Damien Martin
Encyclopedia
Damien Martin is an Irish
retired sportsperson. He played hurling
with his local club St. Rynagh's
and was a member of the Offaly
senior inter-county team from the 1960s until the 1980s. Martin has the distinction of being presented with the very first All-Star
award. He was inducted into the Offaly Hurling Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Leinster GAA Hall of Fame in 2008. Damien's son Eunan was a member of the All-Ireland winning Offaly Hurling team in 1998 making Damien and Eunan the only father and son combination with All-Ireland medals in Co. Offaly.
. His tally of thirteen senior county championship winners' medals, annexed between 1965 and 1987, is an Offaly record. Martin won his medals in 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1981, 1982 and 1987. He won his first twelve medals on the field of play and the thirteenth as sub goalkeeper in 1987 when David Hughes was between the posts. Three of these county championship victories were subsequently converted into Leinster
club titles for Martin.
minor team in the early 1960s. He enjoyed little success in this before later joining the county under-21 team. With this team he line dout in the Leinster
decider of 1967, with Dublin
providing the opposition. That game was a close affair, however, Dublin claimed a 2-10 to 2-9 victory.
By this stage Martin had already made the break onto the Offaly senior team. He made his debut in the senior grade in a National Hurling League
game in 1964. He was only seventeen years-old. In hurling terms Offaly had always lagged behind near rivals Kilkenny
and Wexford
in the Leinster Championship
, however, the tide was turning.
In 1969 Offaly reached their first ever Leinster decider with Martin playing in goals. Kilkenny provided the opposition on that occasion. Many expected Offaly to be wiped out by 'the Cats', however, the game was a lot closer than people expected. Kilkenny's goal-scoring abilities proved the key to success as they won by 3-9 to 0-16.
Two years later Offaly were still lagging behind the rest of Leinster's hurling teams. In spite of this Martin's performances during the championship were recognised when he made history by receiving the very first GAA All Star
award and, although it was his only All Star, it was a huge achievement for Martin and Offaly. The rest of the 1970s were bleak for Martin and for Offaly hurling.
Everything changed for Offaly in 1980 with the appointment of Dermot Healy
as coach of the senior inter-county team. He placed great emphasis on returning to the simple skills of the game, something which became a trademark of Offaly’s hurling style. That year Martin lined out in his second Leinster final. It was only Offaly’s sixth appearance in the provincial decider; however, the Offaly supporters and the hurling world at large expected yet another win for reigning All-Ireland champions Kilkenny. Martin's side were well prepared for the game and at half-time they only trailed by 3-6 to 1-10. At the full-time whistle Offaly were the winners by the incredible score line of 3-17 to 5-10. Not only was it Martin's first Leinster
title but it was also Offaly’s first provincial triumph. The victory was tinged with sadness, however, as Tommy Horan, father of Offaly star Pádraig Horan
, died at his home while listening to the match. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final saw Offaly take on Galway
, however, it was apparent that in winning the Leinster final the Offaly team had reached the peak of their ambition for that year. Victory went to Galway on that occasion by 4-9 to 3-10.
In spite of defeat in the All-Ireland series in 1980 Offaly bounced back and reached the Leinster final for the second consecutive year in 1981. Wexford provided the opposition on that occasion, however, Martin's side were very much on the up at the time. A narrow 3-12 to 2-13 victory gave Offaly the win and gave Martin a second consecutive Leinster winner’s medal. Furthermore, this victory allowed Offaly to advance directly to the All-Ireland final where Galway, the reigning champions, were the opponents. An exciting game developed between these two breakthrough hurling teams with both sides exchanging tit-for-tat scores. After fourteen minutes Pat Carroll
scored the opening goal of the game for Offaly, however, neither side built up a strong lead. Straight after the interval Martin was doing great work when he batted out an almost certain Galway goal. With just over twenty minutes left in the game Galway led by six points, however, the team failed to score for the rest of the match. Offaly, on the other hand, reduced this lead. Johnny Flaherty
’s hand-passed goal with three minutes was the deciding score of the game. At the full-time whistle Offaly were the winners by 2-12 to 0-15. There were great scenes of joy at Croke Park
as Offaly and Martin celebrated their very first All-Ireland
title.
Offaly were outclassed by Kilkenny in back-to-back Leinster finals in 1982 and 1983, however, the men from the ‘faithful county’ were back in 1984. That year Offaly made a fifth consecutive appearance in the provincial final. Wexford provided the opposition on that occasion and another close game developed. At the full-time whistle Offaly were the winners by 1-15 to 2-11. A single point victory gave Martin his third Leinster winners’ medal. A subsequent 4-15 to 1-10 defeat of Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final allowed Offaly to advance to the centenary All-Ireland final at Semple Stadium
in Thurles
. On the day, however, Cork were far too strong for Martin's team. Although far from being a classic game Offaly were defeated by 3-16 to 1-12.
In 1985 Martin lost his place on the team to John Troy
. In spite of this he was still a member of the panel as he collected his fourth Leinster winners' title and a second All-Ireland winners' medal as a non-playing substitute.
Martin returned as first-choice goalkeeper again in 1986 as Offaly lined out in an impressive seventh Leinster decider in-a-row. Kilkenny were the opponents on that occasion, however, Offaly were now a team in decline. A 4-10 to 1-11 score line gave victory to ‘the Cats’ and knocked Offaly out of the championship. After 22 years in senior hurling Martin retired from inter-county hurling following this defeat.
in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He first came to prominence as a substitute with his province in 1971 as Leinster defeated Munster
by 2-17 to 2-15. Martin added a second consecutive Railway Cup medal to his collection in 1972 following another win over Munster. It was 1979 before he picked up his third and final winners' medal in that competition, as Connacht
were defeated by four points.
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...
retired sportsperson. He played 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...
with his local club St. Rynagh's
St. Rynagh's GAA
St. Rynagh's is a Gaelic Athletic Association club that encompasses the towns of Cloghan and Banagher in County Offaly, in Ireland. Formed in 1961, the club gained almost immediate success - winning the senior championship in 1965. St. Rynagh's went on to appear in three All-Ireland club finals...
and was a member of the 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...
senior inter-county team from the 1960s until the 1980s. Martin has the distinction of being presented with the very first 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. He was inducted into the Offaly Hurling Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Leinster GAA Hall of Fame in 2008. Damien's son Eunan was a member of the All-Ireland winning Offaly Hurling team in 1998 making Damien and Eunan the only father and son combination with All-Ireland medals in Co. Offaly.
Club
Martin played his club hurling with his local club called St. Rynagh'sSt. Rynagh's GAA
St. Rynagh's is a Gaelic Athletic Association club that encompasses the towns of Cloghan and Banagher in County Offaly, in Ireland. Formed in 1961, the club gained almost immediate success - winning the senior championship in 1965. St. Rynagh's went on to appear in three All-Ireland club finals...
. His tally of thirteen senior county championship winners' medals, annexed between 1965 and 1987, is an Offaly record. Martin won his medals in 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1981, 1982 and 1987. He won his first twelve medals on the field of play and the thirteenth as sub goalkeeper in 1987 when David Hughes was between the posts. Three of these county championship victories were subsequently 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 for Martin.
Inter-county
Martin first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the OffalyOffaly 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...
minor team in the early 1960s. He enjoyed little success in this before later joining the county under-21 team. With this team he line dout in the 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...
decider of 1967, 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. That game was a close affair, however, Dublin claimed a 2-10 to 2-9 victory.
By this stage Martin had already made the break onto the Offaly senior team. He made his debut in the senior grade in 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...
game in 1964. He was only seventeen years-old. In hurling terms Offaly had always lagged behind near rivals 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...
and 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...
in the Leinster Championship
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....
, however, the tide was turning.
In 1969 Offaly reached their first ever Leinster decider with Martin playing in goals. Kilkenny provided the opposition on that occasion. Many expected Offaly to be wiped out by 'the Cats', however, the game was a lot closer than people expected. Kilkenny's goal-scoring abilities proved the key to success as they won by 3-9 to 0-16.
Two years later Offaly were still lagging behind the rest of Leinster's hurling teams. In spite of this Martin's performances during the championship were recognised when he made history by receiving the very first GAA 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 and, although it was his only All Star, it was a huge achievement for Martin and Offaly. The rest of the 1970s were bleak for Martin and for Offaly hurling.
Everything changed for Offaly in 1980 with the appointment of Dermot Healy
Dermot Healy (hurling manager)
Diarmuid Healy is an Irish former hurling manager who has had All-Ireland success with St Kieran's College, Kilkenny and Offaly.He has been interviewed on RTE to voice his opinions on the state of hurling in Ireland today.-External links:*...
as coach of the senior inter-county team. He placed great emphasis on returning to the simple skills of the game, something which became a trademark of Offaly’s hurling style. That year Martin lined out in his second Leinster final. It was only Offaly’s sixth appearance in the provincial decider; however, the Offaly supporters and the hurling world at large expected yet another win for reigning All-Ireland champions Kilkenny. Martin's side were well prepared for the game and at half-time they only trailed by 3-6 to 1-10. At the full-time whistle Offaly were the winners by the incredible score line of 3-17 to 5-10. Not only was it Martin's first 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....
title but it was also Offaly’s first provincial triumph. The victory was tinged with sadness, however, as Tommy Horan, father of Offaly star Pádraig Horan
Pádraig Horan
Pádraig Horan is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club St. Rynagh’s and with the Offaly senior inter-county team from 1970 until 1986. Horan later served as manager of both the Offaly and Laois senior inter-county teams.-Club:Horan played his...
, died at his home while listening to the match. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final saw Offaly take on 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,...
, however, it was apparent that in winning the Leinster final the Offaly team had reached the peak of their ambition for that year. Victory went to Galway on that occasion by 4-9 to 3-10.
In spite of defeat in the All-Ireland series in 1980 Offaly bounced back and reached the Leinster final for the second consecutive year in 1981. Wexford provided the opposition on that occasion, however, Martin's side were very much on the up at the time. A narrow 3-12 to 2-13 victory gave Offaly the win and gave Martin a second consecutive Leinster winner’s medal. Furthermore, this victory allowed Offaly to advance directly to the All-Ireland final where Galway, the reigning champions, were the opponents. An exciting game developed between these two breakthrough hurling teams with both sides exchanging tit-for-tat scores. After fourteen minutes Pat Carroll
Pat Carroll (hurler)
Pat Carroll was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Coolderry and with the Offaly senior inter-county team from 1977 until 1985.-Early & private life:...
scored the opening goal of the game for Offaly, however, neither side built up a strong lead. Straight after the interval Martin was doing great work when he batted out an almost certain Galway goal. With just over twenty minutes left in the game Galway led by six points, however, the team failed to score for the rest of the match. Offaly, on the other hand, reduced this lead. Johnny Flaherty
Johnny Flaherty
Johnny Flaherty is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Kinnitty and with the Offaly senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s.-Club:...
’s hand-passed goal with three minutes was the deciding score of the game. At the full-time whistle Offaly were the winners by 2-12 to 0-15. There were great scenes of joy at Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
as Offaly and Martin celebrated their very first 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.
Offaly were outclassed by Kilkenny in back-to-back Leinster finals in 1982 and 1983, however, the men from the ‘faithful county’ were back in 1984. That year Offaly made a fifth consecutive appearance in the provincial final. Wexford provided the opposition on that occasion and another close game developed. At the full-time whistle Offaly were the winners by 1-15 to 2-11. A single point victory gave Martin his third Leinster winners’ medal. A subsequent 4-15 to 1-10 defeat of Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final allowed Offaly to advance to the centenary All-Ireland final at Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium, located in Thurles, North Tipperary, Ireland, is the home of hurling for Tipperary GAA and for the province of Munster. It is the second largest stadium in Ireland with a capacity of 53,500....
in Thurles
Thurles
Thurles is a town situated in North Tipperary, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Eliogarty and is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly...
. On the day, however, Cork were far too strong for Martin's team. Although far from being a classic game Offaly were defeated by 3-16 to 1-12.
In 1985 Martin lost his place on the team to John Troy
John Troy (hurler)
John Troy is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played senior hurling with his local club Lusmagh and with the Offaly senior inter-county team from the late 1980s until the early 2000s.-References:*...
. In spite of this he was still a member of the panel as he collected his fourth Leinster winners' title and a second All-Ireland winners' medal as a non-playing substitute.
Martin returned as first-choice goalkeeper again in 1986 as Offaly lined out in an impressive seventh Leinster decider in-a-row. Kilkenny were the opponents on that occasion, however, Offaly were now a team in decline. A 4-10 to 1-11 score line gave victory to ‘the Cats’ and knocked Offaly out of the championship. After 22 years in senior hurling Martin retired from inter-county hurling following this defeat.
Provincial
Martin 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 came to prominence as a substitute with his province in 1971 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:...
by 2-17 to 2-15. Martin added a second consecutive Railway Cup medal to his collection in 1972 following another win over Munster. It was 1979 before he picked up his third and final winners' medal in that competition, as Connacht
Connacht GAA
The Connacht Council are a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Connacht.-Constituent counties:*Galway*Leitrim*Mayo*Roscommon*Sligo-Special counties:...
were defeated by four points.