Martin Quigley
Encyclopedia
Martin Quigley is a retired Irish
sportsman. He played hurling with his local club Rathnure
and with the Wexford
senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s. Quigley is regarded as one of the greatest players never to have won an All-Ireland
medal.
with the famous Rathnure
club and enjoyed much success. He won his first senior county title with the club in 1971. It was the first of a famous four-in-a-row as further county titles were annexed in 1972, 1973 and 1974. These wins were converted into Leinster
club titles in 1971 and 1973. Quigley won further county medals in 1977, 1979 and 1980. He continued his club hurling well into the 1980s, winning both county and Leinster titles in 1986.
minor hurling team in the 1960s. He won a Leinster
title in this grade in 1967 before later lining out in his first All-Ireland final. Cork provided the opposition on that occasion and went on to claim a 2-15 to 5-3 victory. Quigley won second Leinster minor medal in 1968 before lining out in a second All-Ireland final. Cork were the opponents once again, however, the result was the same as 'the Rebels' took the title with a 2-13 to 3-7 win.
In 1969 Quigley moved up to the under-21 grade. In this grade he won a Leinster
title in 1969 before later lining out in the All-Ireland final. A Cork team that he was well used to provided the opposition on that occasion and won the game by 5-13 to 4-7. Quigley added a second Leinster under-21 title to his collection in 1970 before later playing in his second consecutive All-Ireland final. Once again Cork provided the opposition, however, the game ended in a draw. The replay proved more conclusive as ‘the Rebels’ trounced Quigley's side by 5-17 to 0-8. In 1971 Quigley was appointed captain of the under-21 team. That year he collected a third consecutive Leinster medal before lining out in the All-Ireland final. For the fifth year in-a-row Quigley faced Cork in a championship decider and, unfortunately, Cork made it five out of five with a 7-8 to 1-11 victory over the Leinster men.
By this stage Quigley had already made his debut on the Wexford senior team. He won a senior Leinster
medal in 1970 as All-Ireland champions Kilkenny
fell in the provincial final. Galway
were defeated in the penultimate game of the championship, setting up an All-Ireland final meeting with Cork, Quigley's bête noire an underage levels. For the first time ever the final would be contested over eighty minutes instead of the usual sixty. The game itself was an exciting affair with a record sixty-four scores and eleven goals in all. After a free-flowing game Cork emerged victorious by 6-21 to 5-10.
Quigley played in his next Leinster final in 1971. The Kilkenny team of that era, a team often described as the greatest of all time, provided the opposition on that occasion. In fact, it was the first of five successive defeats at the hands of Kilkenny in Leinster finals for Wexford; however, Quigley missed the 1972 decider.
In spite of a lack of success in the championship Wexford reached the final of the National Hurling League
in 1973. On that occasion Limerick
were the opponents, however, victory went to Wexford giving Quigley his first major title at senior level.
1976 saw Wexford and Kilkenny battle it out in the Leinster final for the seventh year in succession. ‘The Cats’ were going for a provincial six in-a-row and an All-Ireland three-in-a-row, however, Wexford shocked the reigning champions by 2-20 to 1-6. It was a trouncing that nobody expected and it gave Quigley his second Leinster medal. Wexford’s championship campaign nearly came unstuck in their next game against Galway. A high-scoring game ended in a 5-14 to 2-23 draw and a replay was forced at the newly-opened Páirc Uí Chaoimh
in Cork
. The second game was just as tense an affair, however, Wexford emerged victorious by 3-14 to 2-14. Their opponents in the All-Ireland final were Cork, a team looking for their first championship title since 1970 when they defeated Wexford. Quigley's side got off to a great start and led by 2-2 to no score after just six minutes, however, Cork settled down and were spurred on with an inspirational display by Pat Moylan
. The sides were level at the interval; however, the second-half developed into what was arguably the finest final of the decade. Cork hung on to win by 2-21 to 4-11 as Quigley was left on the losing side.
In 1977 Wexford maintained their provincial dominance with another defeat of Kilkenny. It was Quigley's third Leinster medal and the defeat for ‘the Cats’ brought the curtain down on Eddie Keher
’s inter-county career. Victory in the provincial final allowed Wexford to advance directly to the All-Ireland final. For the second year in-a-row Cork provided the opposition and another classic looked likely. Wet and windy weather severely hampered both teams, however, the game was still a close affair. For the second year in-a-row Quigley ended up on the losing side as Cork claimed a 1-17 to 3-8 victory.
In 1978 Kilkenny were back as champions of Leinster and Wexford had to go back to the drawing board. A new force in the province also emerged as Offaly
won their first Leinster titles in 1980 and 1981. Quigley continued playing hurling well into the 1980s, however, after several defeats in the provincial championship he retired from inter-county hurling in 1988.
in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He first played for his province in 1973 as Leinster defeated Munster
to take the Railway Cup. Quigley added further Railway Cup medals to his collection in 1974, 1975 and 1977.
celebrated its centenary year in 1984. Throughout the year a series of special events were held while special team selections were also named. While a special GAA Hurling Team of the Century
was named, a special team of players who never won an All-Ireland
medal was also selected. Quigley's brilliance as a player was recognised when he was picked in the left centre-forward position on that team.
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,...
sportsman. He played hurling with his local club Rathnure
Rathnure GAA
Rathnure St. Anne’s is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Rathnure, County Wexford, Ireland. Rathnure's most famous players are the Rackards and Quigley brothers.-First AGM:...
and with the 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...
senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s. Quigley is regarded as one of the greatest players never to have won an All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
medal.
Club
Quigley played his club hurlingHurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
with the famous Rathnure
Rathnure GAA
Rathnure St. Anne’s is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Rathnure, County Wexford, Ireland. Rathnure's most famous players are the Rackards and Quigley brothers.-First AGM:...
club and enjoyed much success. He won his first senior county title with the club in 1971. It was the first of a famous four-in-a-row as further county titles were annexed in 1972, 1973 and 1974. These wins were converted into Leinster
Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship
The Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual Hurling tournament played between the winners of the senior club hurling championships of the counties in Leinster. The current holders of the Leinster title are Ballyhale Shamrocks from Kilkenny. The first Leinster senior club hurling...
club titles in 1971 and 1973. Quigley won further county medals in 1977, 1979 and 1980. He continued his club hurling well into the 1980s, winning both county and Leinster titles in 1986.
Inter-county
Quigley first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the WexfordWexford 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...
minor hurling team in the 1960s. He won a 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 this grade in 1967 before later lining out in his first All-Ireland final. Cork provided the opposition on that occasion and went on to claim a 2-15 to 5-3 victory. Quigley won second Leinster minor medal in 1968 before lining out in a second All-Ireland final. Cork were the opponents once again, however, the result was the same as 'the Rebels' took the title with a 2-13 to 3-7 win.
In 1969 Quigley moved up to the under-21 grade. In this grade 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 1969 before later lining out in the All-Ireland final. A Cork team that he was well used to provided the opposition on that occasion and won the game by 5-13 to 4-7. Quigley added a second Leinster under-21 title to his collection in 1970 before later playing in his second consecutive All-Ireland final. Once again Cork provided the opposition, however, the game ended in a draw. The replay proved more conclusive as ‘the Rebels’ trounced Quigley's side by 5-17 to 0-8. In 1971 Quigley was appointed captain of the under-21 team. That year he collected a third consecutive Leinster medal before lining out in the All-Ireland final. For the fifth year in-a-row Quigley faced Cork in a championship decider and, unfortunately, Cork made it five out of five with a 7-8 to 1-11 victory over the Leinster men.
By this stage Quigley had already made his debut on the Wexford senior team. He won a senior 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....
medal in 1970 as All-Ireland champions 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...
fell in the provincial 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,...
were defeated in the penultimate game of the championship, setting up an All-Ireland final meeting with Cork, Quigley's bête noire an underage levels. For the first time ever the final would be contested over eighty minutes instead of the usual sixty. The game itself was an exciting affair with a record sixty-four scores and eleven goals in all. After a free-flowing game Cork emerged victorious by 6-21 to 5-10.
Quigley played in his next Leinster final in 1971. The Kilkenny team of that era, a team often described as the greatest of all time, provided the opposition on that occasion. In fact, it was the first of five successive defeats at the hands of Kilkenny in Leinster finals for Wexford; however, Quigley missed the 1972 decider.
In spite of a lack of success in the championship Wexford reached the final 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...
in 1973. On that occasion 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...
were the opponents, however, victory went to Wexford giving Quigley his first major title at senior level.
1976 saw Wexford and Kilkenny battle it out in the Leinster final for the seventh year in succession. ‘The Cats’ were going for a provincial six in-a-row and an All-Ireland three-in-a-row, however, Wexford shocked the reigning champions by 2-20 to 1-6. It was a trouncing that nobody expected and it gave Quigley his second Leinster medal. Wexford’s championship campaign nearly came unstuck in their next game against Galway. A high-scoring game ended in a 5-14 to 2-23 draw and a replay was forced at the newly-opened 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...
in 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...
. The second game was just as tense an affair, however, Wexford emerged victorious by 3-14 to 2-14. Their opponents in the All-Ireland final were Cork, a team looking for their first championship title since 1970 when they defeated Wexford. Quigley's side got off to a great start and led by 2-2 to no score after just six minutes, however, Cork settled down and were spurred on with an inspirational display by Pat Moylan
Pat Moylan
Pat Moylan is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician and member of Seanad Éireann.Born in Banagher, County Offaly, where he still lives, he is married with three sons and one daughter....
. The sides were level at the interval; however, the second-half developed into what was arguably the finest final of the decade. Cork hung on to win by 2-21 to 4-11 as Quigley was left on the losing side.
In 1977 Wexford maintained their provincial dominance with another defeat of Kilkenny. It was Quigley's third Leinster medal and the defeat for ‘the Cats’ brought the curtain down on Eddie Keher
Eddie Keher
Edward Peter Keher , better known as Eddie Keher, is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game....
’s inter-county career. Victory in the provincial final allowed Wexford to advance directly to the All-Ireland final. For the second year in-a-row Cork provided the opposition and another classic looked likely. Wet and windy weather severely hampered both teams, however, the game was still a close affair. For the second year in-a-row Quigley ended up on the losing side as Cork claimed a 1-17 to 3-8 victory.
In 1978 Kilkenny were back as champions of Leinster and Wexford had to go back to the drawing board. A new force in the province also emerged as 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...
won their first Leinster titles in 1980 and 1981. Quigley continued playing hurling well into the 1980s, however, after several defeats in the provincial championship he retired from inter-county hurling in 1988.
Provincial
Quigley also lined out with LeinsterLeinster 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...
in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He first played for his province in 1973 as Leinster defeated Munster
Munster GAA
The Munster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Munster.-Constituent counties:*Cork*Clare*Kerry*Limerick*Tipperary*Waterford-Honours:...
to take the Railway Cup. Quigley added further Railway Cup medals to his collection in 1974, 1975 and 1977.
Post-playing career
Towards the end of Quigley's playing days the Gaelic Athletic AssociationGaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
celebrated its centenary year in 1984. Throughout the year a series of special events were held while special team selections were also named. While a special GAA Hurling Team of the Century
GAA Hurling Team of the Century
The Hurling Team of the Century was chosen as part of the Gaelic Athletic Association's centenary year celebrations in 1984 to comprise, as a fifteen-member side divided as one goalkeeper, three half-backs, two midfielders, three half-forwardss and three full-forwards, the best hurling players of...
was named, a special team of players who never won an All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
medal was also selected. Quigley's brilliance as a player was recognised when he was picked in the left centre-forward position on that team.