a three year term and had a simple plan. In year one the team would target a good campaign in the National Hurling League. McCarthy’s plan for his second year in charge included provincial success while an All-Ireland title would be claimed in the third year. This was an ambitious plan for a county that hadn't had any sort of inter-county success since 1963.
In his first year in charge McCarthy introduced a new regime immediately. He cut players that weren’t pulling their weight and the training regime became harder than ever before. In the end McCarthy’s plans proved too ambitious. Waterford lost at home to Dublin
and failed to win promotion from Division Two of the National League. In their opening game of the championship a Limerick team in decline beat them by six points and Waterford’s campaign ended unceremoniously.
In his second year in charge McCarthy and his backroom team upped the ante. Training became more difficult, with early morning sessions becoming the norm, while players were each given their own personal nutrition plan, something of a novelty at the time. McCarthy’s side made significant progress in the National League and even reached the final. A 2-14 to 0-13 defeat by Cork was their lot in that game. The provincial championship saw McCarthy’s side defeat Tipperary for the first time in fifteen years and reach the Munster final for the first time in almost a decade. History weighed even more heavily against the team as Waterford hadn't won a provincial title for thirty-five years. That game between Clare and Waterford surprisingly ended in a draw, however, a last-gasp Paul Flynn
free which could have won the game went wide. Clare remained favourites to win on the second occasion; however, the replay was a tense affair. The match was played in exceedingly bad spirit as Clare’s Brian Lohan
and Waterford’s Michael White were both shown red cards after a melee. A dirty game drew to its natural conclusion as Clare were the eventual winners. Waterford, however, still had a second chance for the All-Ireland title due to the ‘back-door’ system. A ten-point defeat of Galway in the All-Ireland quarter-final set up an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Kilkenny. Waterford, however, followed a great performance with a mediocre one and, in a game which was there for the taking, allowed ‘the Cats’ to win by just a single point on a score line of 1-11 to 1-10.
1999 saw Waterford open their championship campaign with a fine victory over Limerick. The subsequent Munster semi-final saw McCarthy's men take on his own native-county of Cork. Few people gave Cork a chance against the beaten All-Ireland semi-finalists of 1998, however, a six-point victory for 'the Rebel's ended Waterford's involvement in the championship for another year. By this stage the rot was setting in as player discipline was breaking down with regard to training and diet. At the end of the year former Tipperary player Colm Bonnar
was introduced as the new trainer, however, he faced similar problems to his predecessor.
In 2000 championship hurling began and ended on the same day as far as Waterford was concerned. In the Munster quarter-final Tipperary unceremoniously dumped McCarthy’s side out of the competition.
In 2001 success with Waterford seemed as far away as ever for McCarthy as the promise of earlier seasons had all but disappeared. In the Munster semi-final his side surrendered an eleven-point lead to Limerick and lost by three. This defeat brought the curtain down on McCarthy's tenure as manager of the team.
, a selector under previous manager John Allen
and the favourite for the job, was not even approached about the vacant post.
McCarthy's new look Cork side got off to a good start when they reached the semi-final stages of the National Hurling League. Their opponents that day, who also went on to win the game, were McCarthy's old Waterford team. Clare provided the opposition in Cork's opening game in the Munster championship, however, controversy reigned on the day. Both teams emerged from the tunnel at the same time, something unusual for a hurling match. A huge melee erupted under the stand as players from both teams became involved. Cork won that game, however, Seán Óg Ó hAilpín
, Diarmuid O'Sullivan
and Dónal Óg Cusack
were suspended for the subsequent Munster semi-final against Waterford. In spite of losing three of their most influential players McCarthy's side put the Waterford team to the pin of their collar. In a thrilling game the Decies emerged victorious by a single score. Cork later reached the All-Ireland quarter-final via the qualifier system where Waterford provided the opposition. In the dying minutes of the game it looked as if Cork would triumph over their great rivals, however, a controversial free was awarded to Waterford and the game ended in a draw. The replay took place the following week, however, this time Waterford made no mistake and ended Cork's championship run. It was the first time since 2002 that Cork had ended a championship campaign without any silverware.
as manager of the Cork senior football team in October 2007 saw the players withdraw their services. The players from the county's senior hurling team withdrew their services in sympathy. The strike continued until February 2008, which resulted in McCarthy's side withdrawing from the Waterford Crystal Cup
as well as postponing their opening National Hurling League games against Kilkenny and Waterford. Cork were later forced to forfeit their league points after failing to fulfill these fixtures. Cork's first outing in the championship was a meeting with Tipperary. On that occasion Tipp defeated their age-old rivals at home in Páirc Uí Chaoimh
, ending a hoodoo that had lasted since 1923. This defeat resulted in Cork having a second chance in the All-Ireland qualifiers. An unconvincing victory over Dublin
set up a meeting with Galway, a team tipped for All-Ireland success. The first-half was a scrappy affair with goalkeeper Donal Óg Cusack being sent off. The second-half saw Cork provide their best display of the championship with Joe Deane
and Ben O'Connor
spear-heading the Cork attack. McCarthy's side won the game by 0-23 to 2-15 setting up an All-Ireland quarter-final with Clare. Once again Cork gave a poor first-half display. The second-half was a different story with Cork taking charge once again and securing a 2-19 to 2-17 victory. This win allowed Cork to advance to the All-Ireland semi-final where Kilkenny provided the opposition. It was the first time that these two teams met in the championship outside of an All-Ireland final. The game was an intriguing encounter; however, ‘the Cats’ won the day by 1-23 to 0-17. Following this defeat McCarthy's two-year contract came to an end. He was later re-appointed for a further two-year term by the Cork County Board, in spite of the majority of the players not wanting him to stay on. The players on the 2008 panel led by Donal Og Cusack then refused to play or train under McCarthy. (see 2008-2009 Cork players strike). McCarthy accordingly began the 2009 NHL with a new squad none of whom had been able to make the previous year's panel.
On March 10, 2009, McCarthy eventually resigned after 4 months of severe pressure, having allegedly received death threats.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
manager
Manager (Gaelic games)
In Gaelic games, a manager or coach is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of a team. Managing, or coaching, entails the application of sport tactics and strategies during the game itself, and usually entails substitution of players and other such...
and former player. He played hurling with his local club St. Finbarr's
St. Finbarr's GAA
St. Finbarr's National Hurling and Football Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Togher area of Cork city, County Cork, Ireland....
and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1965 until 1979. McCarthy captained Cork to the All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
title in 1966 and is regarded as one of Cork's greatest-ever players. He managed the Cork senior inter-county team from 2006 until 2009.
In a senior inter-county career that lasted for fourteen years McCarthy won five All-Ireland titles, nine Munster
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
titles, three National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
titles and five Railway Cup titles with Munster
Munster GAA
The Munster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Munster.-Constituent counties:*Cork*Clare*Kerry*Limerick*Tipperary*Waterford-Honours:...
. In 2000 he was chosen to partner Jack Lynch
Jack Lynch
John Mary "Jack" Lynch was the Taoiseach of Ireland, serving two terms in office; from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979....
at midfield on the Cork Hurling Team of the Century.
There were three striking aspects to McCarthy’s hurling. Firstly he almost never ran with the ball but believed in rapid delivery. The second was that he was very poor on his left-hand side and was quite adept at being able to manoeuvre onto his right. The third was his party trick which he did at will. McCarthy would catch a flying ball on his hurley, without touching it with his hand, and rapidly hit it.
As a manager McCarthy has had some moderate success. He took charge of Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
between 1997 and 2001 and succeeded in getting the team to both Munster final appearance and All-Ireland semi-final appearances. McCarthy, however, failed to make the big breakthrough with the Déise. In 2006 he took charge of Cork, however, his tenure was dogged by the suspension of key players, strike action by the panel of players and other unrest.
Biography
Gerald McCarthy was born in CorkCork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
in 1945. He was educated locally and quickly showed a natural talent for hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
. McCarthy has lived and worked in Cork all his life. He is a trophy-maker by trade. On 27 June 2006 McCarthy was named as having availed of the Bogus Non-Resident Account Amnesty set up by the Irish Revenue
Taxation in the Republic of Ireland
In the Republic of Ireland there is an income tax, a VAT, and various other taxes. Employees pay pay-as-you-earn taxes based on their income, less certain allowances. The taxation of earnings is progressive, with little or no income tax paid by low earners and a high rate applied to top earners...
. The settlement amounted to €420,000.
Club
McCarthy played his club hurling with the famous St. Finbarr'sSt. Finbarr's GAA
St. Finbarr's National Hurling and Football Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Togher area of Cork city, County Cork, Ireland....
club on the south side of Cork city, a club where he enjoyed much success. In 1964 he was one of the younger members of the team as St. Finbarr's made it all the way to the final of the senior county championship. On that occasion they lost out to Glen Rovers
Glen Rovers GAA
Glen Rovers is a Cork-based Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Ballyvolane and Blackpool areas of Cork city, Ireland. The club was founded in 1916 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling.-Colours:...
in what was to be Christy Ring
Christy Ring
Nicholas Christopher Michael Ring , better known as Christy Ring, was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with the Glen Rovers club from 1941 until 1967 and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1939 until 1963. Ring is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers in...
's last appearance in a county championship decider.
McCarthy didn't have to wait long for his first county championship medal. The ‘Barr’s’ were back in the final in 1965. A defeat of UCC
UCC GAA
UCC is a football and hurling club associated with University College Cork. UCC teams play in the Cork Senior Football Championship and Cork Senior Hurling Championship as well as the two main third-level competitions namely the Sigerson Cup in football and the Fitzgibbon Cup in hurling...
saw McCarthy collecting his first senior county title
Cork Senior Hurling Championship
The Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....
. After this game St. Finbarr’s represented Cork in the struggling provincial club championship. A 3-12 to 2-3 trouncing of Waterford’s Mount Sion saw McCarthy winning a Munster
Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for the top hurling clubs in the province of Munster in Ireland...
club title.
Three years after this in 1968 McCarthy added a second county championship medal to his collection following a defeat of east Cork divisional side Imokilly
Imokilly GAA
Imokilly GAA is a Gaelic football and Hurling division in the east of Cork, Ireland. The division includes towns such as Midleton, Cobh, and Youghal. It is one of eight divisions of Cork County Board. It organizes competitions for the clubs within the division, from Under 12 up to the adult level...
.
After an absence of six years St. Finbarr’s were back at the top of the local hurling world again in 1974 following a defeat of Blackrock
Blackrock GAA
Blackrock National Hurling Club is a G.A.A. club located on the southside of Cork City, Ireland. The club was founded in 1883 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling.-History:...
. It was McCarthy’s third county championship title. Once again the ‘Barr’s’ were the Cork representatives in the provincial club championship and reached the final. Newmarket-on-Fergus were the opponents on that occasion; however, the game was a poor one. A 0-7 to 0-3 victory gave McCarthy his second Munster club title. The subsequent All-Ireland club final on St. Patrick’s weekend saw St. Finbarr’s take on the Fenian of Kilkenny. St. Finbarr’s ability to get goals at crucial times proved to be the difference in the 3-8 to 1-6 victory. It was McCarthy’s first All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...
club title.
In 1977 McCarthy collected his fourth and final county championship title following a victory over north side rivals and reigning champions Glen Rovers. Once again St. Finbarr’s reached the Munster club final where Clare champions Sixmilebridge
Sixmilebridge GAA
Sixmilebridge is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in Sixmilebridge, County Clare, Ireland.-History:Sixmilebridge Hurling Club was founded in 1904. The first recorded matches were at Junior hurling and football level against Newmarket on Fergus with the hurlers winning and the footballers losing...
provided the opposition. An interesting game developed, however, the ‘Barr’s’ were the easy winners by 2-8 to 0-6. It was McCarthy’s third Munster club medal. He later lined out in the subsequent All-Ireland club final. Rathnure
Rathnure GAA
Rathnure St. Anne’s is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Rathnure, County Wexford, Ireland. Rathnure's most famous players are the Rackards and Quigley brothers.-First AGM:...
, the Wexford and Leinster champs, were the opponents. The first-half was a disaster for St. Finbarr’s as a gale-force wind resulted in the Cork side trailing by 0-8 to 0-1. The second thirty minutes saw the ‘Barr’s’ take control with Jimmy Barry-Murphy
Jimmy Barry-Murphy
James "Jimmy" Barry-Murphy is a former Irish hurler, Gaelic footballer and association footballer and is the current manager of the Cork senior hurling team...
scoring the deciding goal. A 2-7 to 0-9 victory gave McCarthy a second All-Ireland club medal.
Minor & under-21
McCarthy first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Cork minor hurling team in the early 1960s. He had little success in this grade but later joined the county under-21 team.In 1966 McCarthy was appointed captain of the Cork under-21 team and enjoyed much success. Cork reached the provincial decider that year; however, McCarthy didn’t start the game. He did come on as a substitute and helped Cork to a huge 5-12 to 2-6 victory over Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork play Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
in an interesting encounter. After an entertaining sixty minutes of hurling both sides finished level with Cork scoring 3-12 to Wexford’s 5-6. The replay took place shortly afterwards, however, both sides finished all square again with 4-9 apiece. A second replay had to be played to eventually find a winner. At the third time of asking Cork emerged victorious with a huge tally of 9-9 to 5-9. This victory gave Cork their first All-Ireland title in this grade and gave McCarthy a coveted All-Ireland
All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of hurling played in Ireland...
under-21 medal while also the honour of collecting the cup.
Senior
By this stage McCarthy was also a well-established member of the Cork senior team. He made his debut in the National Hurling LeagueNational Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
of 1964 before lining out in the championship for the first time in 1965. The decade after the 1956 All-Ireland final appearance was a bleak period for Cork’s senior hurling team; however, in 1966 McCarthy took over the captaincy from Peter Doolan
Peter Doolan
Peter Doolan is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club St. Finbarr's and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1962 until 1968.-Club:...
as Cork hurling returned to the big time. That year Cork avoided Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
, their old tormentors in the provincial championship, and qualified for a Munster showdown with Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
. An entertaining hour of hurling followed, however, victory went to Cork for the first time in ten years. It was McCarthy’s first senior Munster
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
medal. This victory allowed Cork to advance directly to the All-Ireland final where arch-rivals Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
provided the opposition. It was the first meeting of these two great sides since 1947 and ‘the Cats’ were installed as the firm favourites. In spite of this two goals by Colm Sheehan
Colm Sheehan
Colm Sheehan is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Éire Óg and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1965 until 1968.-Club:...
and a third from John O'Halloran
John O'Halloran
John O'Halloran is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local clubs UCC and Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1963 until 1969.-Inter-county:...
gave Cork a merited 3-9 to 1-10 victory over an Eddie Keher
Eddie Keher
Edward Peter Keher , better known as Eddie Keher, is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game....
inspired Kilkenny. It was McCarthy’s first senior All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
medal while he also had the honour of collecting the Liam McCarthy Cup
Liam McCarthy Cup
The MacCarthy Perpetual Challenge Cup is a trophy awarded annually by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the hurling team that wins the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.-The trophy:...
.
Tipperary emerged as the Munster champions in both 1967 and 1968, however, Cork were back in 1969. That year McCarthy tasted success early in the year when Cork defeated Wexford by 3-12 to 1-14 to take the National Hurling League title. This victory gave Cork a huge boost going into the Munster campaign where the team qualified to meet Tipperary in the final. Cork were out to avenge the nine-point defeat administered by the same side in 1968 while Tipp were out to capture a third provincial title in-a-row. The game was a major triumph for Cork as ‘the Rebels’ won by 4-6 to 0-9. It was a victory that made up for all the beatings that Tipp had dished out to Cork in the early part of the decade and it gave McCarthy a second Munster winners’ medal. Once again this victory paved the way for an All-Ireland showdown with Kilkenny. The game was there for the taking for Cork, particularly after Kilkenny forward Pat Delaney
Pat Delaney (Kilkenny hurler)
Pat Delaney is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Fenians and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1969 until 1977.-Club:...
left the field on a stretcher. ‘The Rebels’ led ‘the Cats’ coming into the last quarter, however, Kilkenny scored five unanswered points in the last seven minutes to win by 2-15 to 2-9.
In 1970 Cork were still regarded as one of the best teams in the country and expectations were high. At the start of the year Cork defeated New York
New York GAA
The New York County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or New York GAA, is one of the county boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association outside Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in the New York metropolitan area...
with an aggregate score of 5-21 to 6-16 to take the National League title. It was McCarthy’s second winners’ medal in the competition. For the third year in-a-row Cork qualified for the Munster final where Tipperary provided the opposition. It was the first eighty minute final in the history of the provincial championship and a close affair developed. At the final whistle Cork were the victors by 3-10 to 3-8 and McCarthy captured his third Munster title. Cork later qualified for the All-Ireland final where Wexford were the opponents. That game broke all records with a huge 64-point score line. Cork's Eddie O'Brien
Eddie O'Brien (hurler)
Eddie O'Brien is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Passage and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s.-Biography:...
scored a hat-trick of goals to help his team to a 6-21 to 5-10 victory. It was McCarthy’s second All-Ireland medal.
Defeat was Cork’s lot in 1971, however, the team bounced back in 1972. After missing Cork’s National League victory over Limerick McCarthy later lined out against Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
in the Munster final. An absolute rout took place on that occasion as Cork recorded a huge 6-18 to 2-8 victory over the ‘banner’ men. It was McCarthy’s fourth Munster winners’ medal. Another comprehensive victory over surprise package London
London GAA
The London County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or London GAA is one of the county boards outside Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in London...
in the All-Ireland semi-final allowed Cork to advance to the championship decider where, once again, Kilkenny provided the opposition. The game itself is regarded as one of the classic games of the modern era. With time running out Cork were cruising to victory and led ‘the Cats’ by eight points. A Kilkenny fight-back, however, saw the team draw level with Cork and score seven further points without reply to capture a 3-24 to 5-11 victory. It was a huge blow to a Cork team that seemed destined for victory.
Cork lost their provincial crown in to Limerick in 1973, however, in 1974 the team bounced back with McCarthy capturing a third National League medal. It was 1975 before Cork contested their next provincial decider, the first one to last for seventy minutes. A 3-14 to 0-12 victory gave McCarthy a fifth Munster title. Cork looked set for another All-Ireland appearance; however, Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
had other ideas in the semi-final. A 4-15 to 2-19 score line gave Galway their first-ever championship win over Cork.
1976 saw Cork retain their Munster title with another huge 4-14 to 3-5 win over neighbouring Limerick. It was McCarthy’s sixth Munster winner’s medal. This victory allowed Cork to advance directly to the All-Ireland final where Wexford provided the opposition. Both sides had high expectations. Cork got off to the worst possible start in an All-Ireland final and trailed by 2-2 after six minutes. McCarthy’s side battled back, however, the game hung in the balance for much of the seventy. With ten minutes left Wexford were two points to the good, however, three points by Jimmy Barry-Murphy, two by Pat Moylan
Pat Moylan
Pat Moylan is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician and member of Seanad Éireann.Born in Banagher, County Offaly, where he still lives, he is married with three sons and one daughter....
and a kicked effort from captain Ray Cummins
Ray Cummins
Ray Cummins is a retired Irish sportsperson. A dual player at the highest levels, he played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1969 until 1982. Cummins also played Gaelic football with his local club St...
gave Cork a 2-21 to 4-11 victory. It was McCarthy’s third All-Ireland title.
In 1977 Cork reached their third consecutive Munster decider with Clare as the opposition. ‘The Rebels’ got off to a great start with a Tim Crowley
Tim Crowley
Tim Crowley is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with Newcestown and Cork in the 1970s and 1980s.-Playing career:...
penalty after just seventy-five seconds. Clare fought back, however, Cork still defeated fourteen-man Clare by 4-15 to 4-10. A subsequent defeat of Galway set up a second consecutive All-Ireland final showdown with Wexford. Like the previous year the game turned into a close, exciting affair. A Seánie O'Leary
Seánie O'Leary
Seanie O'Leary is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Youghal and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1971 until 1984.-Early & private life:...
goal, together with some brilliant saves by goalkeeper Martin Coleman
Martin Coleman
Martin Coleman is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Ballinhassig and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1970 until 1979.-Club:...
helped Cork to a 1-17 to 3-8 victory. The victory also resulted in a fourth All-Ireland winners’ medal for McCarthy.
1978 saw Cork dominate the provincial championship once again. Clare provided the opposition in second consecutive Munster showdown between the two sides. The game was a close affair and one which Cork could have lost. At the full-time whistle Cork still had a narrow 0-13 to 0-11 win to give McCarthy an eighth Munster title. This victory paved the way for Cork to take on Kilkenny in the subsequent All-Ireland final. The stakes were high as Cork were attempting to capture a first three in-a-row since 1954. The game, however, was not the classic that many expected. Cork were never really troubled over the course of the seventy minutes and a Jimmy Barry-Murphy goal helped the team to a 1-15 to 2-8 victory over their age-old rivals. This victory gave Cork a third All-Ireland title in succession and gave McCarthy a fifth All-Ireland medal.
In 1979 Cork were invincible in the provincial championship once again. A 2-15 to 0-9 trouncing of Limerick gave the county a record-equaling fifth consecutive Munster title. On a personal level it was McCarthy’s ninth Munster winners’ medal. After this game it looked likely that Cork were set for a fourth consecutive appearance in the All-Ireland final and the chance to equal the seemingly unbeatable record of four championships in-a-row. The All-Ireland semi-final saw Galway catch Cork on the hop once again. A 2-14 to 1-13 defeat ended the dream of four in-a-row. This defeat also brought the curtain down on McCarthy’s hurling career as he retired from inter-county activity soon afterwards.
Provincial
McCarthy also lined out with MunsterMunster GAA
The Munster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Munster.-Constituent counties:*Cork*Clare*Kerry*Limerick*Tipperary*Waterford-Honours:...
in the inter-provincial hurling competition and enjoyed much success. He first lined out for his province in 1968 as Munster defeated arch-rivals Leinster
Leinster GAA
The Leinster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Leinster. The Leinster Council has been partnered with the European County Board to help develop Gaelic Games in Europe...
to collect his first Railway Cup medal. It was the first of three Railway Cup victories in-a-row as Connacht
Connacht GAA
The Connacht Council are a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Connacht.-Constituent counties:*Galway*Leitrim*Mayo*Roscommon*Sligo-Special counties:...
fell in 1969 and Leinster were defeated again in 1970 when McCarthy was captain of the side. Munster suffered five consecutive years without success between 1971 and 1975, however, McCarthy won a fourth Railway Cup title in 1976. A defeat of Connacht in 1978 gave McCarthy his fifth and final Railway Cup winners’ medal.
St. Finbarr’s
Following his retirement as a player McCarthy didn't remain too far away from hurling for long. In 1980, just one year after he retired from playing, he was appointed coach of the senior team at his own St. Finbarr'sSt. Finbarr's GAA
St. Finbarr's National Hurling and Football Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Togher area of Cork city, County Cork, Ireland....
club, a side with which he would have much success. In his very first year in charge he brought the team a coveted county championship title following a victory over south side rivals Glen Rovers. The ‘Barr’s’ later won the Munster club title following a one-point victory over Tipp champions Roscrea
Roscrea GAA
Roscrea GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club is located in the town of Roscrea in North County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland. The club's ground ground shares its name with St. Cronan's BNS in Bray, Co. Wicklow. The club's colours are red and white and they play at Páirc Naomh Cronáin Roscrea...
. McCarthy’s side were defeated by a Ballyhale Shamrocks
Ballyhale Shamrocks GAA
Ballyhale Shamrocks is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Ballyhale in County Kilkenny, Ireland. The club was founded in 1972 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling...
side featuring seven Fennelly brothers in the All-Ireland club final.
McCarthy went on to guide St. Finbarr’s to a famous three in-a-row of county championship titles with victories over Glen Rovers again in 1981 and Blackrock in 1982. St. Finbarr’s almost made it a four in-a-row; however, Midleton
Midleton GAA
Midleton Hurling and Football Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the town of Midleton in County Cork, Ireland.-History:The concept of a Gaelic Athletic Association was first mooted in 1883 when a sub-committee of the Irish Republican Brotherhood was formed with the ideal of...
defeated McCarthy’s side in the county final of 1983. In 1984 McCarthy guided his club to a sixth consecutive county championship final. Surprise package Ballyhea
Ballyhea GAA
Ballyhea GAA is a hurling club in the village of Ballyhea in Cork, Ireland. The club is affiliated to the Avondhu, division of Cork GAA. The club currently competes in the Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship. It does not field Gaelic football teams....
provided the opposition on that occasion; however, victory went to St. Finbarr’s. It was the club’s fourth county title in six years. McCarthy remained as coach until 1986.
Twenty years later in 2006 McCarthy was back coaching at St. Finbarr's, however, this time it was the club’s senior camogie
Camogie
Camogie is an Irish stick-and-ball team sport played by women; it is almost identical to the game of hurling played by men. Camogie is played by 100,000 women in Ireland and world wide, largely among Irish communities....
side. Success was immediate as the club captured the senior county championship title.
Cork
In 1982 McCarthy was back on the inter-county scene, this time as the trainer of the Cork senior hurling team. Like with St. Finbarr’s success was immediate. Under McCarthy’s training regime Cork marched through the provincial championship and trounced WaterfordWaterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
in the final by 5-31 to 3-6. This victory allowed Cork to advance to the All-Ireland final where they were firm favourites to take the title. The game did not go Cork’s way as two goals by Kilkenny’s Christy Heffernan
Christy Heffernan
Christy Heffernan is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Glenmore and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1980s and 1990s. Heffernan is regarded as one of Kilkenny's greatest-ever players.-Club:...
in a forty-second spell was followed by a third goal by Ger Fennelly
Ger Fennelly
Ger Fennelly is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Ballyhale Shamrocks and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1989. Fennelly captained Kilkenny to the All-Ireland title in 1979.-Biography:Ger Fennelly was born in Piltown, County...
. At the full-time whistle the final score was 3-18 to 1-15. McCarthy quit from the management team after this defeat in protest over his lack of input into the team selection.
In 1990 McCarthy returned to the Cork senior hurling team as assistant coach and trainer with Fr. Michael O'Brien
Michael O'Brien
Michael or Mike O'Brien may refer to:* Michael O'Brien , American poet* Michael O'Brien , West Coast Eagles...
. At the time Cork’s hurlers were playing second fiddle to Tipperary in the provincial championship. Both Tipp and McCarthy’s side reached the Munster decider that year, however, Cork’s chances were dismissed by Tipperary manager Michael ‘Babs’ Keating
Michael Keating (hurler)
Michael 'Babs' Keating is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Ballybacon-Grange and with the Tipperary senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s...
. His statement that ‘donkeys don’t win derbies’ severely riled the Cork team, so much so that they won the Munster final convincingly by 4-16 to 2-14. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork installed as underdogs against Galway. In one of the most open and exciting finals of the decade Cork steamrolled back from a seven-point deficit at half-time to win by 51-5 to 2-21.
After losing their provincial and All-Ireland titles in 1991 McCarthy’s side were back in the Munster final. Limerick were the opponents on that occasion, however, Cork won by 1-22 to 3-11. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork take on Kilkenny for the first time in almost a decade. Neither side could claim to be favourites going into the game, however, goals by D.J. Carey, John Power
John Power (hurler)
John Power is a former Irish sportsperson who played hurling with his local club John Lockes and Kilkenny from 1986 to 2004. In that time, he won four All-Ireland titles and two All Star awards, as well as having the honour of being included on the Kilkenny Hurling Team of the Century...
and Michael Phelan
Michael Phelan (hurler)
Michael 'Titch' Phelan , from Glenmore, County Kilkenny, Ireland, is a former inter-county hurler. Phelan was formally recognised as a sportsperson of national significance in 1992 when nominated as a GAA Allstar. He played both for his local club Glenmore and as a member of the Kilkenny senior...
gave Kilkenny a 3-10 to 1-12 victory.
In 1993 Cork started well under McCarthy by winning the National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
following a three-game saga with Wexford. Cork were later defeated in the early stages of the Munster championship. With that defeat the Cork backroom team resigned and it was widely expected that McCarthy would be appointed full manager of the side. An obscure rule regarding the make-up of the selection committee resulted in McCarthy being disallowed from taking the post with Johnny Clifford
Johnny Clifford
Johnny Clifford was an Irish hurling manager and player. He played hurling with his local club Glen Rovers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1950s...
becoming manager instead.
Managing Waterford
McCarthy remained out of inter-county coaching for several years before returning as managerManager (Gaelic games)
In Gaelic games, a manager or coach is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of a team. Managing, or coaching, entails the application of sport tactics and strategies during the game itself, and usually entails substitution of players and other such...
of the Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
senior hurlers on November 16, 1996. At the time Waterford were not a major force in the hurling world, however, other hurling ‘minnows’ such as Offaly, Clare and Wexford had won All-Ireland titles in the mid-1990s. McCarthy’s appointment as manager was a signal of intent. He was initially appointed for a three year term and had a simple plan. In year one the team would target a good campaign in the National Hurling League. McCarthy’s plan for his second year in charge included provincial success while an All-Ireland title would be claimed in the third year. This was an ambitious plan for a county that hadn't had any sort of inter-county success since 1963.
In his first year in charge McCarthy introduced a new regime immediately. He cut players that weren’t pulling their weight and the training regime became harder than ever before. In the end McCarthy’s plans proved too ambitious. Waterford lost at home to Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
and failed to win promotion from Division Two of the National League. In their opening game of the championship a Limerick team in decline beat them by six points and Waterford’s campaign ended unceremoniously.
In his second year in charge McCarthy and his backroom team upped the ante. Training became more difficult, with early morning sessions becoming the norm, while players were each given their own personal nutrition plan, something of a novelty at the time. McCarthy’s side made significant progress in the National League and even reached the final. A 2-14 to 0-13 defeat by Cork was their lot in that game. The provincial championship saw McCarthy’s side defeat Tipperary for the first time in fifteen years and reach the Munster final for the first time in almost a decade. History weighed even more heavily against the team as Waterford hadn't won a provincial title for thirty-five years. That game between Clare and Waterford surprisingly ended in a draw, however, a last-gasp Paul Flynn
Paul Flynn (hurler)
Paul Flynn is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Ballygunner and was a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team from 1993 to 2008. Flynn is Waterford's top championship scorer of all-time.-Club:Flynn plays his club hurling with his local club Ballygunner and has...
free which could have won the game went wide. Clare remained favourites to win on the second occasion; however, the replay was a tense affair. The match was played in exceedingly bad spirit as Clare’s Brian Lohan
Brian Lohan
Brian Lohan is an Irish sportsman. He plays hurling with his local club Wolfe Tones na Sionna and was a member of the Clare senior inter-county team from 1993 until 2006, during which time he won two All-Ireland titles, three Munster titles and four Railway Cup titles...
and Waterford’s Michael White were both shown red cards after a melee. A dirty game drew to its natural conclusion as Clare were the eventual winners. Waterford, however, still had a second chance for the All-Ireland title due to the ‘back-door’ system. A ten-point defeat of Galway in the All-Ireland quarter-final set up an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Kilkenny. Waterford, however, followed a great performance with a mediocre one and, in a game which was there for the taking, allowed ‘the Cats’ to win by just a single point on a score line of 1-11 to 1-10.
1999 saw Waterford open their championship campaign with a fine victory over Limerick. The subsequent Munster semi-final saw McCarthy's men take on his own native-county of Cork. Few people gave Cork a chance against the beaten All-Ireland semi-finalists of 1998, however, a six-point victory for 'the Rebel's ended Waterford's involvement in the championship for another year. By this stage the rot was setting in as player discipline was breaking down with regard to training and diet. At the end of the year former Tipperary player Colm Bonnar
Colm Bonnar
Colm Bonnar is a Irish former hurling manager and retired player.A midfielder at all levels, Bonnar enjoyed a successful playing career at club level with Cashel King Cormac’s in Tipperary and Dunhill in Waterford and at inter-county level with Tipperary...
was introduced as the new trainer, however, he faced similar problems to his predecessor.
In 2000 championship hurling began and ended on the same day as far as Waterford was concerned. In the Munster quarter-final Tipperary unceremoniously dumped McCarthy’s side out of the competition.
In 2001 success with Waterford seemed as far away as ever for McCarthy as the promise of earlier seasons had all but disappeared. In the Munster semi-final his side surrendered an eleven-point lead to Limerick and lost by three. This defeat brought the curtain down on McCarthy's tenure as manager of the team.
2007: A difficult first season
McCarthy was appointed manager of the Cork senior hurling team on 8 November 2006. His appointment was tinged with some controversy as Ger CunninghamGer Cunningham
Ger Cunningham is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club St. Finbarr's and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1981 until 1998. Cunningham is regarded as one of the greatest hurling goalkeepers of all-time.Cunningham's status as one of Cork's...
, a selector under previous manager John Allen
John Allen (hurler)
John Allen is an Irish retired hurler and Gaelic footballer and is the current manager of the Limerick senior hurling team.A dual player at the highest level, Allen spent three season with the Cork senior hurling team. During that time he won one All-Ireland winners' medal and one Munster winners'...
and the favourite for the job, was not even approached about the vacant post.
McCarthy's new look Cork side got off to a good start when they reached the semi-final stages of the National Hurling League. Their opponents that day, who also went on to win the game, were McCarthy's old Waterford team. Clare provided the opposition in Cork's opening game in the Munster championship, however, controversy reigned on the day. Both teams emerged from the tunnel at the same time, something unusual for a hurling match. A huge melee erupted under the stand as players from both teams became involved. Cork won that game, however, Seán Óg Ó hAilpín
Seán Óg Ó hAilpín
Seán Óg Ó hAilpín is an iconic Irish-Fijian sportsperson. A former dual player, he currently plays hurling with his local club Na Piarsaigh and is a member of the Cork senior inter-county team. Ó hAilpín captained Cork to the All-Ireland title in 2005...
, Diarmuid O'Sullivan
Diarmuid O'Sullivan
Diarmuid O'Sullivan is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Cloyne and was a dual player with the Cork senior inter-county teams at various times from 1997 until 2008. O'Sullivan is regarded as one of Cork's greatest-ever players.-Biography:Diarmuid O'Sullivan was born in...
and Dónal Óg Cusack
Dónal Óg Cusack
Donal Óg Cusack is a well-known Irish hurler and Ireland's first openly gay elite sportsman. He plays hurling at club level with Cloyne and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999....
were suspended for the subsequent Munster semi-final against Waterford. In spite of losing three of their most influential players McCarthy's side put the Waterford team to the pin of their collar. In a thrilling game the Decies emerged victorious by a single score. Cork later reached the All-Ireland quarter-final via the qualifier system where Waterford provided the opposition. In the dying minutes of the game it looked as if Cork would triumph over their great rivals, however, a controversial free was awarded to Waterford and the game ended in a draw. The replay took place the following week, however, this time Waterford made no mistake and ended Cork's championship run. It was the first time since 2002 that Cork had ended a championship campaign without any silverware.
2008: Players strike
The appointment of Teddy HollandTeddy Holland
Teddy Holland is an Irish retired Gaelic football manager and former player. He played football with his local clubs Ballinascarthy and St. Finbarr's and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1969 until 1970...
as manager of the Cork senior football team in October 2007 saw the players withdraw their services. The players from the county's senior hurling team withdrew their services in sympathy. The strike continued until February 2008, which resulted in McCarthy's side withdrawing from the Waterford Crystal Cup
Waterford Crystal Cup
The Waterford Crystal Cup is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 2006 for the top inter-county teams and third-level universities and institutes of technology teams in the province of Munster in Ireland.The series of games are...
as well as postponing their opening National Hurling League games against Kilkenny and Waterford. Cork were later forced to forfeit their league points after failing to fulfill these fixtures. Cork's first outing in the championship was a meeting with Tipperary. On that occasion Tipp defeated their age-old rivals at home in Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Páirc Uí Chaoimh is a Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in the Ballintemple area of Cork in Ireland, where major hurling and Gaelic football matches are played. It is the home of Cork GAA...
, ending a hoodoo that had lasted since 1923. This defeat resulted in Cork having a second chance in the All-Ireland qualifiers. An unconvincing victory over Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
set up a meeting with Galway, a team tipped for All-Ireland success. The first-half was a scrappy affair with goalkeeper Donal Óg Cusack being sent off. The second-half saw Cork provide their best display of the championship with Joe Deane
Joe Deane
Joe Deane is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Killeagh and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1996 until 2009...
and Ben O'Connor
Ben O'Connor
Ben O'Connor is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Newtownshandrum and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999. O'Connor is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.-Biography:Ben O’Connor was born in the village of...
spear-heading the Cork attack. McCarthy's side won the game by 0-23 to 2-15 setting up an All-Ireland quarter-final with Clare. Once again Cork gave a poor first-half display. The second-half was a different story with Cork taking charge once again and securing a 2-19 to 2-17 victory. This win allowed Cork to advance to the All-Ireland semi-final where Kilkenny provided the opposition. It was the first time that these two teams met in the championship outside of an All-Ireland final. The game was an intriguing encounter; however, ‘the Cats’ won the day by 1-23 to 0-17. Following this defeat McCarthy's two-year contract came to an end. He was later re-appointed for a further two-year term by the Cork County Board, in spite of the majority of the players not wanting him to stay on. The players on the 2008 panel led by Donal Og Cusack then refused to play or train under McCarthy. (see 2008-2009 Cork players strike). McCarthy accordingly began the 2009 NHL with a new squad none of whom had been able to make the previous year's panel.
On March 10, 2009, McCarthy eventually resigned after 4 months of severe pressure, having allegedly received death threats.
St. Finbarr's
- All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...
:- Winner (2): 1975, 1978
- Munster Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipMunster Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for the top hurling clubs in the province of Munster in Ireland...
:- Winner (3): 1965, 1974, 1977
- Cork Senior Hurling ChampionshipCork Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....
:- Winner (4): 1965, 1968, 1974, 1977
- Runner-up (4): 1964, 1967, 1971, 1979
Cork
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
:- Winner (5): 1966, 1970, 1976, 1977, 1978
- Runner-up (2): 1969, 1972
- Munster Senior Hurling ChampionshipMunster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
:- Winner (9): 1966, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979
- Runner-up (2): 1965, 1968
- National Hurling LeagueNational Hurling LeagueThe National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
:- Winner (4): 1969, 1970, 1972 (sub), 1974
- All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of hurling played in Ireland...
:- Winner (1): 1966
- Munster Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipMunster Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Hurling Under-21 Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for players aged between 18 and 21 in the province of Munster in Ireland...
:- Winner (1): 1966
Munster
- Railway Cup:
- Winner (5): 1968, 1969, 1970, 1976, 1978
- Runner-up (3): 1971, 1975, 1977
St. Finbarr's
- Munster Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipMunster Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for the top hurling clubs in the province of Munster in Ireland...
:- Winner (1): 1980
- Cork Senior Hurling ChampionshipCork Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....
:- Winner (4): 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984
- Runner-up (1): 1983
- Cork Senior Camogie Championship:
- Winner (1): 2006
Cork
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
:- Winner (1): 1990
- Runner-up (2): 1982, 1992
- Munster Senior Hurling ChampionshipMunster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
:- Winner (3): 1982, 1990, 1992
- Runner-up (1): 1991
- National Hurling LeagueNational Hurling LeagueThe National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
:- Winner (1): 1993
Statistics
| Team | From | To | Championship Record | National League Record | Other Games Record | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | P | W | D | L | Win % | P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Waterford Waterford GAA The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county... |
November 16, 1996 | June 10, 2001 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 36.36 | ||||||||||
| Cork | November 8, 2006 | March 10, 2009 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 50.00 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 61.53 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 66.66 |