Matt O'Gara
Encyclopedia
Matt O'Gara is a former hurler
from Toomevara
, County Tipperary
, Ireland
. He played his hurling with his local club Toomevara
, and Tipperary
as midfield and wing back. He enjoyed great success winning a senior county title in hurling in 1960 and three senior titles in football between 1958 and 1960.
. O'Gara came on as a substitute for Joe Small of Borrisoleigh.
O'Gara’s performances at this level brought him to the attention of the senior team. In 1961 it was National League medal number one and Munster medal number one for O'Gara. In the subsequent All-Ireland final Tipp faced Dublin, however, in spite of being red-hot favourites, O'Gara's side were lucky to clinch victory by a single point, thus capturing his first All-Ireland senior hurling medal.
In 1962 Tipp were still the kingpins of Munster hurling with O'Gara capturing a second provincial medal. In the subsequent All-Ireland final the second instalment of the Tipperary-Wexford rivalry resulted in a win for Tipp and a second All-Ireland medal for O'Gara. He retired from inter-county hurling in 1963, following an eye injury
.
team.
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...
from Toomevara
Toomevara
Toomevara, officially Toomyvara , is a village in North Tipperary, Ireland. The village is at the junction on the R445 where it meets the R499 regional road. The village was bypassed in December 2010 by the M7 Dublin - Limerick motorway. It is also a parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of...
, County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
, 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 played his hurling with his local club Toomevara
Toomevara GAA
Toomevara GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Toomevara in County Tipperary, Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with hurling.-Honours:*Munster Senior Club Hurling Championships: 3** 1993, 2004, 2006...
, and 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...
as midfield and wing back. He enjoyed great success winning a senior county title in hurling in 1960 and three senior titles in football between 1958 and 1960.
Inter-county
O'Gara first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Tipperary minor hurling team in 1955. That team defeated Galway in the minor hurling final in Croke ParkCroke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
. O'Gara came on as a substitute for Joe Small of Borrisoleigh.
O'Gara’s performances at this level brought him to the attention of the senior team. In 1961 it was National League medal number one and Munster medal number one for O'Gara. In the subsequent All-Ireland final Tipp faced Dublin, however, in spite of being red-hot favourites, O'Gara's side were lucky to clinch victory by a single point, thus capturing his first All-Ireland senior hurling medal.
In 1962 Tipp were still the kingpins of Munster hurling with O'Gara capturing a second provincial medal. In the subsequent All-Ireland final the second instalment of the Tipperary-Wexford rivalry resulted in a win for Tipp and a second All-Ireland medal for O'Gara. He retired from inter-county hurling in 1963, following an eye injury
Eye injury
Physical or chemical injuries of the eye can be a serious threat to vision if not treated appropriately and in a timely fashion. The most obvious presentation of ocular injuries is redness and pain of the affected eyes. This is not, however, universally true, as tiny metallic projectiles may cause...
.
Provincial
O'Gara was voted best new rookie in 1961 and narrowly failed to be selected on the Railway CupInterprovincial Championship
The Interprovincial Championship or Railway Cup is the name of two annual Gaelic football and hurling competetitions held between the provinces of Ireland. The Munster, Leinster, Connacht and Ulster teams are composed of the best players from the various counties in the province...
team.
Honours
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe 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....
: 2- 1961, 1962
- All-Ireland Minor Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Minor Hurling ChampionshipThe 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...
: 1- 1955
- Tipperary Senior Hurling ChampionshipTipperary Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Tipperary Senior Hurling Club Championship is an annual club competition between the top Tipperary hurling clubs...
: 1- 1960
- Tipperary Senior Football Championship: 3
- 1958, 1959, 1960