Larry Tompkins
Encyclopedia
Larry Tompkins is a retired Irish
Gaelic football
manager
and former player. He played football at various times with his local clubs Eadestown
in Kildare and Castlehaven
in Cork. He also played football with both the Kildare
and Cork senior inter-county teams throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Tompkins captained Cork to the All-Ireland
title in 1990 and later served as manager of the team from 1996 until 2003.
, County Kildare
in 1963. The youngest of seven children, he showed a keen interest in Gaelic football from an early age. Tompkins was educated at Rathmore national school where he first played both hurling
and football. He later attended Blessington
secondary school in County Wicklow
were he developed his football skills even further. Tompkins was captain of the Wicklow Vocational Schools team that won the Leinster championship in 1980. The team subsequently lost the All-Ireland final to Derry
.
Tomkins later trained as a carpenter; however, at a time when unemployment was rife in Ireland
, he spent much of the early 1980s working in the United States
. Tompkins returned to Ireland in 1987 and settled in Castlehaven
, County Cork
. He currently owns and runs his own pub in the centre of Cork
city.
and enjoyed much success. He won a junior ‘B’ title with the club in 1981, a victory which acted as a springboard for further success. The following year Tompkins added a junior ‘A’ title to his collection. Further success followed in 1983 when Eadestown, with Tompkins playing a key role, secured a county intermediate championship title.
When Tompkins emigrated to the United States in the 1980s he played his club football with the Donegal
club in New York
. He enjoyed much success here and he captained the club to win the New York championship on two occasions. Famously, the club never lost a championship game when Tompkins was included on the team.
It was in New York that Tompkins befriended the Collins’s from Castlehaven
, County Cork
. They persuaded him to join their local club when he returned to Ireland. In 1987 Tomkins did just that and threw his lot in with ’the ‘Haven’
. Two years later his decision bore fruit. Tompkins was captain as Castlehaven defeated the famous St. Finbarr’s
club to take the county senior championship title in Cork. Castlehaven later defeated St. Senan’s of Clare to take the Munster
club title . Castlehaven’s great run of success came to an abrupt end in the All-Ireland semi-final when the club was defeated by eventual champions Baltinglass.
Five years later in 1994 Tompkins secured a second county championship winners’ medal following a victory over nearby rivals O’Donovan Rossa. A second Munster club winners’ medal later followed for Tompkins as Castlehaven defeated Clomnel Commercials of Tipperary. Once again, ‘the ‘Haven’ were later defeated by Kilmacud Crokes in the All-Ireland semi-final.
1997 saw Castlehaven lose the county final to Beara
, however, the club later represented Cork in the provincial series of games. A third Munster club title soon followed after a defeat of Fethard
in the provincial decider. Castlehaven faced heartbreak again following a third defeat in the All-Ireland semi-final.
minor, under-21 and senior football teams.
Tompkins spent three seasons with Kildare at minor level. He lined out against Meath
in the Leinster final in 1980, however, on that occasion ‘the Lilywhites’ were defeated on that occasion by 1-12 to 1-9. That same year Tompkins lined out in the Leinster under-21 final with Dublin
providing the opposition. An exciting game developed with both sides finishing level. A replay proved more conclusive with ‘the Dubs’ taking the title by 2-9 to 0-6.
Three years later in 1983 Tompkins played in a second Leinster under-21 final. Louth
provided the opposition on that occasion; however, victory went to Kildare by 1-13 to 1-8. It was Tompkins’s first Leinster
under-21 winners’ medal. Kildare, however, were subsequently defeated in the All-Ireland semi-final.
title in 1982 was the best that the county could muster. By the mid-1980s Tompkins was recognised as Kildare’s top player, however, it wasn’t long before he had a disagreement with the Kildare county board. He had been living in New York but returned regularly to line out with Kildare. The county board had been paying for his flight tickets, however, they decided to stop this and Tomkins found the expense too great. As a result of this he never played with his native-county again and faced the prospect of prematurely ending a promising inter-county career.
In 1987 Tompkins’s performances for Castlehaven brought him to the attention of the Cork senior football selectors under legendary goalkeeper Billy Morgan
. He earned a call up to the team and made his senior debut in the provincial championship that same year. The task ahead was enormous as Cork’s nearest neighbours, Kerry
, had won eleven of the last twelve Munster titles and had put Cork to the sword on most of those occasions. The ‘traditional’ Munster final in 1987 between Cork and Kerry ended in a draw, however, Cork triumphed over the four-in-a-row hopefuls by 0-13 to 1-5. It was Tompkins’s first Munster
winners’ medal. Cork subsequently qualified for the All-Ireland final with Meath
providing the opposition. Mid-way through the first-half Cork had a goal chance blocked by Mick Lyons
when Jimmy Kerrigan
looked to be through for a seven-point lead. Instead, it was Meath who led by 1-6 to 0-8 at half-time, courtesy of a Colm O'Rourke
goal. Tompkins’s radar was also off course as he missed six out of eight free-kicks. At the full-time whistle Meath were the winners by 1-14 to 0-11. In spite of the defeat Tompkins rounded off the year by winning a coveted All-Star
award.
In 1988 Tompkins captured a second consecutive Munster title before a second All-Ireland final appearance beckoned. Meath provided the opposition once again as Cork got off to a good start with a Teddy McCarthy
goal. By the end of the game Cork led by a point, however, Brian Stafford
scored the equaliser. The replay was a controversial affair. Meath’s Gerry McEntee
was sent-off after just seven minutes. In spite of being reduced to fourteen men, Meath hung on for a narrow 0-13 to 0-12 victory. It was Tompkins’s second consecutive defeat, however, he was later presented with a second All-Star.
A National League
title was captured at the start of 1989 and a third consecutive Munster title was annexed by Tompkins later that summer. Once again, Cork qualified for a third consecutive All-Ireland final. Mayo
were the opponents on this occasion and the game was a close affair for much of the opening half. An Anthony Finnerty goal after thirty-eight minutes gave Mayo a brief lead, however, the Connacht champs failed to score for the last nineteen minutes. Teddy McCarthy took control and Cork secured victory by 0-17 to 1-11. It was Tompkins’s first All-Ireland
winners’ medal and a first title for Cork since 1973. A third consecutive All-Star award quickly followed.
In 1990 Tomkins was appointed Cork captain as the team sought to retain their All-Ireland title. That year Cork made it a remarkable four Munster titles on the trot. A fourth consecutive All-Ireland final appearance quickly followed, with old rivals Meath providing the opposition. Cork suffered a blow in the first-half when Colm O'Neill
was sent off; however, Tomkins’s fellow Kildare county man, Shay Fahy, was playing a blinder at midfield. In spite of only having fourteen men Cork won the game by 0-11 to 0-9. It was a second consecutive All-Ireland title Tompkins, while he also had the honour of collecting the Sam Maguire Cup
. This victory was all the more special as the Cork hurling team had already won their respective All-Ireland
title a fortnight earlier. It was the first time in the modern era that a county had won the hurling and football ‘double
’.
Cork lost their provincial titles for the next few seasons and a series of injuries nearly brought Tompkins’s career to an end. He missed Cork’s Munster final triumph and their All-Ireland final defeat in 1993, but returned to the team in 1994. That year he secured a fifth Munster winners' medal following a convincing victory over Tipperary
. Cork, however, were later defeated by eventual champions Down
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1995 Tompkins won a sixth Munster title, a record-breaking seventh in nine seasons for Cork, as Kerry fell in the provincial decider. Once again Cork were subsequently defeated by eventual All-Ireland champions Dublin
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1996 the old order in Munster was restored. Kerry defeated Cork by 0-14 to 0-11 in the Munster final, taking their first provincial title since 1991 in the process. This defeat saw Cork exit the championship and effectively brought Tompkins’s inter-county career to an end.
under-21 football team in the early 1990s. Although he didn’t enjoy any success with the team, it was Tompkins’s coaching that helped the county to contest three consecutive Munster under-21 finals between 1993 and 1995.
In late 1996 Tompkins succeeded Billy Morgan as manager of the Cork senior football team. It was a tough act to follow as Morgan had been Cork’s most successful manager of all-time. The first two seasons proved difficult as Cork crashed out of the championship at very early stages. The county board had faith in Tompkins who was attempting to put together a new team following the retirements of some of the great players from the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In 1999 Cork were back in the big time. Tompkins began the year by guiding Cork to a National League title following a 0-12 to 1-7 victory over Dublin. Shortly after this victory he steered his adopted county to a Munster football decider against arch-rivals Kerry. In atrocious weather conditions Cork emerged victorious by 2-10 to 2-4. It was Tompkin’s first Munster title as manager and acted as a springboard for further success. In September his charges lined out in the All-Ireland final against Meath. In an exciting game that saw the lead switch hands on several occasions Cork's hopes of doing the double were dashed as Meath won by 1-11 to 1-8.
Cork lost their provincial crown for the next few seasons; however, in 2002 Tompkins’s side tasted success once again. Tipperary
surprisingly provided the opposition in the provincial final, however, the game ended in a draw. After a thrilling draw Cork trounced Tipp by 1-23 to 0-7 in the subsequent replay. It was the Kildare man’s second Munster title as manager. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final pitted Cork against Kerry. It was an historic occasion as it was the first time that these great rivals had met in Croke Park
. Unfortunately, Cork were trounced on a score line of 3-19 to 2-7. The year ended with the Cork hurling team going on strike. In turn, the football team joined in a sympathy strike. The players, who had been seeking better conditions, refused to play or train with the county again until the dispute with the county board was resolved.
Following the strike the fortunes of the Cork football team took a turn for the worse. Embarrassing defeats in 2003 brought Tompkins’s reign as manager to an end.
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...
Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
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 football at various times with his local clubs Eadestown
Eadestown GAA
Eadestown is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in County Kildare, Ireland based in the smallest parish in the diocese of Dublin, winners of the Kildare county senior football championships in 1970. Kill and Eadestown combine for juvenile purposes under the names Cill Éide.' and Oliver Plunkets...
in Kildare and Castlehaven
Castlehaven GAA
Castlehaven Gaelic Football Club is a West Cork-based GAA club in the parish of Castlehaven near the town of Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland. The club also draws players from the village of Union Hall. The club participates in competitions run by Cork GAA and by the Carbery divisional board...
in Cork. He also played football with both the 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...
and Cork senior inter-county teams throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Tompkins captained Cork to the All-Ireland
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...
title in 1990 and later served as manager of the team from 1996 until 2003.
Biography
Larry Tompkins was born in Greenmount, Rathmore just outside NaasNaas
Naas is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. With a population of just over twenty thousand, it is also the largest town in the county. Naas is a major commuter suburb, with many people residing there and working in Dublin...
, County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
in 1963. The youngest of seven children, he showed a keen interest in Gaelic football from an early age. Tompkins was educated at Rathmore national school where he first played both 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...
and football. He later attended Blessington
Blessington
Blessington, historically known as Ballycomeen , is a town in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is located on the N81 road, which connects Dublin to Tullow.- History :...
secondary school in County Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
were he developed his football skills even further. Tompkins was captain of the Wicklow Vocational Schools team that won the Leinster championship in 1980. The team subsequently lost the All-Ireland final to 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...
.
Tomkins later trained as a carpenter; however, at a time when unemployment was rife in Ireland
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,...
, he spent much of the early 1980s working in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Tompkins returned to Ireland in 1987 and settled in Castlehaven
Castlehaven
Castlehaven is a civil parish in County Cork, Ireland. It is located some 75 km south west of Cork City on the coast and is made up of two key towns: Union Hall and Castletownshend....
, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
. He currently owns and runs his own pub in the centre of Cork
Cork (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...
city.
Club
Tomkins began his club football career with his local club in EadestownEadestown GAA
Eadestown is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in County Kildare, Ireland based in the smallest parish in the diocese of Dublin, winners of the Kildare county senior football championships in 1970. Kill and Eadestown combine for juvenile purposes under the names Cill Éide.' and Oliver Plunkets...
and enjoyed much success. He won a junior ‘B’ title with the club in 1981, a victory which acted as a springboard for further success. The following year Tompkins added a junior ‘A’ title to his collection. Further success followed in 1983 when Eadestown, with Tompkins playing a key role, secured a county intermediate championship title.
When Tompkins emigrated to the United States in the 1980s he played his club football with the 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...
club in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He enjoyed much success here and he captained the club to win the New York championship on two occasions. Famously, the club never lost a championship game when Tompkins was included on the team.
It was in New York that Tompkins befriended the Collins’s from Castlehaven
Castlehaven
Castlehaven is a civil parish in County Cork, Ireland. It is located some 75 km south west of Cork City on the coast and is made up of two key towns: Union Hall and Castletownshend....
, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
. They persuaded him to join their local club when he returned to Ireland. In 1987 Tomkins did just that and threw his lot in with ’the ‘Haven’
Castlehaven GAA
Castlehaven Gaelic Football Club is a West Cork-based GAA club in the parish of Castlehaven near the town of Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland. The club also draws players from the village of Union Hall. The club participates in competitions run by Cork GAA and by the Carbery divisional board...
. Two years later his decision bore fruit. Tompkins was captain as Castlehaven defeated the famous 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....
club to take the county senior championship title in Cork. Castlehaven later defeated St. Senan’s of Clare to take the Munster
Munster Senior Club Football Championship
The Munster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament played between the hundreds of senior football clubs in Munster. The winners will represent Munster in the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship. East Kerry were the first winners of the Munster senior...
club title . Castlehaven’s great run of success came to an abrupt end in the All-Ireland semi-final when the club was defeated by eventual champions Baltinglass.
Five years later in 1994 Tompkins secured a second county championship winners’ medal following a victory over nearby rivals O’Donovan Rossa. A second Munster club winners’ medal later followed for Tompkins as Castlehaven defeated Clomnel Commercials of Tipperary. Once again, ‘the ‘Haven’ were later defeated by Kilmacud Crokes in the All-Ireland semi-final.
1997 saw Castlehaven lose the county final to Beara
Beara GAA
Beara GAA is a division of Cork GAA, and is responsible for organizing Gaelic Athletic Association games in the Beara Peninsula in County Cork, Ireland. 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...
, however, the club later represented Cork in the provincial series of games. A third Munster club title soon followed after a defeat of Fethard
Fethard GAA
Fethard GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association gaelic football club located in the village of Fethard, South Tipperary in Ireland. The club is part of the South Division of Tipperary GAA...
in the provincial decider. Castlehaven faced heartbreak again following a third defeat in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Minor & under-21
Tomkins first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a sixteen year-old in 1979. That year he was a member of 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...
minor, under-21 and senior football teams.
Tompkins spent three seasons with Kildare at minor level. He lined out 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 the Leinster final in 1980, however, on that occasion ‘the Lilywhites’ were defeated on that occasion by 1-12 to 1-9. That same year Tompkins lined out in the Leinster under-21 final 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...
providing the opposition. An exciting game developed with both sides finishing level. A replay proved more conclusive with ‘the Dubs’ taking the title by 2-9 to 0-6.
Three years later in 1983 Tompkins played in a second Leinster under-21 final. 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....
provided the opposition on that occasion; however, victory went to Kildare by 1-13 to 1-8. It was Tompkins’s first Leinster
Leinster Under-21 Football Championship
For information on the latest U-21 championship see: Leinster U21 Football Championship 2007The Leinster Under-21 Football Championship is the Under 21 "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Leinster in Ireland...
under-21 winners’ medal. Kildare, however, were subsequently defeated in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Senior
By this stage Tompkins was a well-established player on the Kildare senior football team. It was an unhappy time for ‘the Lilywhites’ as they failed to even reach the Leinster final. An O'Byrne CupO'Byrne Cup
The O'Byrne Cup is a Gaelic football competition organised by the Leinster GAA. The competition is named after Matt O'Byrne, a former Wicklow GAA club officer. Participants include the twelve county teams and four colleges. The O'Byrne Cup 2011 champions are Kildare, who beat Louth in the final by...
title in 1982 was the best that the county could muster. By the mid-1980s Tompkins was recognised as Kildare’s top player, however, it wasn’t long before he had a disagreement with the Kildare county board. He had been living in New York but returned regularly to line out with Kildare. The county board had been paying for his flight tickets, however, they decided to stop this and Tomkins found the expense too great. As a result of this he never played with his native-county again and faced the prospect of prematurely ending a promising inter-county career.
In 1987 Tompkins’s performances for Castlehaven brought him to the attention of the Cork senior football selectors under legendary goalkeeper Billy Morgan
Billy Morgan (Gaelic footballer)
Billy Morgan is a former Irish Gaelic footballer. In a career that spanned three decades from the early 1960s to the early 1980s he played football at club level with University College Cork and Nemo Rangers, at inter-county level with Cork and at inter-provincial level with Munster...
. He earned a call up to the team and made his senior debut in the provincial championship that same year. The task ahead was enormous as Cork’s nearest neighbours, 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...
, had won eleven of the last twelve Munster titles and had put Cork to the sword on most of those occasions. The ‘traditional’ Munster final in 1987 between Cork and Kerry ended in a draw, however, Cork triumphed over the four-in-a-row hopefuls by 0-13 to 1-5. It was Tompkins’s first Munster
Munster Senior Football Championship
The Munster Senior Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition in the game of football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council and are played during the summer months...
winners’ medal. Cork subsequently qualified for the All-Ireland final with 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 :...
providing the opposition. Mid-way through the first-half Cork had a goal chance blocked by Mick Lyons
Mick Lyons
Michael "Mick" Lyons is an English former footballer in the 1970s and 1980s. He is most famous as captain of Everton during this period.-Everton:...
when Jimmy Kerrigan
Jimmy Kerrigan
Jimmy Kerrigan is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Nemo Rangers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1978 until 1990. Kerrigan is one of the most decorated inter-county club footballers of all-time...
looked to be through for a seven-point lead. Instead, it was Meath who led by 1-6 to 0-8 at half-time, courtesy of 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. Tompkins’s radar was also off course as he missed six out of eight free-kicks. At the full-time whistle Meath were the winners by 1-14 to 0-11. In spite of the defeat Tompkins rounded off the year by winning a coveted 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 1988 Tompkins captured a second consecutive Munster title before a second All-Ireland final appearance beckoned. Meath provided the opposition once again as Cork got off to a good start with a Teddy McCarthy
Teddy McCarthy
Teddy McCarthy is a retired Irish dual player. He played hurling with his local club Sarsfield's and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1986 until 1996. McCarthy also played Gaelic football with his local club Glanmire and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1987 until 1995...
goal. By the end of the game Cork led by a point, however, Brian Stafford
Brian Stafford
Brian Stafford is a retired inter-county Irish Gaelic footballer for County Meath in Ireland. He enjoyed much success play inter-county football in the 80's & early 90's on the Meath teams managed by Sean Boylan. For Meath he usually played at Full Forward. He played club football for Kilmainhamwood...
scored the equaliser. The replay was a controversial affair. Meath’s Gerry McEntee
Gerry McEntee
Gerry McEntee was the manager of the 2008 Dublin minor football team and is a retired inter-county Irish Gaelic footballer for County Meath in Ireland. He enjoyed much success playing inter-county football in the Eighties & early Nineties on the Meath teams managed by Sean Boylan, for whom he...
was sent-off after just seven minutes. In spite of being reduced to fourteen men, Meath hung on for a narrow 0-13 to 0-12 victory. It was Tompkins’s second consecutive defeat, however, he was later presented with a second All-Star.
A National League
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...
title was captured at the start of 1989 and a third consecutive Munster title was annexed by Tompkins later that summer. Once again, Cork qualified for a third consecutive All-Ireland final. 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:...
were the opponents on this occasion and the game was a close affair for much of the opening half. An Anthony Finnerty goal after thirty-eight minutes gave Mayo a brief lead, however, the Connacht champs failed to score for the last nineteen minutes. Teddy McCarthy took control and Cork secured victory by 0-17 to 1-11. It was Tompkins’s first All-Ireland
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...
winners’ medal and a first title for Cork since 1973. A third consecutive All-Star award quickly followed.
In 1990 Tomkins was appointed Cork captain as the team sought to retain their All-Ireland title. That year Cork made it a remarkable four Munster titles on the trot. A fourth consecutive All-Ireland final appearance quickly followed, with old rivals Meath providing the opposition. Cork suffered a blow in the first-half when Colm O'Neill
Colm O'Neill (born 1964)
Colm O'Neill is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football and hurling with his local club Midleton and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county football team from 1984 until 1991....
was sent off; however, Tomkins’s fellow Kildare county man, Shay Fahy, was playing a blinder at midfield. In spite of only having fourteen men Cork won the game by 0-11 to 0-9. It was a second consecutive All-Ireland title Tompkins, while he also had the honour of collecting the Sam Maguire Cup
Sam Maguire Cup
The Sam Maguire Cup, often called The Sam , is the name of the cup that is awarded to winners of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland...
. This victory was all the more special as the Cork hurling team had already won their respective 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 a fortnight earlier. It was the first time in the modern era that a county had won the hurling and football ‘double
The Double (Gaelic games)
The Double is a term in Gaelic games that refers to a county winning the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship in the same year. Other major trophies won in combination in the same year at minor or under-21 levels are also often referred to as...
’.
Cork lost their provincial titles for the next few seasons and a series of injuries nearly brought Tompkins’s career to an end. He missed Cork’s Munster final triumph and their All-Ireland final defeat in 1993, but returned to the team in 1994. That year he secured a fifth Munster winners' medal following a convincing victory over 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...
. Cork, however, were later defeated by eventual champions 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 All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1995 Tompkins won a sixth Munster title, a record-breaking seventh in nine seasons for Cork, as Kerry fell in the provincial decider. Once again Cork were subsequently defeated by eventual All-Ireland champions 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...
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1996 the old order in Munster was restored. Kerry defeated Cork by 0-14 to 0-11 in the Munster final, taking their first provincial title since 1991 in the process. This defeat saw Cork exit the championship and effectively brought Tompkins’s inter-county career to an end.
Managerial career
Tompkins became involved in coaching while he was still in his heyday as a player. He managed the 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...
under-21 football team in the early 1990s. Although he didn’t enjoy any success with the team, it was Tompkins’s coaching that helped the county to contest three consecutive Munster under-21 finals between 1993 and 1995.
In late 1996 Tompkins succeeded Billy Morgan as manager of the Cork senior football team. It was a tough act to follow as Morgan had been Cork’s most successful manager of all-time. The first two seasons proved difficult as Cork crashed out of the championship at very early stages. The county board had faith in Tompkins who was attempting to put together a new team following the retirements of some of the great players from the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In 1999 Cork were back in the big time. Tompkins began the year by guiding Cork to a National League title following a 0-12 to 1-7 victory over Dublin. Shortly after this victory he steered his adopted county to a Munster football decider against arch-rivals Kerry. In atrocious weather conditions Cork emerged victorious by 2-10 to 2-4. It was Tompkin’s first Munster title as manager and acted as a springboard for further success. In September his charges lined out in the All-Ireland final against Meath. In an exciting game that saw the lead switch hands on several occasions Cork's hopes of doing the double were dashed as Meath won by 1-11 to 1-8.
Cork lost their provincial crown for the next few seasons; however, in 2002 Tompkins’s side tasted success once again. 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...
surprisingly provided the opposition in the provincial final, however, the game ended in a draw. After a thrilling draw Cork trounced Tipp by 1-23 to 0-7 in the subsequent replay. It was the Kildare man’s second Munster title as manager. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final pitted Cork against Kerry. It was an historic occasion as it was the first time that these great rivals had met 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...
. Unfortunately, Cork were trounced on a score line of 3-19 to 2-7. The year ended with the Cork hurling team going on strike. In turn, the football team joined in a sympathy strike. The players, who had been seeking better conditions, refused to play or train with the county again until the dispute with the county board was resolved.
Following the strike the fortunes of the Cork football team took a turn for the worse. Embarrassing defeats in 2003 brought Tompkins’s reign as manager to an end.