Johnny Dooley
Encyclopedia
Johnny Dooley is an Irish
former hurling
manager
and player. He played hurling
with his local club Seir Kieran
and was a member of the Offaly
senior inter-county team from 1991 until 2002. Dooley served as manager of the Westmeath
senior inter-county team from 2007 until 2008.
, County Offaly
in 1971. He was born into a family that was steeped in hurling
history. His father's uncle, Tom Dooley, as well as his mother's father and uncle had all played with Offaly
in the junior All-Ireland
finals in 1929 and 1923 respectively. Similarly, for almost two decades Johnny and his brothers Billy
and Joe
formed the backbone of the Offaly senior hurling team.
On January 10, 2007 Dooley, along with his two brothers Billy and Joe, was profiled on the TG4
television programme Laochra Gael
.
with his local Seir Kieran
club. He enjoyed some success at underage levels before winning four senior county championship titles in 1988, 1995, 1996 and 1998.
minor hurling team. In 1987 he captured a coveted Leinster
title in that grade following a victory over Kilkenny
. Offaly later played Tipperary
in the All-Ireland final. After an exciting hour of hurling Offaly emerged victorious by 2-8 to 0-12, giving Dooley a minor All-Ireland
winners' medal. It was Offaly's first-ever minor title.
Offaly lost their provincial crown in 1988, however, the following year Dooley captured a second Leinster title following a trouncing of Kilkenny in a provincial final replay. Offaly later lined out against Clare
in the All-Ireland final. After an exciting game Offaly were the winners by 2-16 to 1-12, giving Dooley a second All-Ireland medal in the minor grade.
That same year Dooley was also a key member of the Offaly under-21 team. He won a Leinster
title in that grade following a 3-16 to 3-9 win over Kilkenny. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Offaly take on Tipperary. A high-scoring game saw Dooley's side being defeated by 4-10 to 3-11.
Two years later Dooley added a second Leinster winners' medal to his collection that year before later playing in a second All-Ireland under-21 final. Galway
provided the opposition on that occasion, however, Dooley's side were comletely outclassed again as the men from the West won by 2-17 to 1-9.
The following year Dooley added a third Leinster under-21 winners' medal to his collection that year before later lining out in the All-Ireland final. Waterford
provided the opposition on that occasion, however, both sides finished level. The replay saw Waterford win the game by 0-12 to 2-3, leaving Dooley with a third All-Ireland under-21 runners-up medal.
, with Offaly recahing the final of that competition. Wexford
were the opponents on that occasion, however, after a tense game Offaly took the victory and Dooley captured a coveted National League winners’ medal. He made his championship debut against Dublin
later that summer, however, provincial success was slow in coming.
After a few years out of the limelight Offaly bounced back in 1994. That year Dooley added a Leinster
senior winners’ medal to his collection following a 1-18 to 0-14 victory over Wexford. After defeating Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final, Dooley later lined out against Limerick
in the All-Ireland final. With five minutes left in the game Limerick were five points ahead and were coasting to victory. It was then that one of the most explosive All-Ireland final finishes of all-time took place. Offaly were awarded a close-in free which Johnny Dooley
stepped up to take. Dooley was told by the management team to take a point; however, he lashed the ball into the Limerick net to reduce the deficit. Following the puck-out Offaly worked the ball up field and Pat O'Connor struck for a second goal. The Offaly forwards scored another five unanswered points in the time remaining to secure a 3-16 to 2-13 victory. This victory gave Dooley a coveted All-Ireland
winner’s medal. He was later presented with his first All-Star
award.
In 1995 Offaly retained the Leinster title following a 2-16 to 2-5 trouncing of Kilkenny. It was Dooley's second provincial winners’ medal. Down
fell to Offaly in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final, allowing Offaly to advance to the championship decider and attempt to defend their title against the Munster champions, Clare. It was the first ever meeting of these two sides in the history of the championship. The game developed into a close affair with Offaly taking a half-time lead. Four minutes from the end substitute Éamonn Taaffe
first timed a long range free straight into the net to give Clare a one-point lead. After a quick equalizer Anthony Daly
sent over a 65-metre free to give his team the lead again. Jamesie O'Connor
pointed soon afterwards and at the full-time whistle Clare were the 1-13 to 2-8 winners. In spite of this loss Dooley was still presented with a second All-Star award.
Offaly surrendered their provincial crown for the next few years and failed to regain it. In 1998 Offaly had another controversial year. Dooley's side reached the Leinster final but lost to Kilkenny. This defeat prompted their manager, Babs Keating, to describe the Offaly hurlers as "sheep in a heap", and he promptly resigned. It looked as if Offaly's championship hopes were in disarray, however, they overcame Antrim
in the All-Ireland quarter-final and qualified to meet Clare in the semi-final. The first game against Clare ended in a draw and had to be replayed, however, the replay was ended early because of a time-keeping error by the referee. Following a protest on the pitch of Croke Park
by the Offaly supporters it was decided that Clare and Offaly would meet for a third time. Dooley's side won the third game and qualified to play Kilkenny in the final. Offaly reversed the Leinster final defeat by winning the All-Ireland final by 6 points. Dooley had captured his second All-Ireland medal.
Whelahan and Offaly reached the All-Ireland final again in 2000 but were defeated by Kilkenny by 5-15 to 1-14. It was the most one-sided All-Ireland final in decades and it marked the end of the great Offaly team of the 1990s. In spite of that disappointment Dooley finished off the year by winning a third All-Star award. He was forced into premature retirement in 2002 following a serious knee injury.
senior hurling team and in 2005 he took charge of the Offaly
minor hurling team. Following unsuccessful stints in both Kildare and Offaly Dooley was invited to Westmeath
where he took charge of coaching the county's senior hurling team. During his year as coach Dooley saw Westmeath capture the Christy Ring Cup
. Following the resignation of manager Séamus Qualter following this victory Dooley took over as manager.
in the group stages of Division 2A of the National Hurling League
. Four victories out of five allowed the team advance to the semi-final stage of the competition where they trounced Down
. The final saw Dooley's side defeat Carlow
on a score line of 2-12 to 0-12. In spite of not being eligible to play in the Liam McCarthy Cup
series of games, Westmeath were invited to participate in the Leinster Championship
. The teams first outing was against Dublin
, however, Dooley's side were defeated by 3-21 to 0-11. Westmeath's real hope of success was to retain the Christy Ring Cup which they won in 2007. Their campaign in that competition got off to a good start with a 3-23 to 0-13 trouncing of Roscommon
. Dooley's side narrowly lost their next game against Wicklow
, however, in spite of this his side still qualified for the quarter-finals of the Christy Ring Cup. Kildare
, the side that Westmeath defeated in the final of the competition in 2007, proved admirable opponents, however, Dooley's side still captured a 2-22 to 3-13 win. After easily defeating Derry
in the semi-final Westmeath qualified for their third final in four years. Carlow
were admirable opponents on that occasion and went on to win the game by 3-22 to 4-16. Shortly after this defeat Dooley decided to step down as Westmath manager.
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...
former 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 player. 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 Seir Kieran
Seir Kieran GAA
Seir Kieran is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the village of Clareen in County Offaly, Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with the game of hurling.-Famous players:* Joe Bergin* Eugene Coughlan* Billy Dooley* Joe Dooley...
and was a member of the 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...
senior inter-county team from 1991 until 2002. Dooley served as manager of the Westmeath
Westmeath GAA
The Westmeath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Westmeath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Westmeath...
senior inter-county team from 2007 until 2008.
Early life
Johnny Dooley was born just outside ClareenClareen
Clareen is a village in County Offaly, Ireland. It is located 8 km west of Birr on the R421 regional road.The village is situated at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains.The local Catholic church, St. Kieran's, was built in 1900.-See also:...
, County Offaly
County Offaly
County Offaly is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe and was formerly known as King's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. Offaly County Council is...
in 1971. He was born into a family that was steeped in 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...
history. His father's uncle, Tom Dooley, as well as his mother's father and uncle had all played with 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 junior All-Ireland
All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship was a hurling competition organized by the Gaelic Athletic Association in Ireland. The competition was originally contested by the second teams of the strong counties, and the first teams of the weaker counties...
finals in 1929 and 1923 respectively. Similarly, for almost two decades Johnny and his brothers Billy
Billy Dooley
Billy Dooley is a former Irish sportsperson. He played senior hurling with the Offaly inter-county team from 1991 until 1999.-Early life:...
and Joe
Joe Dooley
Joe Dooley is an Irish former hurlers and manager.Regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation, Dooley enjoyed a successful playing career at club level with Seir Kieran and remains the only Offaly player to have won three All-Ireland titles...
formed the backbone of the Offaly senior hurling team.
On January 10, 2007 Dooley, along with his two brothers Billy and Joe, was profiled on the TG4
TG4
TG4 is a public service broadcaster for Irish language speakers. The channel has been on-air since 31 October 1996 in the Republic of Ireland and since April 2005 in Northern Ireland....
television programme Laochra Gael
Laochra Gael
Laochra Gael which means Gaelic heroes in the Irish language is an Irish television programme. Now its seventh series the show profiles and celebrates some of the greatest names in Gaelic games since the 1940s. Each of the programmes contains interviews with the subject, archive footage of their...
.
Club
Dooley, along with his four brothers, played 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 Seir Kieran
Seir Kieran GAA
Seir Kieran is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the village of Clareen in County Offaly, Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with the game of hurling.-Famous players:* Joe Bergin* Eugene Coughlan* Billy Dooley* Joe Dooley...
club. He enjoyed some success at underage levels before winning four senior county championship titles in 1988, 1995, 1996 and 1998.
Minor & under-21
By the late 1980s Dooley had earned a call-up to the OffalyOffaly 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...
minor hurling team. In 1987 he captured a coveted Leinster
Leinster Minor Hurling Championship
The ESB Leinster Minor Hurling Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Hurling played in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Leinster Council...
title in that grade following a victory over 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...
. Offaly later played 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...
in the All-Ireland final. After an exciting hour of hurling Offaly emerged victorious by 2-8 to 0-12, giving Dooley a minor 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...
winners' medal. It was Offaly's first-ever minor title.
Offaly lost their provincial crown in 1988, however, the following year Dooley captured a second Leinster title following a trouncing of Kilkenny in a provincial final replay. Offaly 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 All-Ireland final. After an exciting game Offaly were the winners by 2-16 to 1-12, giving Dooley a second All-Ireland medal in the minor grade.
That same year Dooley was also a key member of the Offaly under-21 team. He won a Leinster
Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship
For the Senior equivalent see: Leinster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Leinster U-21 Hurling Championship or for sponsorship reasons the Erin Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship is an U-21 hurling tournament. The first tournament took place in 1964 when Wexford were crowned champions. Wexford...
title in that grade following a 3-16 to 3-9 win over Kilkenny. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Offaly take on Tipperary. A high-scoring game saw Dooley's side being defeated by 4-10 to 3-11.
Two years later Dooley added a second Leinster winners' medal to his collection that year before later playing in a second All-Ireland under-21 final. 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,...
provided the opposition on that occasion, however, Dooley's side were comletely outclassed again as the men from the West won by 2-17 to 1-9.
The following year Dooley added a third Leinster under-21 winners' medal to his collection that year before later lining out in the All-Ireland final. 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...
provided the opposition on that occasion, however, both sides finished level. The replay saw Waterford win the game by 0-12 to 2-3, leaving Dooley with a third All-Ireland under-21 runners-up medal.
Senior
By this stage Dolley was also a member of the Offaly senior hurling team. He made his senior debut in the 1990-91 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...
, with Offaly recahing the final of that competition. 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...
were the opponents on that occasion, however, after a tense game Offaly took the victory and Dooley captured a coveted National League winners’ medal. He made his championship debut against 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...
later that summer, however, provincial success was slow in coming.
After a few years out of the limelight Offaly bounced back in 1994. That year Dooley added a Leinster
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
The Leinster 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 Leinster in Ireland....
senior winners’ medal to his collection following a 1-18 to 0-14 victory over Wexford. After defeating Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final, Dooley later lined out against 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...
in the All-Ireland final. With five minutes left in the game Limerick were five points ahead and were coasting to victory. It was then that one of the most explosive All-Ireland final finishes of all-time took place. Offaly were awarded a close-in free which Johnny Dooley
Johnny Dooley
Johnny Dooley is an Irish former hurling manager and player. He played hurling with his local club Seir Kieran and was a member of the Offaly senior inter-county team from 1991 until 2002...
stepped up to take. Dooley was told by the management team to take a point; however, he lashed the ball into the Limerick net to reduce the deficit. Following the puck-out Offaly worked the ball up field and Pat O'Connor struck for a second goal. The Offaly forwards scored another five unanswered points in the time remaining to secure a 3-16 to 2-13 victory. This victory gave Dooley a coveted 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....
winner’s medal. He was later presented with his first All-Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
award.
In 1995 Offaly retained the Leinster title following a 2-16 to 2-5 trouncing of Kilkenny. It was Dooley's second provincial winners’ medal. 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...
fell to Offaly in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final, allowing Offaly to advance to the championship decider and attempt to defend their title against the Munster champions, Clare. It was the first ever meeting of these two sides in the history of the championship. The game developed into a close affair with Offaly taking a half-time lead. Four minutes from the end substitute Éamonn Taaffe
Éamonn Taaffe
Éamonn Taaffe is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Tubber and was a member of the Clare senior inter-county team in the 1990s. Taaffe scored Clare's only goal in their 2-point victory over Offaly in the 1995 All-Ireland Final. This was Clare's first All-Ireland win in 81...
first timed a long range free straight into the net to give Clare a one-point lead. After a quick equalizer Anthony Daly
Anthony Daly (hurler)
Anthony Daly is an Irish hurling manager and former player. He is the current manager of the Dublin senior hurling team....
sent over a 65-metre free to give his team the lead again. Jamesie O'Connor
Jamesie O'Connor
Jamesie O'Connor is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club St. Joseph's Doora-Barefield and with the Clare senior inter-county team from 1993 until 2004.-Biography:...
pointed soon afterwards and at the full-time whistle Clare were the 1-13 to 2-8 winners. In spite of this loss Dooley was still presented with a second All-Star award.
Offaly surrendered their provincial crown for the next few years and failed to regain it. In 1998 Offaly had another controversial year. Dooley's side reached the Leinster final but lost to Kilkenny. This defeat prompted their manager, Babs Keating, to describe the Offaly hurlers as "sheep in a heap", and he promptly resigned. It looked as if Offaly's championship hopes were in disarray, however, they overcame Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...
in the All-Ireland quarter-final and qualified to meet Clare in the semi-final. The first game against Clare ended in a draw and had to be replayed, however, the replay was ended early because of a time-keeping error by the referee. Following a protest on the pitch of 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 the Offaly supporters it was decided that Clare and Offaly would meet for a third time. Dooley's side won the third game and qualified to play Kilkenny in the final. Offaly reversed the Leinster final defeat by winning the All-Ireland final by 6 points. Dooley had captured his second All-Ireland medal.
Whelahan and Offaly reached the All-Ireland final again in 2000 but were defeated by Kilkenny by 5-15 to 1-14. It was the most one-sided All-Ireland final in decades and it marked the end of the great Offaly team of the 1990s. In spite of that disappointment Dooley finished off the year by winning a third All-Star award. He was forced into premature retirement in 2002 following a serious knee injury.
Managerial career
In retirement from playing Dooley maintained a keen interest in the game. In 2004 he served in a coaching capacity with the KildareKildare 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...
senior hurling team and in 2005 he took charge of the 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...
minor hurling team. Following unsuccessful stints in both Kildare and Offaly Dooley was invited to Westmeath
Westmeath GAA
The Westmeath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Westmeath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Westmeath...
where he took charge of coaching the county's senior hurling team. During his year as coach Dooley saw Westmeath capture the Christy Ring Cup
Christy Ring Cup
The Christy Ring Cup is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 2005 for middle-ranking hurling teams in Ireland....
. Following the resignation of manager Séamus Qualter following this victory Dooley took over as manager.
Westmeath
Dooley's first season in charge has seen some early success. His team only lost to MayoMayo 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:...
in the group stages of Division 2A of 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...
. Four victories out of five allowed the team advance to the semi-final stage of the competition where they trounced 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...
. The final saw Dooley's side defeat Carlow
Carlow GAA
The Carlow County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Carlow GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Carlow and the Carlow inter-county teams.-Gaelic football:...
on a score line of 2-12 to 0-12. In spite of not being eligible to play in 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:...
series of games, Westmeath were invited to participate in the Leinster Championship
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
The Leinster 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 Leinster in Ireland....
. The teams first outing was against 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...
, however, Dooley's side were defeated by 3-21 to 0-11. Westmeath's real hope of success was to retain the Christy Ring Cup which they won in 2007. Their campaign in that competition got off to a good start with a 3-23 to 0-13 trouncing of Roscommon
Roscommon GAA
For more details of Roscommon GAA see Roscommon Senior Club Football Championship or Roscommon Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Roscommon County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Roscommon GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games...
. Dooley's side narrowly lost their next game against 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...
, however, in spite of this his side still qualified for the quarter-finals of the Christy Ring Cup. 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...
, the side that Westmeath defeated in the final of the competition in 2007, proved admirable opponents, however, Dooley's side still captured a 2-22 to 3-13 win. After easily defeating 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...
in the semi-final Westmeath qualified for their third final in four years. Carlow
Carlow GAA
The Carlow County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Carlow GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Carlow and the Carlow inter-county teams.-Gaelic football:...
were admirable opponents on that occasion and went on to win the game by 3-22 to 4-16. Shortly after this defeat Dooley decided to step down as Westmath manager.