Colm Bonnar
Encyclopedia
Colm Bonnar is a Irish
former hurling
manager
and retired player.
A midfielder at all levels, Bonnar enjoyed a successful playing career at club level with Cashel King Cormac’s
in Tipperary and Dunhill
in Waterford and at inter-county level with Tipperary
. He was a key member of the latter team during the 'golden age' from 1987 until 1993 and collected two All-Ireland
titles, five Munster
titles, a National Hurling League
title and an All-Star
award.
Immediately after retiring from inter-county activity Bonnar became involved in coaching. He was a selector and team trainer on the Waterford
senior hurling team under both Gerald and Justin McCarthy
from 1999 until 2003, a period which saw Waterford claim their first provincial title in nearly forty years. Bonnar later served as a selector with the Tipperary senior hurling team under Ken Hogan
, however, it was an unsuccessful period for his native county. As coach of the senior hurlers at Waterford Institute of Technology
he guided the team to a remarkable four Fitzgibbon Cup
titles in six years. Bonnar's tenure as manager of the Wexford senior team last from 2008 until 2011 and ended without any success.
, County Tipperary
in 1964. The eighth of thirteen children born to a coulpe who had strong links to Donegal
, he was educated at the local national school and later attended Cashel
CBS
. Here Bonnar's skills at both hurling and Gaelic football
came to the fore. He won Croke
, Fitzgerald and McGabhann Cup winners' medals in both codes. In 1980 and 1982 Bonnar captured two All-Ireland 'B' Colleges' hurling medals with the school.
Bonnar played his club hurling with his local club called Cashel King Cormac’s
and enjoyed some success. In 1990 he lined out in his first senior final of the county championship, however, the team eventually lost by one point. The following year Bonnar won his sole county championship
winners' medal before claiming the Munster
club title at the end of the year. Bonnar's side almost reached the All-Ireland club final, however, they were beaten by eventual winners Kiltormer of Galway
at the semi-final stage after playing two replays to decide the winner. In the late 1990s Bonnar joined the Dunhill
club in Waterford.
title in that grade. He later lined out in the minor championship decider with Wexford
providing the opposition. Tipp had a relatively comfortable 2-7 to 0-4 win, giving Bonnar a coveted All-Ireland
medal.
Bonnar later joined the Tipperary under-21 panel, winning a Munster
title at this level in 1983. He later lined out in the All-Ireland final, with Galway
providing the opposition. A final score of 0-12 to 1-9 in Galway's favour meant that Bonnar ended up on the losing side. In 1984 he added a second consecutive Munster under-21 title to his collection before later lining out in a second consecutive All-Ireland medal. Kilkenny
were the opponents on that occasion, however, Tipp were defeated again by 1-12 to 0-11. In 1985 Bonnar made it three Munster titles in-a-row before lining out in a third consecutive All-Ireland decider. Kilkenny provided the opposition once again, however, at the third time of asking Bonnar collected a coveted All-Ireland
medal after a narrow 1-10 to 2-6 victory.
That same year Bonnar also won a Munster junior hurling medal as a substitute, however, Wexford
accounted for Tipperary in the subsequent All-Ireland
final.
1987 saw Bonnar retain his place on the team. It was a successful year for Tipp as the county won its first Munster
title in sixteen years following a dramatic draw and a replay with Cork in FitzGerald Stadium
, Killarney
. In the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final Galway
put an end to Tipp’s dream season with a 3-20 to 2-17 defeat.
1988 began well for Bonnar as he added a National Hurling League
medal to his collection. He later captured his second Munster medal following another victory over Cork. A subsequent defeat of Antrim
allowed Tipp to advance to the All-Ireland final where Galway provided the opposition. With an extra year’s experience it was expected that Tipp might shade the victory. Galway, however, used this to motivate themselves. Noel Lane
scored the crucial goal for Galway while Nicky English
sent a late penalty over the bar for a point. A 1-15 to 0-14 score line resulted in victory for Galway and defeat for Bonnar.
In 1989 Tipperary were still the best team in Munster and Bonnar won his third provincial title in-a-row after a 0-26 to 2-8 trouncing of Waterford
. For the third time in as many years Tipp faced Galway in the All-Ireland series, however, on this occasion the men from the West were without their star player Tony Keady
. The game turned out to be a tense and unsavory affair as Tipp finally triumphed over Galway. Antrim, the surprise winners of the other semi-final, provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final. It was an historic occasion as it was only the second appearance of an Ulster
team in the championship decider. Antrim’s relative inexperience robbed the final of any real element of contest and Tipp romped home to a 4-24 to 3-9 win. Because of this Tipp preserved their record of being the only team to win an All-Ireland title in every decade in GAA history. It was Bonnar's first senior All-Ireland
medal.
In 1990 Tipperary surrendered their Munster crown to Cork for the first time in four years. This defeat followed Babs Keating’s infamous remark about Cork that ‘donkeys don’t win derbies’.
Tipp returned in 1991 and defeated Cork in a thrilling Munster final replay giving Bonnar his fourth provincial medal. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Tipp take on Kilkenny for the first time in twenty years. A freak goal by Michael Cleary
in the first-half gave Tipp a lead which they never surrendered. A 1-16 to 0-15 victory allowed Bonnar to capture his second All-Ireland medal in three years.
1992 saw Tipp exit the championship at an early stage, however, the team bounced back for one last hurrah in 1993. That year Bonnar added a fifth Munster medal to his collection as Tipp trounced Clare by 3-27 to 2-12. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final saw Tipp renew their rivalry with Galway; however, on this occasion Galway took the spoils. This defeat brought the curtain down on Tipp’s great revival.
After defeat after a draw and a replay in the Munster final of 1996, Bonnar lined out in a second consecutive provincial decider in 1997. Clare provided the opposition on that occasion, however, it was an occasion to foregt for Bonnar as Tipp lost a close and exciting game by 1-18 to 0-18. The introduction of the new ‘back-door’ system resulted in both Clare and Tipperary meeting for the second time in the first all-Munster All-Ireland final. The game itself was one of the best of the decade. Clare were well on top for much of the game, however, Liam Cahill
and Eugene O'Neill
scored twice for Tipp in the last ten minutes. John Leahy
missed a goal chance in the last minute while another Tipp point was controversially ruled wide. At the full-time whistle Clare won by a single point – 0-20 to 2-13.
Following defeat in the 1998 provincial championship Bonnar decided to retire from inter-county hurling.
senior hurlers. He was initially brought in as a selector before serving as trainer of the team under McCarthy and his successor Justin McCarthy
. It was a successful period for Waterford as the team captured their first Munster title in thirty-nine years in 2002. Bonnar remained with the Waterford management team until the end of the 2003 season. He then accepted an offer to serve as a selector with the Tipperary senior hurling team under Ken Hogan
. Apart from a Munster final appearance in 2004 it was an unsuccessful stint with his native-county.
Bonnar has also enjoyed much success as manager of the Waterford Institute of Technology
(WIT) hurling team. Between 2002 and 2008 he guided the institute to four Fitzgibbon Cup
titles, making WIT one of the most successful team college or university teams in recent years.
, on 11 November 2008. His team was knocked out of the Leinster Championship at the semi final stage by Dublin
, and lost to Limerick
in the qualifiers, leaving them in a situation where they had to play a relegation play-off against Antrim
. Bonnar was unhappy about the possibility that his team could potentially play in Christy Ring Cup
rather than the All Ireland Series in 2010. He and the managers of the other teams involved in the play-offs appealed to the GAA's Disputes Resolution Authority, who took the decision to postpone the relegation final until a future date. The Director General of the GAA has suggested that the relegation final will be played, but that no team would end up being relegated and that a decision would be made on the issue in early October 2009.
In July 2011 he resigned as manager of Wexford after the defeat to Limerick.
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 retired player.
A midfielder at all levels, Bonnar enjoyed a successful playing career at club level with Cashel King Cormac’s
Cashel King Cormacs GAA
Cashel King Cormacs GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the town of Cashel, County Tipperary in Ireland. They play their games in Leahy Park, on the Clonmel Road in Cashel....
in Tipperary and Dunhill
Dunhill GAA
Dunhill GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Dunhill, County Waterford, Ireland. The club enters teams in both GAA codes each year, which includes two adult hurling teams and one adult Gaelic football team in the Waterford County Championships....
in Waterford and at inter-county level with 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...
. He was a key member of the latter team during the 'golden age' from 1987 until 1993 and collected two 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....
titles, five 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....
titles, a 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...
title and an 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.
Immediately after retiring from inter-county activity Bonnar became involved in coaching. He was a selector and team trainer on the 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...
senior hurling team under both Gerald and Justin McCarthy
Justin McCarthy (hurler)
Justin McCarthy is an Irish former hurling manager and former player, who took over as manager of the Limerick senior inter-county team in October 2008. He played hurling with his local club Passage and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s.As a player McCarthy was involved...
from 1999 until 2003, a period which saw Waterford claim their first provincial title in nearly forty years. Bonnar later served as a selector with the Tipperary senior hurling team under Ken Hogan
Ken Hogan
James Kenneth Hogan , better known as Ken Hogan, is an Irish hurling manager and former player. He is the current manager of the Tipperary under-21 hurling team....
, however, it was an unsuccessful period for his native county. As coach of the senior hurlers at Waterford Institute of Technology
Waterford IT GAA
Waterford IT GAA club was set up in 1981. Its hurling team play in the Fitzgibbon Cup and Waterford Crystal Cup as well as Higher Education Leagues. Its football team play in the Sigerson Cup and McGrath Cup as well as Higher Education Leagues.-History:...
he guided the team to a remarkable four Fitzgibbon Cup
Fitzgibbon Cup
The Fitzgibbon Cup the championship for top division of university hurling in Ireland. It is administrated by the Higher Education committee which is part of the Gaelic Athletic Association...
titles in six years. Bonnar's tenure as manager of the Wexford senior team last from 2008 until 2011 and ended without any success.
Biography
Colm Bonnar was born in CashelCashel, County Tipperary
Cashel is a town in South Tipperary in Ireland. Its population was 2936 at the 2006 census. The town gives its name to the ecclesiastical province of Cashel. Additionally, the cathedra of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly was originally in the town prior to the English Reformation....
, 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...
in 1964. The eighth of thirteen children born to a coulpe who had strong links to Donegal
Donegal
Donegal or Donegal Town is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. Its name, which was historically written in English as Dunnagall or Dunagall, translates from Irish as "stronghold of the foreigners" ....
, he was educated at the local national school and later attended Cashel
Cashel, County Tipperary
Cashel is a town in South Tipperary in Ireland. Its population was 2936 at the 2006 census. The town gives its name to the ecclesiastical province of Cashel. Additionally, the cathedra of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly was originally in the town prior to the English Reformation....
CBS
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
. Here Bonnar's skills at both hurling and Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
came to the fore. He won Croke
Dr. Croke Cup
The Dr. Croke Cup is an inter-county GAA competition in hurling. The first Croke Cups took place between 1896 and 1915. Clare was the first winner of the Dr Croke Cup for Hurling in 1896. In 1909 Ulster were expelled from the Dr...
, Fitzgerald and McGabhann Cup winners' medals in both codes. In 1980 and 1982 Bonnar captured two All-Ireland 'B' Colleges' hurling medals with the school.
Club
Bonnar played his club hurling with his local club called Cashel King Cormac’s
Cashel King Cormacs GAA
Cashel King Cormacs GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the town of Cashel, County Tipperary in Ireland. They play their games in Leahy Park, on the Clonmel Road in Cashel....
and enjoyed some success. In 1990 he lined out in his first senior final of the county championship, however, the team eventually lost by one point. The following year Bonnar won his sole county championship
Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship
The Tipperary Senior Hurling Club Championship is an annual club competition between the top Tipperary hurling clubs...
winners' medal before claiming the Munster
Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for the top hurling clubs in the province of Munster in Ireland...
club title at the end of the year. Bonnar's side almost reached the All-Ireland club final, however, they were beaten by eventual winners Kiltormer of Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
at the semi-final stage after playing two replays to decide the winner. In the late 1990s Bonnar joined the Dunhill
Dunhill GAA
Dunhill GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Dunhill, County Waterford, Ireland. The club enters teams in both GAA codes each year, which includes two adult hurling teams and one adult Gaelic football team in the Waterford County Championships....
club in Waterford.
Minor, under-21 & junior
Bonnar's talent as a hurler was quickly spotted by the Tipperary inter-county selectors and he joined the minor panel in the early 1980s. In 1982 he enjoyed his first major success when he captured a MunsterMunster Minor Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Minor Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1928 for the youngest competitors in the province of Munster in Ireland...
title in that grade. He later lined out in the minor championship decider with 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...
providing the opposition. Tipp had a relatively comfortable 2-7 to 0-4 win, giving Bonnar a coveted 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...
medal.
Bonnar later joined the Tipperary under-21 panel, winning a Munster
Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Under-21 Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for players aged between 18 and 21 in the province of Munster in Ireland...
title at this level in 1983. He later lined out in the All-Ireland final, with 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,...
providing the opposition. A final score of 0-12 to 1-9 in Galway's favour meant that Bonnar ended up on the losing side. In 1984 he added a second consecutive Munster under-21 title to his collection before later lining out in a second consecutive All-Ireland medal. 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...
were the opponents on that occasion, however, Tipp were defeated again by 1-12 to 0-11. In 1985 Bonnar made it three Munster titles in-a-row before lining out in a third consecutive All-Ireland decider. Kilkenny provided the opposition once again, however, at the third time of asking Bonnar collected a coveted All-Ireland
All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of hurling played in Ireland...
medal after a narrow 1-10 to 2-6 victory.
That same year Bonnar also won a Munster junior hurling medal as a substitute, however, 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...
accounted for Tipperary in the subsequent 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...
final.
Senior
In 1986 Bonnar made his debut with the Tipperary senior hurling team. It was an unsuccessful year as Tipp were eliminated from the provincial championship at the first hurdle.1987 saw Bonnar retain his place on the team. It was a successful year for Tipp as the county won its 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 in sixteen years following a dramatic draw and a replay with Cork in FitzGerald Stadium
FitzGerald Stadium
Fitzgerald Stadium is the principal Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Killarney, Ireland, and is the home championship venue for the Kerry senior football team....
, Killarney
Killarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
. In the subsequent All-Ireland semi-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,...
put an end to Tipp’s dream season with a 3-20 to 2-17 defeat.
1988 began well for Bonnar as he added a 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...
medal to his collection. He later captured his second Munster medal following another victory over Cork. A subsequent defeat of 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...
allowed Tipp to advance to the All-Ireland final where Galway provided the opposition. With an extra year’s experience it was expected that Tipp might shade the victory. Galway, however, used this to motivate themselves. Noel Lane
Noel Lane
Noel Lane is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Ballinderreen and with the Galway senior inter-county team from 1977 until 1990. Lane served as manager of the Galway senior inter-county team from 2000 until 2002...
scored the crucial goal for Galway while Nicky English
Nicky English
Nicholas J. English , better known as Nicky English, is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Lattin-Cullen and with the Tipperary senior inter-county team from 1982 until 1996...
sent a late penalty over the bar for a point. A 1-15 to 0-14 score line resulted in victory for Galway and defeat for Bonnar.
In 1989 Tipperary were still the best team in Munster and Bonnar won his third provincial title in-a-row after a 0-26 to 2-8 trouncing of 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...
. For the third time in as many years Tipp faced Galway in the All-Ireland series, however, on this occasion the men from the West were without their star player Tony Keady
Tony Keady
Tony Keady is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Killimordaly and was a member of the Galway senior inter-county team in the 1980s and 1990s.-Club:...
. The game turned out to be a tense and unsavory affair as Tipp finally triumphed over Galway. Antrim, the surprise winners of the other semi-final, provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final. It was an historic occasion as it was only the second appearance of an Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
team in the championship decider. Antrim’s relative inexperience robbed the final of any real element of contest and Tipp romped home to a 4-24 to 3-9 win. Because of this Tipp preserved their record of being the only team to win an All-Ireland title in every decade in GAA history. It was Bonnar's first senior 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.
In 1990 Tipperary surrendered their Munster crown to Cork for the first time in four years. This defeat followed Babs Keating’s infamous remark about Cork that ‘donkeys don’t win derbies’.
Tipp returned in 1991 and defeated Cork in a thrilling Munster final replay giving Bonnar his fourth provincial medal. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Tipp take on Kilkenny for the first time in twenty years. A freak goal by Michael Cleary
Michael Cleary (hurler)
Michael Cleary is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Nenagh Éire Óg and with the Tipperary senior inter-county team in the 1980s and 1990s.-Early life:...
in the first-half gave Tipp a lead which they never surrendered. A 1-16 to 0-15 victory allowed Bonnar to capture his second All-Ireland medal in three years.
1992 saw Tipp exit the championship at an early stage, however, the team bounced back for one last hurrah in 1993. That year Bonnar added a fifth Munster medal to his collection as Tipp trounced Clare by 3-27 to 2-12. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final saw Tipp renew their rivalry with Galway; however, on this occasion Galway took the spoils. This defeat brought the curtain down on Tipp’s great revival.
After defeat after a draw and a replay in the Munster final of 1996, Bonnar lined out in a second consecutive provincial decider in 1997. Clare provided the opposition on that occasion, however, it was an occasion to foregt for Bonnar as Tipp lost a close and exciting game by 1-18 to 0-18. The introduction of the new ‘back-door’ system resulted in both Clare and Tipperary meeting for the second time in the first all-Munster All-Ireland final. The game itself was one of the best of the decade. Clare were well on top for much of the game, however, Liam Cahill
Liam Cahill
Liam Cahill was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Ballingarry and with the Tipperary senior inter-county team in the 1990s and 2000s. Cahill transferred to play for Thurles in 2007, winning a County Senior Hurling medal with them in 2009...
and Eugene O'Neill
Eugene O'Neill
Eugene Gladstone O'Neill was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in Literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into American drama techniques of realism earlier associated with Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, and Swedish...
scored twice for Tipp in the last ten minutes. John Leahy
John Leahy (hurler)
John Leahy is a former Irish sportsperson. He played senior hurling with the Tipperary inter-county team from 1988 until 2003. He also represented Tipperary in all grades in Gaelic Football. He is regarded as a great hurler in Tipperary.-Early life & private life:John Leahy was born in...
missed a goal chance in the last minute while another Tipp point was controversially ruled wide. At the full-time whistle Clare won by a single point – 0-20 to 2-13.
Following defeat in the 1998 provincial championship Bonnar decided to retire from inter-county hurling.
Managerial career
In retirement from playing Bonnar became involved in team management and coaching. Just a year after he hung up his hurley Bonnar became part of Gerald McCarthy's five-man management team with 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...
senior hurlers. He was initially brought in as a selector before serving as trainer of the team under McCarthy and his successor Justin McCarthy
Justin McCarthy (hurler)
Justin McCarthy is an Irish former hurling manager and former player, who took over as manager of the Limerick senior inter-county team in October 2008. He played hurling with his local club Passage and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s.As a player McCarthy was involved...
. It was a successful period for Waterford as the team captured their first Munster title in thirty-nine years in 2002. Bonnar remained with the Waterford management team until the end of the 2003 season. He then accepted an offer to serve as a selector with the Tipperary senior hurling team under Ken Hogan
Ken Hogan
James Kenneth Hogan , better known as Ken Hogan, is an Irish hurling manager and former player. He is the current manager of the Tipperary under-21 hurling team....
. Apart from a Munster final appearance in 2004 it was an unsuccessful stint with his native-county.
Bonnar has also enjoyed much success as manager of the Waterford Institute of Technology
Waterford Institute of Technology
Waterford Institute of Technology is a state funded third-level educational institution situated in the city of Waterford, Ireland. The Institute has six Schools and 16 Departments....
(WIT) hurling team. Between 2002 and 2008 he guided the institute to four Fitzgibbon Cup
Fitzgibbon Cup
The Fitzgibbon Cup the championship for top division of university hurling in Ireland. It is administrated by the Higher Education committee which is part of the Gaelic Athletic Association...
titles, making WIT one of the most successful team college or university teams in recent years.
Wexford
Bonnar was confirmed as manager of the Wexford senior hurling team, in succession to John MeylerJohn Meyler
John Meyler is an Irish hurling manager and former player,. He played hurling with his local clubs Our Lady's Island and St. Finbarr's and with the Wexford and Cork senior inter-county teams from 1973 until 1987...
, on 11 November 2008. His team was knocked out of the Leinster Championship at the semi final stage by 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...
, and lost to 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 qualifiers, leaving them in a situation where they had to play a relegation play-off against 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...
. Bonnar was unhappy about the possibility that his team could potentially play in 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....
rather than the All Ireland Series in 2010. He and the managers of the other teams involved in the play-offs appealed to the GAA's Disputes Resolution Authority, who took the decision to postpone the relegation final until a future date. The Director General of the GAA has suggested that the relegation final will be played, but that no team would end up being relegated and that a decision would be made on the issue in early October 2009.
In July 2011 he resigned as manager of Wexford after the defeat to Limerick.
Cashel King Cormac's
- Munster Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipMunster Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for the top hurling clubs in the province of Munster in Ireland...
:- Winner (1): 1991
- Tipperary Senior Hurling ChampionshipTipperary Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Tipperary Senior Hurling Club Championship is an annual club competition between the top Tipperary hurling clubs...
:- Winner (1): 1991
- Runner-up (2): 1990, 1994
Tipperary
- 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....
:- Winner (2): 1989All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1989The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1989 was the 103rd staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition. Tipperary won the championship, beating Antrim 4-24 to 3-9 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.-Calendar:-Overview:...
, 1991All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1991-Season:-Single game:-External links:*... - Runner-up (1): 1988All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1988-References:* Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists .* Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games .-External links:*...
, 1997All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1997The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1997 was the 111th staging of Ireland's premier hurling competition...
- Winner (2): 1989
- Munster Senior Hurling ChampionshipMunster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe 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....
:- Winner (5): 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993
- Runner-up (3): 1990, 1996, 1997
- National Hurling LeagueNational Hurling LeagueThe 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...
:- Winner (1): 1987-1988
- Runner-up (3): 1988-1989, 1991–1992, 1995–1996
- All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of hurling played in Ireland...
:- Winner (1): 1985
- Runner-up (2): 1983, 1984
- Munster Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipMunster Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Hurling Under-21 Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for players aged between 18 and 21 in the province of Munster in Ireland...
:- Winner (3): 1983, 1984, 1985
- 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...
:- Winner (1): 1982
- Munster Minor Hurling ChampionshipMunster Minor Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Hurling Minor Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1928 for the youngest competitors in the province of Munster in Ireland...
:- Winner (1): 1982