Willie John O'Connell
Encyclopedia
Willie John O'Connell was an Irish
sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club St. Finbarr's
and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1893 until 1894.
club and enjoyed much success throughout the first decade of club activity in Cork. He won a county senior championship
title with 'the Barr's' in 1899.
providing the opposition. A rout developed as Cork defeated Limerick
by 5-3 to 0-0. It was O'Connell's first Munster
title. Kilkenny
provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final. Cork won the game on probably the most unsuitable playing field in hurling history. After someone had neglected to get the grass cut at Ashtown, both teams moved to the Phoenix Park
were the game took place. A 6-8 to 0-2 victory gave Young a second All-Ireland title.
For a second consecutive year O'Connell was selected for championship duty with Cork. An easy 3-4 to 1-2 defeat of Tipperary
in the provincial decider gave him a third consecutive Munster winners' title. For the second time in three years Dublin provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final. The game turned into an absolute rout as Cork won easily by 5-20 to 2-0. With that O'Connell captured a second consecutive All-Ireland winners' medal. It was his last game with the Cork hurling team.
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...
sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club 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....
and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1893 until 1894.
Club
O'Connell played his club hurling with the famous St. Finbarr'sSt. 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 and enjoyed much success throughout the first decade of club activity in Cork. He won a county senior championship
Cork Senior Hurling Championship
The Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....
title with 'the Barr's' in 1899.
Inter-county
O'Connell first came to prominence on the inter-county scene with Cork as part of the Blackrock selection in 1893. That year he lined out in his first provincial decider with All-Ireland champions LimerickLimerick 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...
providing the opposition. A rout developed as Cork defeated 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...
by 5-3 to 0-0. It was O'Connell's first Munster
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster 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 Munster in Ireland....
title. 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...
provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final. Cork won the game on probably the most unsuitable playing field in hurling history. After someone had neglected to get the grass cut at Ashtown, both teams moved to the Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park is an urban park in Dublin, Ireland, lying 2–4 km west of the city centre, north of the River Liffey. Its 16 km perimeter wall encloses , one of the largest walled city parks in Europe. It includes large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues, and since the seventeenth...
were the game took place. A 6-8 to 0-2 victory gave Young a second All-Ireland title.
For a second consecutive year O'Connell was selected for championship duty with Cork. An easy 3-4 to 1-2 defeat of 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 provincial decider gave him a third consecutive Munster winners' title. For the second time in three years Dublin provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final. The game turned into an absolute rout as Cork won easily by 5-20 to 2-0. With that O'Connell captured a second consecutive All-Ireland winners' medal. It was his last game with the Cork hurling team.
Sources
- Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005).
- Cronin, Jim, A Rebel Hundred: Cork's 100 All-Ireland Titles.
- Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games (DBA Publications Limited, 2005).