Harry Corley
Encyclopedia
Harry Cecil Corley also known as Harry Hegarty Corley was an Irish sportsman and sport official. Corley played both cricket
and rugby union
at an international level, and later in his life became a rugby referee.
Of his matches for Ireland, four had first-class
status.
and later for Wanderers. He was one of the first Irish players to specialise as a fly-half, and was described as a brilliant attacking player and a splendid drop-kicker. He first played international rugby for Ireland
as part of the team that faced England in the 1902 Home Nations Championship
on the 8 February. A halfback, he was partnered in his first international with Louis Magee
, with whom he would play the next five games. Although Ireland lost the first match, Corley was reselected for the next international, a win over Scotland at Dublin. The game against Scotland also saw Corley score his first points at international level, converting Gerry Doran
's try
. The last game of the Championship saw Ireland lose to 15-0 to Wales.
The next season Corley was back in the Ireland team, and was again partnered with Magee. For the opening game of the 1903 Championship
Corley was given the captaincy of the national team, an honour he would hold for his remaining four games. The tournament began well for Ireland, with a win over England, Corley scoring a penalty goal in the 6-0 win; but the next two games were both away loses, to Scotland and then Wales. For Corley's last two matches he was moved out of the halfback position into the centre, and as captain led his team to two loses in the 1904 Home Nations Championship
.
Although his international career was over, Corley retained links with the sport, and in the 1908 Home Nations Championship
he officiated his one and only international match, Scotland vs. England.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
at an international level, and later in his life became a rugby referee.
Cricket career
A right-handed batsman, he made his debut for the Ireland cricket team against South Africa in June 1904, and went onto play for them on nine occasions, his last match coming against Scotland in July 1909.Of his matches for Ireland, four had first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
status.
Rugby career
Corley played club rugby for Dublin UniversityDublin University Football Club
Dublin University Football Club is the rugby union club of the University of Dublin, Trinity College, in Dublin, Ireland.-History:...
and later for Wanderers. He was one of the first Irish players to specialise as a fly-half, and was described as a brilliant attacking player and a splendid drop-kicker. He first played international rugby for Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
as part of the team that faced England in the 1902 Home Nations Championship
1902 Home Nations Championship
The 1902 Home Nations Championship was the twentieth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 11 January and 15 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
on the 8 February. A halfback, he was partnered in his first international with Louis Magee
Louis Magee
Aloysius Mary "Louis" Magee was an Irish rugby union halfback. Magee played club rugby for Bective Rangers and London Irish and played international rugby for Ireland and was part of the British Isles team in their 1896 tour of South Africa.Magee was capped 27 times for Ireland, ten as captain,...
, with whom he would play the next five games. Although Ireland lost the first match, Corley was reselected for the next international, a win over Scotland at Dublin. The game against Scotland also saw Corley score his first points at international level, converting Gerry Doran
Gerry Doran
Gerald "Gerry" Percy Doran also known as Blucher Doran, was an Irish international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Lansdowne. Doran played international rugby for Ireland and in 1899 he was selected for the British Isles team on its tour of Australia...
's try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
. The last game of the Championship saw Ireland lose to 15-0 to Wales.
The next season Corley was back in the Ireland team, and was again partnered with Magee. For the opening game of the 1903 Championship
1903 Home Nations Championship
The 1903 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-first series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 10 January and 21 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
Corley was given the captaincy of the national team, an honour he would hold for his remaining four games. The tournament began well for Ireland, with a win over England, Corley scoring a penalty goal in the 6-0 win; but the next two games were both away loses, to Scotland and then Wales. For Corley's last two matches he was moved out of the halfback position into the centre, and as captain led his team to two loses in the 1904 Home Nations Championship
1904 Home Nations Championship
The 1904 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-second series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 9 January and 19 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
.
Although his international career was over, Corley retained links with the sport, and in the 1908 Home Nations Championship
1908 Home Nations Championship
The 1908 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-sixth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 18 January and 21 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
he officiated his one and only international match, Scotland vs. England.
See also
- List of Irish cricket and rugby union players