John O'Donoghue (hurler)
Encyclopedia
John O'Donoghue is a former Irish
sportsperson. He played hurling
with his local club Arravale Rovers
and with the Tipperary
senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s.
with his local Arravale Rovers
club in Tipperary town.
minor hurling team. He won both Munster and All-Ireland
at that grade in 1959 and also won a Harty Cup medal with the Abbey School (CBS) in Tipperary Town, the school's only success in the Munster Senior Colleges Hurling Championship. The following year, O'Donoghue was captain of the minor team when he captured a second Munster minor title. He later joined the then powerful Tipp senior team, now regarded as one of hurling's most formidable teams in any era. In doing so, he succeeded his fellow West Tipperary man, Dónal O'Brien of Knockavilla Kickhams, who had emigrated to New York. O'Donoghue won his first National Hurling League
in 1964. Later that year O'Donoghue captured his first senior Munster
title, as well as his first senior All-Ireland
medal. The following year Tipperary still dominated the hurling scene as O'Donoghue won another set of National League, Munster and All-Ireland honours at senior level. Two years later in 1967 Tipperary continued their dominance with O'Donoghue capturing a third provincial medal in the process. Unfortunately, his side were later defeated by Kilkenny
in the All-Ireland final. In 1968 he won a third National league medal and a fourth Munster title, however, Wexford
defeated Tipp in the subsequent All-Ireland final which had a dramatic second half which saw Tipp's 10 point interval lead converted to a Wexford win by 2 points. Two years later, he was substituted in the Munster final against Cork in Limerick, though his defenders were also on an off-day against a rampant Cork team and gave him little of the cover he enjoyed in his early career from the "Hell's Kitchen" crew of John Doyle
, Michael Maher and Kieran Carey all of whom had now departed the scene. In 1971 O'Donoghue was relegated as the first-choice goalkeeper, making way for his long-time understudy, Peter O'Sullivan of Cashel King Cormacs. However, he won a fifth and final Munster medal as a substitute against Limerick In Killarney that summer. He later won his third All-Ireland medal, as a substitute also, following a great win over Kilkenny in a classic final which also marked the retirement from the inter-county scene of his long-time team mate, Jimmy Doyle
.
O'Donoghue was back on the Tipperary hurling scene in 1991 when he replaced Theo English as a selector on Babs Keating's management team where Tipperary went on to win the All Ireland that year.
O'Donoghue is also an accomplished golfer, representing Ireland at international level where he won Senior International Caps in 2003 and 2004.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
sportsperson. He played 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...
with his local club Arravale Rovers
Arravale Rovers GAA
Arravale Rovers GAA is Gaelic Athletic Association club in Tipperary Town, County Tipperary, Ireland. It was founded in 1885. In 1895, Arravale Rovers won the All-Ireland Football Final, representing Tipperary...
and with the 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...
senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s.
Club
O'Donoghue played his club hurlingHurling
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...
with his local Arravale Rovers
Arravale Rovers GAA
Arravale Rovers GAA is Gaelic Athletic Association club in Tipperary Town, County Tipperary, Ireland. It was founded in 1885. In 1895, Arravale Rovers won the All-Ireland Football Final, representing Tipperary...
club in Tipperary town.
Inter-county
O'Donoghue first came to prominence in the late 1950s as a member of the TipperaryTipperary 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...
minor hurling team. He won both Munster and All-Ireland
All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Minor Championship is an annual competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1928 for competitors under eighteen years of age in the game of hurling played in Ireland.The series of games are played during the summer months with the All-Ireland final...
at that grade in 1959 and also won a Harty Cup medal with the Abbey School (CBS) in Tipperary Town, the school's only success in the Munster Senior Colleges Hurling Championship. The following year, O'Donoghue was captain of the minor team when he captured a second Munster minor title. He later joined the then powerful Tipp senior team, now regarded as one of hurling's most formidable teams in any era. In doing so, he succeeded his fellow West Tipperary man, Dónal O'Brien of Knockavilla Kickhams, who had emigrated to New York. O'Donoghue won his first 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...
in 1964. Later that year O'Donoghue captured his 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....
title, as well as his 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. The following year Tipperary still dominated the hurling scene as O'Donoghue won another set of National League, Munster and All-Ireland honours at senior level. Two years later in 1967 Tipperary continued their dominance with O'Donoghue capturing a third provincial medal in the process. Unfortunately, his side were later defeated by 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...
in the All-Ireland final. In 1968 he won a third National league medal and a fourth Munster title, however, 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...
defeated Tipp in the subsequent All-Ireland final which had a dramatic second half which saw Tipp's 10 point interval lead converted to a Wexford win by 2 points. Two years later, he was substituted in the Munster final against Cork in Limerick, though his defenders were also on an off-day against a rampant Cork team and gave him little of the cover he enjoyed in his early career from the "Hell's Kitchen" crew of John Doyle
John Doyle (hurler)
John Doyle was an Irish sportsperson and politician, hailed as one of the best defenders in hurling and his county's most iconic player upon his death. He played hurling with his local Holycross-Ballycahill club from the 1940s until the 1970s and was a member of the Tipperary senior inter-county...
, Michael Maher and Kieran Carey all of whom had now departed the scene. In 1971 O'Donoghue was relegated as the first-choice goalkeeper, making way for his long-time understudy, Peter O'Sullivan of Cashel King Cormacs. However, he won a fifth and final Munster medal as a substitute against Limerick In Killarney that summer. He later won his third All-Ireland medal, as a substitute also, following a great win over Kilkenny in a classic final which also marked the retirement from the inter-county scene of his long-time team mate, Jimmy Doyle
Jimmy Doyle
James 'Jimmy' Doyle , is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with the famous Thurles Sarsfields club from 1956 until 1975 and was a member of the Tipperary senior inter-county team from 1957 until 1973...
.
O'Donoghue was back on the Tipperary hurling scene in 1991 when he replaced Theo English as a selector on Babs Keating's management team where Tipperary went on to win the All Ireland that year.
O'Donoghue is also an accomplished golfer, representing Ireland at international level where he won Senior International Caps in 2003 and 2004.