John O'Leary (Gaelic footballer)
Encyclopedia
John O'Leary is a Dublin-born Irish Gaelic footballer who played inter-county football for Dublin
and club football for O'Dwyers. He is an area manager for Permanent TSB and has recently been a political candidate for Fianna Fáil
in the constituency of Dublin North. O'Leary has a biography of his sporting career with Dublin
co-written with Martin Breheny and published by Blackwater Press in 1997 entitled Back To The Hill.
and were beaten in the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
final to Mayo
. He had only appeared as a substitute for Dublin in 1978 and he became the first choice goalkeeper for Dublin in 1979. This proved to be a successful year for him, as he went on to claim his second Leinster minor medal and his first all-Ireland minor medal with Dublin
.
O'Leary made his championship debut for Dublin in 1980 against Offaly
in the Leinster championship final. Dublin lost the game at Croke Park
by 1-10 to 1-8 with O'Leary his first goal in a Dublin
shirt against Offaly
with a Matt Connor goal in front of a packed crowd of 50,276. This proved to be Dublins first loss in the Leinster championship since losing to Louth
in 1973. This proved a less than satisfactory debut but 1980 also brought success to the O'Dwyer's man. He won his first and only Leinster U21 Football Championship in 1980 only to be defeated in the final to Cork.
1981 proved to be another unsuccessful year for O'Leary with Dublin
being knocked out of the Leinster Senior Football Championship
to Laois
by 2-09 to 0-11 in Tullamore
. O'Leary conceded two goals in the game to Tom Prendergast
(penalty) and John Costello. In the previous round of the Leinster championship O'Leary made an amazing save from Wicklows
Pat O'Byrne which proved the difference between the sides. He received the save of the season award for the save. 1982 proved to be another unsuccessful year in the blue jersey, with Dublin losing out to Offaly
in a repeat of the 1980 Leinster final.
O'Leary won his first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
with Dublin in 1983. He got to exact his revenge on Offaly
in the Leinster final by defeating them by 2-13 to 1-11. Matt O'Connor managed to repeat his goal scoring against O'Leary but it was enough to stop Dublin at Croke Park
. Dublin went on to play Cork in the semi final at Croke Park which finished on 2-11 a-piece. The replay proved to be a more one-sided affair, with Dublin winning the game by 4-15 to 2-10 at a packed (43,433) Páirc Uí Chaoimh
. O'Leary then played in his first all-Ireland final at Croke Park in front of a crowd of 71,988. Dublin defeated Galway
by 1-10 to 1-08 with O'Leary claiming his first all-Ireland senior medal.
After a very successful 1983, a lot was expected of the Dublin senior football team in 1984. O'Leary won the Leinster Senior Football Championship
with a memorable win over rivals Meath
in the final. O'Leary pulled off an amazing save against Wexford
in the previous round which resulted in him receiving the save of the season award. After the Leinster final, Dublin met Tyrone
in the semi final. This game proved controversial as the Tyrone side tried to have their pre-match kickaround in front of Hill 16 where Dublin traditionally warm up before games at Croke Park. These attempts to unsettle the Dublin side were in vain as Dublin proved eventual winners by 2-11 to 0-8. The final in Croke Park against Kerry
proved to be Dublins first championship loss in over two years. Despite a clean sheet by O'Leary in the game, Dublin lost by 0-14 to 1-06. O'Leary was awarded his first All Stars Award for Dublin and was also called up to the Ireland Compromise rules side for the first time.
In 1986 O'Leary won his first Railway Cup medal for Leinster
as captain. In the championship Dublin were knocked out by rivals Meath
in the final for the first time since 1964. O'Leary who was the Dublin captain in 1986, had managed to keep a clean sheet for the game but it wasn't enough to stop a 0-09 to 0-07 win over Dublin. In 1986
he toured with the Ireland compromise rules team in Australia
.
By 1987, he returned to winning medals for Dublin by claiming his first ever National Football League medal
with a memorable 1-11 to 0-11 win over rivals Kerry
. Despite this sign of pre-championship form, Dublin lost out to bitter rivals Meath
in their second consecutive Leinster final in Croke Park in July 1987. Meath won the game by 1-13 to 0-12 with Mattie McCabe scoring the goal against O'Leary. O'Leary captained the 1987 Ireland compromise rules
team against Australia.
1988 was a disappointing year for Dublin and O'Leary, his side failed to retain their NFL title by losing in the final with a replay against Meath
in a game that finished at 2-13 to 0-11. Dublin were knocked out of the Leinster championship by Meath during the same year and Dublins intense rivalry with Meath would continue to grow. The Leinster championship was returned to Dublin in 1989 with O'Leary exacting revenge against Meath for the NFL loss. Dublin won the Leinster final by 2-12 to 1-10 in Croke Park
with Mattie McCabe scoring the goal against O'Leary once again. Dublin were then knocked out in the semifinal of the all-Ireland by Cork despite an early lead of 1-04 to 0-00. The game finished on a scoreline of 2-10 to 1-09.
Dublin had a comfortable win over Louth
in their opening game in the 1990 Leinster Senior Football Championship
with a 1-13 to 1-08 win in Drogheda. Dublin faced Wicklow
in the semi final and O'Leary claimed another clean sheet in Dublins 2-14 to 0-12 win. The Leinster final once again featured what was becoming the fiercest of rivalries between Dublin and their neighbours Meath
. Dublin failed to retain their title and lost the game by a Colm O'Rourke
goal, the game finished on a scoreline of 0-14 to 1-14.
1991 was to prove to be one of the most interesting years in the career of Dublin goalkeeper O'Leary. The year began with an NFL final win over Kildare
by 1-09 to 0-10. After the NFL win, a lot was expected of Dublin for 1991. Dublin were drawn against their neighbours and rivals Meath in the first round. This was a worry for the Leinster council who were in financial trouble and this tie saw the possibility of Dublin going out in the first round with seasons worth of ticket sales over in one game. Dublin had been noted for their large attendances at championship games and a loss for Dublin would mean a loss of earnings for the Leinster council who were considering closing their headquarters due to financial difficulties. The opening game against Meath finished on a draw which proved great news for the Leinster council as the first game had an attendance of 51,144 and more would be expected for a replay. The game finished on a scoreline of 1-12 to 1-12 with Brian Stafford scoring the goal against O'Leary. The second game which had an attendance of 60,960 finished on a scoreline of 0-10 a-piece after 70 minutes and the game was forced into extra time. In extra-time David Beggy managed to beat O'Leary to score a goal but it proved irrelevant as Jack Sheedy
scored a goal for Dublin and the game finished on all level at 1-11 a-piece. The third game had the highest attendance in the series with 63,730 packing Croke Park. The game also finished all-level after 70 minutes at 0-10 to 1-07 with Bernie Flynn scoring the goal. The game went into extra-time and finished at 1-14 to 2-11 with Colm Coyle scoring the goal for Meath. Once again a replay was needed to decide the outcome of the game. The GAA was losing popularity in Ireland at the time especially after the successes of the Ireland soccer team at the FIFA world cup in Italy and this series of draws would prove a great success story to revive the fortunes of the GAA. The final game in the series finished with Meath winning by a scoreline of 2-10 to 0-15. The game had an attendance of 60,543 and proved yet another dramatic game. In the dying minutes of the game, Dublin were winning the game by three points despite Dublin's Keith Barr
missing a penalty. This win was turned in a matter of minutes with Kevin Foley scoring the equalising goal against O'Leary and the game finished with a spectacular point by David Beggy of Meath. Meath went on to retain the 1991 Leinster Senior Football Championship and were defeated by Down
in the final and the first round game against Dublin was often given as a reason for Meath for the all-Ireland loss due to fatique.
1992 saw Dublins return to Leinster glory with O'Leary winning his fifth medal. It would have been fitting for a Dublin Meath final once again but Meath had been defeated in the first round by Laois
. Dublin defeated Kildare
in the final by 1-13 to 0-10 with a clean sheet by O'Leary. Once again, like the Kerry game a few years before, O'Leary maintained a clean sheet in the final but it failed to materialise as a win with Donegal
finishing the game on a high scoreline of 0-18 to 0-14.
O'Leary was appointed as captain of the Dublin senior football panel in 1993. He became by captaining Dublin to NFL glory against with revenge over the previous years all-Ireland winners Donegal in the final. Dublin then went on to claim the Leinster title with a win over Kildare
in the final. Dublin had previously beaten Meath in the semi final by 1-10 to 0-12. After a semi final win over Munster champions Clare
Dublin went on to be defeated by Ulster opposition for the second year in a row. Derry
defeated O'Leary's Dublin by 0-15 to 0-14 at Croke Park in the semi final much to O'Learys disappointment after having successfully maintained five clean sheets in a row. This series of performances earned him his third all-star award.
In 1994 O'Leary continued as Dublin captain and claimed his second Leinster title in that role. This proved another clean sheet for him in a national final. Dublin then went on to retain their Leinster title by defeating Meath once again in the final. Dublin won by 1-09 to 1-08 in a close game with O'Leary conceding the goal to Graham Geraghty of Meath. After a semi final win over Connacht champions Leitrim
Dublin went on to be defeated by Ulster opposition for the third year in a row. Dublin played Down
in the final in a game that finished on 1-12 to 0-13 in Croke Park.
1995 was to prove another personal milestone in the football career of O'Leary. Dublin easily beat Meath in the Leinster final by 1-18 to 1-08 which paved the way for a semi final showdown with Cork. A clean sheet for O'Leary in the semi final gave Dublin the win over Cork with great performance by Mick Galvin
and Jason Sherlock
. Dublin finally managed to beat Ulster opposition in the all-Ireland
phase of the championship by beating Tyrone
by 1-10 to 0-12. This was Dublin and O'Learys first all-Ireland since 1983 and being captain made it all the more special for him. He was then awarded his fifth and final all-star award for his performance with Dublin, most notably clean sheets in the semi-final and the final at Croke Park.
1996 was a much quieter year for O'Leary, the two in a row dream died in Croke Park during the Leinster final. It was typical of the history between the sides that Meath recovered from 1995's huge loss to beat the Dubs by 0-10 to 0-08. The following year Dublin met Meath in the first round of the championship and were beaten by 1-13 to 1-10 with Paul Bealin
missing a penalty in the dying minutes of the game. O'Leary retired after the Meath game, after having played an incredible 70 consecutive championship matches in the championship between 1980 and 1997.http://www.zoominfo.com/directory/O'Leary_John_840396407.htm His record of 70 consecutive appearances hasn't been replicated by any other GAA player let alone a Dublin player. In his impressive inter-county career he appeared in Croke Park on 47 occasions. Mattie McCabe of Meath was the most successful player against O'Leary, scoring a total of three goals. He conceded just 51 goals in his 70 game championship career for Dublin.
He re-entered the Inter County scene as a Dublin team selector to Tommy Carr. When Carr lost his position as Dublin manager O'Leary took charge of his mother's native county Wicklow as the new senior football manager and later went on to manage Dublins ladies senior football team in 2004.
in the Dublin North constituency in place of retiring TD Jim Glennon
.
In the 2007 general election, O'Leary was unsuccessful in his bid for a Dáil seat. He received 5,074 first preference votes giving him an 9.3% of the vote during his first election campaign. His two running mates Michael Kennedy
and Darragh O'Brien
were elected with help from O'Leary's transfer. Other 'celebrity' candidates such as Graham Geraghty and Colm O'Gorman
were also unsuccessful.
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 club football for O'Dwyers. He is an area manager for Permanent TSB and has recently been a political candidate for Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
in the constituency of Dublin North. O'Leary has a biography of his sporting career with 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...
co-written with Martin Breheny and published by Blackwater Press in 1997 entitled Back To The Hill.
Football career
His inter-county began with Dublin in 1978, where he was a member of the panel that won the 1978 Leinster Minor Football ChampionshipLeinster Minor Football Championship
The Leinster Minor Football Championship is a Gaelic football "knockout" competition played in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Leinster Council. Each county in the province fields a team in the competition. The term "minor" is given to players who are...
and were beaten in the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
The All-Ireland Minor Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for under-18 competitors of the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland...
final to Mayo
Mayo GAA
The Mayo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Mayo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Mayo and the Mayo inter-county teams.-History:...
. He had only appeared as a substitute for Dublin in 1978 and he became the first choice goalkeeper for Dublin in 1979. This proved to be a successful year for him, as he went on to claim his second Leinster minor medal and his first all-Ireland minor medal with 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...
.
O'Leary made his championship debut for Dublin in 1980 against Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
in the Leinster championship final. Dublin lost the game at Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
by 1-10 to 1-8 with O'Leary his first goal in a 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...
shirt against Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
with a Matt Connor goal in front of a packed crowd of 50,276. This proved to be Dublins first loss in the Leinster championship since losing to Louth
Louth GAA
The Louth County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Louth GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Louth. The county board is also responsible for the Louth inter-county teams....
in 1973. This proved a less than satisfactory debut but 1980 also brought success to the O'Dwyer's man. He won his first and only Leinster U21 Football Championship in 1980 only to be defeated in the final to Cork.
1981 proved to be another unsuccessful year for O'Leary with 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...
being knocked out of the Leinster Senior Football Championship
Leinster Senior Football Championship
The GAA Leinster Senior Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition in the game of football played in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Leinster Council and are played during the summer months. The competition involves the counties of...
to Laois
Laois GAA
The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:...
by 2-09 to 0-11 in Tullamore
Tullamore
Tullamore is a town in County Offaly, in the midlands of Ireland. It is Offaly's county town and the centre of the district.Tullamore is an important commercial and industrial centre in the region. Major international employers in the town include 'Tyco Healthcare' and 'Boston Scientific'. In...
. O'Leary conceded two goals in the game to Tom Prendergast
Tom Prendergast
Tom "Curley" Prendergast is a former gaelic football player with Laois in Ireland.His inter county career spanned 11 years , although he missed out in 1985 when he signed off the panel. In 1986 Prendergast was a member of the National Football League title winning squad...
(penalty) and John Costello. In the previous round of the Leinster championship O'Leary made an amazing save from Wicklows
Wicklow GAA
The Wicklow County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wicklow GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wicklow...
Pat O'Byrne which proved the difference between the sides. He received the save of the season award for the save. 1982 proved to be another unsuccessful year in the blue jersey, with Dublin losing out to Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
in a repeat of the 1980 Leinster final.
O'Leary won his first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
with Dublin in 1983. He got to exact his revenge on Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
in the Leinster final by defeating them by 2-13 to 1-11. Matt O'Connor managed to repeat his goal scoring against O'Leary but it was enough to stop Dublin at Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
. Dublin went on to play Cork in the semi final at Croke Park which finished on 2-11 a-piece. The replay proved to be a more one-sided affair, with Dublin winning the game by 4-15 to 2-10 at a packed (43,433) 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...
. O'Leary then played in his first all-Ireland final at Croke Park in front of a crowd of 71,988. Dublin defeated 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,...
by 1-10 to 1-08 with O'Leary claiming his first all-Ireland senior medal.
After a very successful 1983, a lot was expected of the Dublin senior football team in 1984. O'Leary won the Leinster Senior Football Championship
Leinster Senior Football Championship
The GAA Leinster Senior Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition in the game of football played in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Leinster Council and are played during the summer months. The competition involves the counties of...
with a memorable win over rivals Meath
Meath GAA
The Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
in the final. O'Leary pulled off an amazing save against 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 the previous round which resulted in him receiving the save of the season award. After the Leinster final, Dublin met Tyrone
Tyrone GAA
The Tyrone County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Tyrone GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Tyrone. The county board is also responsible for the Tyrone inter-county teams....
in the semi final. This game proved controversial as the Tyrone side tried to have their pre-match kickaround in front of Hill 16 where Dublin traditionally warm up before games at Croke Park. These attempts to unsettle the Dublin side were in vain as Dublin proved eventual winners by 2-11 to 0-8. The final in Croke Park against Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry 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 Kerry...
proved to be Dublins first championship loss in over two years. Despite a clean sheet by O'Leary in the game, Dublin lost by 0-14 to 1-06. O'Leary was awarded his first All Stars Award for Dublin and was also called up to the Ireland Compromise rules side for the first time.
In 1986 O'Leary won his first Railway Cup medal for 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...
as captain. In the championship Dublin were knocked out by rivals Meath
Meath GAA
The Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
in the final for the first time since 1964. O'Leary who was the Dublin captain in 1986, had managed to keep a clean sheet for the game but it wasn't enough to stop a 0-09 to 0-07 win over Dublin. In 1986
1986 International Rules series
The 1986 International Rules series took place in Australia and consisted of three Test matches between the Australian and Irish international rules football teams.-Summary:1st Test Venue: WACA Ground, Perth Crowd: Unknown2nd Test...
he toured with the Ireland compromise rules team in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
By 1987, he returned to winning medals for Dublin by claiming his first ever National Football League medal
National Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
with a memorable 1-11 to 0-11 win over rivals Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry 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 Kerry...
. Despite this sign of pre-championship form, Dublin lost out to bitter rivals Meath
Meath GAA
The Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
in their second consecutive Leinster final in Croke Park in July 1987. Meath won the game by 1-13 to 0-12 with Mattie McCabe scoring the goal against O'Leary. O'Leary captained the 1987 Ireland compromise rules
1987 International Rules series
The 1987 International Rules series took place in Ireland and consisted of three Test matches between the Australian and Irish international rules football teams.-Summary:1st Test Venue: Croke Park, Dublin Crowd: 15,5322nd Test...
team against Australia.
1988 was a disappointing year for Dublin and O'Leary, his side failed to retain their NFL title by losing in the final with a replay against Meath
Meath GAA
The Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
in a game that finished at 2-13 to 0-11. Dublin were knocked out of the Leinster championship by Meath during the same year and Dublins intense rivalry with Meath would continue to grow. The Leinster championship was returned to Dublin in 1989 with O'Leary exacting revenge against Meath for the NFL loss. Dublin won the Leinster final by 2-12 to 1-10 in Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
with Mattie McCabe scoring the goal against O'Leary once again. Dublin were then knocked out in the semifinal of the all-Ireland by Cork despite an early lead of 1-04 to 0-00. The game finished on a scoreline of 2-10 to 1-09.
Dublin had a comfortable win over Louth
Louth GAA
The Louth County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Louth GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Louth. The county board is also responsible for the Louth inter-county teams....
in their opening game in the 1990 Leinster Senior Football Championship
Leinster Senior Football Championship
The GAA Leinster Senior Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition in the game of football played in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Leinster Council and are played during the summer months. The competition involves the counties of...
with a 1-13 to 1-08 win in Drogheda. Dublin faced Wicklow
Wicklow GAA
The Wicklow County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wicklow GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wicklow...
in the semi final and O'Leary claimed another clean sheet in Dublins 2-14 to 0-12 win. The Leinster final once again featured what was becoming the fiercest of rivalries between Dublin and their neighbours Meath
Meath GAA
The Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
. Dublin failed to retain their title and lost the game by a Colm O'Rourke
Colm O'Rourke
Colm O'Rourke is a retired inter-county Irish Gaelic footballer for County Meath in Ireland, a columnist with the Sunday Independent and a panellist on The Sunday Game on RTÉ Television....
goal, the game finished on a scoreline of 0-14 to 1-14.
1991 was to prove to be one of the most interesting years in the career of Dublin goalkeeper O'Leary. The year began with an NFL final win over Kildare
Kildare GAA
For more information see Kildare Senior Club Football Championship or Kildare Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Kildare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Kildare GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kildare...
by 1-09 to 0-10. After the NFL win, a lot was expected of Dublin for 1991. Dublin were drawn against their neighbours and rivals Meath in the first round. This was a worry for the Leinster council who were in financial trouble and this tie saw the possibility of Dublin going out in the first round with seasons worth of ticket sales over in one game. Dublin had been noted for their large attendances at championship games and a loss for Dublin would mean a loss of earnings for the Leinster council who were considering closing their headquarters due to financial difficulties. The opening game against Meath finished on a draw which proved great news for the Leinster council as the first game had an attendance of 51,144 and more would be expected for a replay. The game finished on a scoreline of 1-12 to 1-12 with Brian Stafford scoring the goal against O'Leary. The second game which had an attendance of 60,960 finished on a scoreline of 0-10 a-piece after 70 minutes and the game was forced into extra time. In extra-time David Beggy managed to beat O'Leary to score a goal but it proved irrelevant as Jack Sheedy
Jack Sheedy
Jack Sheedy is a former Dublin senior Gaelic football player. He played his club football for Dublin based club Lucan Sarsfields.-Football career:...
scored a goal for Dublin and the game finished on all level at 1-11 a-piece. The third game had the highest attendance in the series with 63,730 packing Croke Park. The game also finished all-level after 70 minutes at 0-10 to 1-07 with Bernie Flynn scoring the goal. The game went into extra-time and finished at 1-14 to 2-11 with Colm Coyle scoring the goal for Meath. Once again a replay was needed to decide the outcome of the game. The GAA was losing popularity in Ireland at the time especially after the successes of the Ireland soccer team at the FIFA world cup in Italy and this series of draws would prove a great success story to revive the fortunes of the GAA. The final game in the series finished with Meath winning by a scoreline of 2-10 to 0-15. The game had an attendance of 60,543 and proved yet another dramatic game. In the dying minutes of the game, Dublin were winning the game by three points despite Dublin's Keith Barr
Keith Barr
Keith Barr is a former inter-county Gaelic footballer for Dublin. He played his club football with Erins Isle.-Sporting career:Barr made his inter county championship debut against Wicklow in 1989. Keith was on the 1995 All-Ireland winning team when Dublin narrowly defeated Tyrone...
missing a penalty. This win was turned in a matter of minutes with Kevin Foley scoring the equalising goal against O'Leary and the game finished with a spectacular point by David Beggy of Meath. Meath went on to retain the 1991 Leinster Senior Football Championship and were defeated by Down
Down GAA
The Down County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Down GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Down...
in the final and the first round game against Dublin was often given as a reason for Meath for the all-Ireland loss due to fatique.
1992 saw Dublins return to Leinster glory with O'Leary winning his fifth medal. It would have been fitting for a Dublin Meath final once again but Meath had been defeated in the first round by Laois
Laois GAA
The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:...
. Dublin defeated Kildare
Kildare GAA
For more information see Kildare Senior Club Football Championship or Kildare Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Kildare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Kildare GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kildare...
in the final by 1-13 to 0-10 with a clean sheet by O'Leary. Once again, like the Kerry game a few years before, O'Leary maintained a clean sheet in the final but it failed to materialise as a win with Donegal
Donegal GAA
The Donegal County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Donegal GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Donegal. The county board is also responsible for the Donegal inter-county teams.Gaelic football is strongest in the...
finishing the game on a high scoreline of 0-18 to 0-14.
O'Leary was appointed as captain of the Dublin senior football panel in 1993. He became by captaining Dublin to NFL glory against with revenge over the previous years all-Ireland winners Donegal in the final. Dublin then went on to claim the Leinster title with a win over Kildare
Kildare GAA
For more information see Kildare Senior Club Football Championship or Kildare Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Kildare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Kildare GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kildare...
in the final. Dublin had previously beaten Meath in the semi final by 1-10 to 0-12. After a semi final win over Munster champions 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....
Dublin went on to be defeated by Ulster opposition for the second year in a row. Derry
Derry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...
defeated O'Leary's Dublin by 0-15 to 0-14 at Croke Park in the semi final much to O'Learys disappointment after having successfully maintained five clean sheets in a row. This series of performances earned him his third all-star award.
In 1994 O'Leary continued as Dublin captain and claimed his second Leinster title in that role. This proved another clean sheet for him in a national final. Dublin then went on to retain their Leinster title by defeating Meath once again in the final. Dublin won by 1-09 to 1-08 in a close game with O'Leary conceding the goal to Graham Geraghty of Meath. After a semi final win over Connacht champions Leitrim
Leitrim GAA
The Leitrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Leitrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Leitrim. The county board is also responsible for the Leitrim inter-county teams.-Gaelic football:In the 1924 Connacht...
Dublin went on to be defeated by Ulster opposition for the third year in a row. Dublin played Down
Down GAA
The Down County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Down GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Down...
in the final in a game that finished on 1-12 to 0-13 in Croke Park.
1995 was to prove another personal milestone in the football career of O'Leary. Dublin easily beat Meath in the Leinster final by 1-18 to 1-08 which paved the way for a semi final showdown with Cork. A clean sheet for O'Leary in the semi final gave Dublin the win over Cork with great performance by Mick Galvin
Mick Galvin
Mick Galvin is a former Dublin Gaelic football player. He played his club football for St Oliver Plunketts until they were relegated to the Dublin Intermediate Football Championship and then moved to Na Fianna where he won three Dublin Senior Football Championship medals as player and manager....
and Jason Sherlock
Jason Sherlock
Jason "Jayo" Sherlock is a former Irish Gaelic footballer who played for Dublin between 1995 and 2010 and is also a sales manager. He played most of his club football for Na Fianna in Glasnevin in the northern suburbs of Dublin. Sherlock was on the Na Fianna team which won the Dublin Championship...
. Dublin finally managed to beat Ulster opposition in the all-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1995
-All-Ireland Final:-See also:...
phase of the championship by beating Tyrone
Tyrone GAA
The Tyrone County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Tyrone GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Tyrone. The county board is also responsible for the Tyrone inter-county teams....
by 1-10 to 0-12. This was Dublin and O'Learys first all-Ireland since 1983 and being captain made it all the more special for him. He was then awarded his fifth and final all-star award for his performance with Dublin, most notably clean sheets in the semi-final and the final at Croke Park.
1996 was a much quieter year for O'Leary, the two in a row dream died in Croke Park during the Leinster final. It was typical of the history between the sides that Meath recovered from 1995's huge loss to beat the Dubs by 0-10 to 0-08. The following year Dublin met Meath in the first round of the championship and were beaten by 1-13 to 1-10 with Paul Bealin
Paul Bealin
Paul Bealin is a former inter-county Gaelic footballer for Dublin and is the current manager for Carlow. He is the former manager of the Wexford senior football team, resigning in October, 2007, after two years at the helm. 39 year old Paul is currently fielding for Ballyboden St Endas...
missing a penalty in the dying minutes of the game. O'Leary retired after the Meath game, after having played an incredible 70 consecutive championship matches in the championship between 1980 and 1997.http://www.zoominfo.com/directory/O'Leary_John_840396407.htm His record of 70 consecutive appearances hasn't been replicated by any other GAA player let alone a Dublin player. In his impressive inter-county career he appeared in Croke Park on 47 occasions. Mattie McCabe of Meath was the most successful player against O'Leary, scoring a total of three goals. He conceded just 51 goals in his 70 game championship career for Dublin.
He re-entered the Inter County scene as a Dublin team selector to Tommy Carr. When Carr lost his position as Dublin manager O'Leary took charge of his mother's native county Wicklow as the new senior football manager and later went on to manage Dublins ladies senior football team in 2004.
Politics
In November 2006, it was announced that he would contest the 2007 general election on behalf of Fianna FáilFianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
in the Dublin North constituency in place of retiring TD Jim Glennon
Jim Glennon
Jim Glennon is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician and former Irish International rugby player. He was a Teachta Dála for the Dublin North constituency from 2002–2007....
.
In the 2007 general election, O'Leary was unsuccessful in his bid for a Dáil seat. He received 5,074 first preference votes giving him an 9.3% of the vote during his first election campaign. His two running mates Michael Kennedy
Michael Kennedy (Dublin politician)
Michael Kennedy is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician.He served as a member of Fingal County Council from 1991–2007, and was Mayor in 2002–03. He was an Insurance broker before entering politics....
and Darragh O'Brien
Darragh O'Brien
Darragh O'Brien is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He is a member of Seanad Éireann since March 2011. He was a Teachta Dála for the Dublin North constituency from 2007 to 2011....
were elected with help from O'Leary's transfer. Other 'celebrity' candidates such as Graham Geraghty and Colm O'Gorman
Colm O'Gorman
Colm O'Gorman is an Irishman from County Wexford, founder of One in Four, former senator, and current executive director of Amnesty International in Ireland...
were also unsuccessful.
See also
- Dublin GAADublin GAADublin 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...
- Dublin GAA HonoursDublin GAA HonoursThis is a list of Gaelic Athletic Association athletes and teams who have won honours for Dublin GAA.-GAA All Stars Awards winners : 86:2011: S. Cluxton, K. Nolan, M. D. Macauley, P. Flynn, A. Brogan, B. Brogan.2010: B. Brogan2008: S. Ryan...
- Dublin Senior Club Football ChampionshipDublin Senior Club Football ChampionshipThe Dublin Senior Football Club Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association club competition between the top Dublin GAA Clubs...
- Fianna FáilFianna FáilFianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
External links
- Official John O'Leary Website
- Official Dublin GAA Website
- Article on John O'Leary
- O'Learys Appointment as Ladies Football Manager for Dublin
- O'Dwyers GAA
- Article on the Summer of 83'