Dara Ó Cinnéide
Encyclopedia
Dara Ó Cinnéide is a retired Irish
sportsperson. He played Gaelic football
with his local club An Ghaeltacht
and was a member of the Kerry
senior inter-county team from 1995 until 2005. Ó Cinnéide captained Kerry to the All-Ireland
title in 2004.
, County Kerry
in 1975. A native Irish
-speaker, he was educated at the local national school and later attended Dingle CBS
. Ó Cinnéide currently works as a radio broadcaster with the Irish Language station RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
, where he produces the daily afternoon show An Saol Ó Dheas, and he also presents the main weekly GAA show Seó Spóirt on the Irish language channel TG4
. He also writes a Gaelic football column for the Irish Examiner
and is a regular panellist on RTÉ
's premier Gaelic games programme, The Sunday Game
.
and enjoyed much success during his career. He first came to prominence with the club at underage levels, however, he enjoyed little success in these grades.
In 2000 an Ghaeltacht reached the final of the county senior championship for the very first time. Ó Cinnéide's side were the red-hot favourites going into the match, however, all did not go as planned as Dr. Crokes
took charge. A hard-fought 1-4 to 0-6 score line resulted in defeat for an Ghaeltacht.
In 2001 an Ghaeltacht were out to atone for this defeat. The team regrouped well and recahed a second consecutive county final. Tralee-based club Austin Stacks
provided the opposition on this occasion, however, Ó Cinnéide's side were well prepared. A conclusive 1-13 to 0-10 victory gave Ó Cinnéide, who chipped in with five points, a coveted county winners' medal.
An Ghaeltacht surrendered their club title in 2002, however, the following year Ó Cinnéide's side were back in the county championship decider. Laune Rangers
were the opponents on this occasion, however, the game ended in a 0-10 apiece draw. The replay a fortnight later was a much more conclusive affair. A 0-12 to 2-4 score line gave an Ghaeltacht the victory and gave Ó Cinnéide a second county winners' medal in three years. This victory allowed the club to represent Kerry in the provincial club championship. A successful campaign saw Ó Cinnéide's side reach the provincial final against St. Senan's of Clare. A close game developed, however, the Kerrymen held on in the end to secure a 1-8 to 1-6 victory, giving Ó Cinnéide a coveted Munster
club winners' medal. An Ghaeltacht continued their march in the All-Ireland series and line dout on St. Patrick's Day 2004 in the All-Ireland club championship final. Caltra
, a club from Galway
, provided the opposition and an exciting game developed. Ó Cinnéide faced the heartbreak of missing a goal in the dying seconds and eventually losing by just a single point - 0-13 to 0-12.
The following few years saw Ó Cinnéide enjoy little success with the club after the victories of the earlier parts of the decade. He retired from club football in 2007 following an Ghaeltacht's 1-3 to 0-5 defeat of Kerins O'Rahilly's
to take the county league
title.
minor football team in the early 1990s. He lined out in the provincial decider in that grade in 1992 with Cork providing the opposition. A close game developed; however, both sides finished level. The replay was also a close affair but proved more conclusive. Kerry were defeated by their greatest rivals on that occasion by 3-6 to 2-7.
Ó Cinnéide was eligible for the minor grade again in 1993, however, Kerry were knocked out of the provincial championship at a very early stage.
In 1994 Ó Cinnéide was picked for the Kerry junior football team. He played no part in the team’s hard-fought 1-6 to 0-8 Munster final victory over Clare
, however, he was included on the team for the subsequent All-Ireland decider. Galway
provided the opposition on that occasion, however, the game turned into a rout. ‘The Kingdom’ proved too strong for the Connacht champions and a 0-15 to 0-4 victory secured an All-Ireland
winners’ medal in the junior grade.
That same year Ó Cinnéide joined the Kerry under-21 team. It was an unsuccessful year for the team in that grade, however, in 1995 Ó Cinnéide lined out in his first Munster under-21 final. Waterford
were the opponents and a rout ensued. A 1-21 to 2-5 trouncing gave Ó Cinnéide a coveted Munster
winners’ medal in the under-21 grade. Kerry later qualified to play Mayo
in the All-Ireland final. After the highs of the Munster final victory, Kerry were held to a draw and a replay was required. That game was also a close affair, however, Kerry’s goal-scoring ability proved the key. A 3-10 to 1-12 score line saw Kerry claim the victory and gave Ó Cinnéide an All-Ireland winners’ medal with the Kerry under-21 team.
In 1996 Ó Cinnéide was in his last year as a member of the Kerry under-21 team. A second Munster winners’ medal was secured after an absolute trouncing of Clare in the provincial decider. The 3-14 to 0-6 victory put Kerry on the All-Ireland trail once again. Cavan
provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland decider, however, that game was far from a rout. Kerry had the upper hand for much of the game and went on to win by 1-17 to 2-10. It was Ó Cinnéide’s second All-Ireland winners’ medal in the under-21 grade.
game against Donegal
in 1994, however, he had to wait until the following year for his senior championship debut to come in a provincial semi-final against Limerick
. Kerry won that day and Ó Cinnéide lined out in the subsequent Munster final against archrivals Cork. Expectations were high that ‘the Kingdom’ could defeat ‘the Rebels’ and break back into the big time after a period in the wilderness. The game was a disappointing one for Ó Cinnéide as his side lost by 0-15 to 1-9.
In 1996 Kerry regrouped under new manager Páidí Ó Sé
and Ó Cinnéide lined out in his second provincial decider. Cork provided the opposition once again, however, on this occasion Kerry were a different team. A 0-14 to 0-11 victory gave Ó Cinnéide his first Munster
winners’ medal in the senior grade and kick-started the Kerry football revival. Kerry’s next assignment was an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Mayo. In spite of claiming the provincial title, Kerry were still not the finished article. Ó Cinnéide’s side were eventually defeated by 2-13 to 1-10.
1997 saw Kerry through down an early marker with regard to their All-Ireland ambitions. The team reached the final of the National League that year with Cork providing the opposition in Páirc Uí Chaoimh
. A 3-7 to 1-8 victory gave Ó Cinnéide a winners’ medal in Gaelic football’s secondary competition. Later that summer Kerry reached the Munster final once again. Clare provided the opposition on this occasion; however, in spite of shocking the Kerry men five years earlier, there was no shock this time. A 1-13 to 0-11 victory saw Ó Cinnéide add a second Munster winners’ medal to his collection. A subsequent defeat of Cavan saw Kerry qualify for their first All-Ireland final in eleven years. Mayo, the defeated finalists of the previous year, provided the opposition. Mayo went on a scoring spree during the match, capturing 1-2 inside two minutes. Maurice Fitzgerald
was the start player for Kerry. He scored nine points throughout the game while Mayo froze and were held scoreless for the last twenty minutes. A 0-13 to 1-7 score line gave Kerry the title and gave Ó Cinnéide a coveted All-Ireland
winners’ medal.
Kerry continued their march again in 1998 with a Munster final showdown with Tipperary
. For the third year in succession ‘the Kingdom’ proved the provincial masters, and a 0-17 to 1-10 win gave Ó Cinnéide a third Munster title. Kerry were the favourites to retain their All-Ireland title, however, a narrow 0-13 to 1-9 defeat by Kildare
in the All-Ireland semi-final brought an end to their All-Ireland quest.
In 1999 Kerry were attempting to secure a fourth provincial title in succession. Cork put an end to this dream with a 2-10 to 2-4 win over their great rivals in the Munster final. With that Kerry were dumped out of the championship.
After a low point the previous year, Kerry were back in the provincial decider again in 2000. Ó Cinnéide lined out in his sixth Munster final, his second with Clare as opposition. In a disappointing match as regards a contest, Kerry walloped ‘the Banner men’ by 3-15 to 0-8. It was Ó Cinnéide’s fourth Munster medal. Kerry had firmly established their All-Ireland contender credentials, however, the All-Ireland series proved difficult. Ó Cinnéide’s side drew with Armagh
in the semi-final, while the replay proved just as tense. Both sides finished level after seventy minutes once again and it took a period of extra-time to find a winner. Kerry narrowly emerged from that game as the 2-15 to 1-15 winners and booked a place in the Millennium All-Ireland final. Galway
provided the opposition in what was their second championship decider appearance in three years. In a game to forget both sides missed easy chances and seemed apprehensive about taking a lead. Galway trailed by seven points at one stage, but clawed their way back to secure a 0-14 apiece draw. The replay was a much more conclusive affair. Galway worked the ball the length of the field to Declan Meehan
who scored a goal to give the westerners a boost. A disputed free with seventeen minutes left in the game gave Kerry a lead which they would not relinquish. At the full-time whistle Kerry were the champions by 0-17 to 1-10. It was Ó Cinnéide’s second All-Ireland winners’ medal.
Kerry swept through the provincial series with ease again in 2001. A 0-19 to 1-13 defeat of Cork gave Ó Cinnéide a fifth Munster winners’ medal and gave Kerry a boost in their All-Ireland ambitions. In a new innovation called the All-Ireland qualifiers series, Kerry’s provincial victory allowed them to advance to the All-Ireland quarter-final. An exciting draw and a replay with Dublin
at Semple Stadium
gave Ó Cinnéide’s side the right to advance to an All-Ireland semi-final showdown with Meath
. In one of the lowest points ever for Kerry football, Ó Cinnéide’s side were absolutely demolished by ‘the Royals’ on a score line of 2-14 to 0-5.
In 2002 Kerry crashed out of the provincial championship at an early stage. In spite of this Ó Cinnéide’s side still had a chance of winning the All-Ireland title via the scenic route in the All-Ireland qualifiers. After successfully negotiating through the early stages Kerry trounced Galway in the All-Ireland quarter-final before stuffing archrivals Cork in a unique all-Munster All-Ireland semi-final. The subsequent All-Ireland decider pitted Kerry against Armagh in one of the great finals of recent years. The first-half saw everything going Kerry’s way while Armagh floundered. The Ulster men lost John McEntee
to concussion while Oisín McConville
missed a penalty just before the interval. As it stood Armagh trailed by four points at half-time and Ó Cinnéide’s side looked to be in the driving seat. A different Armagh team emerged in the second-half. McConville compensated for his earlier miss by scoring a key goal in the 55th minute. Kerry froze after this and failed to score for the rest of the match as Armagh went on to narrowly win their first All-Ireland by 1-12 to 0-14.
Kerry regrouped after this blow and reached the provincial decider once again in 2003. Limerick provided the opposition; however, they were no match for ‘the Kingdom’. A 1-11 to 0-9 victory gave Ó Cinnéide a sixth Munster winners’ medal. After an exciting game with Roscommon
, Kerry advanced to an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Tyrone
. After being shocked in the latter stages of the two previous championships, Kerry were out to atone and were favourites going into the match. The Ulster men ambushed ‘the Kingdom’, however, and Ó Cinnéide’s side faced another humiliation in Croke Park
. A 0-13 to 0-6 defeat saw Tyrone advance to the All-Ireland final while Kerry were unceremoniously dumped out of the championship.
2004 saw Ó Cinnéide being appointed captain of the Kerry team. The year began well with Ó Cinnéide’s side reaching the final of the National League. An exciting 3-11 to 1-6 victory saw Kerry claim the title and Ó Cinnéide picked up a second National League winners’ medal. Kerry later booked their almost annual spot in the provincial final and, for the second year in succession, Limerick were the opponents. Surprisingly, that game ended in a 1-10 apiece draw. The replay was also a close-run affair; however, Kerry never really looked in danger of losing. A 3-10 to 2-9 victory gave Ó Cinnéide a seventh Munster winners’ medal, while he also had the honour of lifting the Munster Cup on behalf of his team. The All-Ireland series proved no difficulty for Kerry, and ‘the Kingdom’ booked their place in the All-Ireland final against Mayo. An early goal from Alan Dillon
gave the Connacht men some hope, however, the game was effectively over after twenty-five minutes when Colm Cooper
scored Kerry’s only goal of the day. The points kept coming from Ó Cinnéide’s team and an injury-time Michael Conroy goal was nothing but a consolation for Mayo. A 1-20 to 2-9 victory gave Ó Cinnéide a third All-Ireland winners’ medal, while he also had the honour of lifting the famous Sam Maguire Cup
.
In 2005 Kerry were hot favourites to retain their All-Ireland title. All was going to plan as Ó Cinnéide’s side reached yet another provincial final. In a return to tradition, Cork were the opponents. A close game developed, however, in the end Kerry were the narrow winners by 1-11 to 0-11. It was Ó Cinnéide’s eighth Munster winners’ medal. Following this win Kerry cruised through the All-Ireland series to reach another championship decider with Tyrone providing the opposition. In one of the great finals of the decade, the result remained in doubt until the final whistle. Ó Cinnéide powered his team ahead with a goal after just six minutes. Tyrone responded in kind with a Peter Canavan
goal just before half-time. Tomás Ó Sé
launched the Kerry comeback in the 57th minute with Kerry’s second goal; however, it was too later. Tyrone hung on to win by 1-16 to 2-10. It was Ó Cinnéide’s second defeat in an All-Ireland final.
Early in 2006 Ó Cinnéide announced his retirement from inter-county football.
in the inter-provincial series of games and has enjoyed some success. He first lined out with his province in 1996 when Munster were drawn to play Ulster
in the semi-final. That game ended in a draw, however, Ó Cinnéide's side narrowly won the replay by a single point. Leinster
provided the opposition in the subsequent final. The southerners were completely outclassed on that occasion and they were defeated by 1-13 to 0-19.
After an absence of one year, Ó Cinnéide was picked for duty with Munster again in 1998, albeit as a substitute. On that occasion Munster were narrowly defeated by Leinster once again.
In 1999 Ó Cinnéide was back on the Munster starting fifteen. After a draw and an emphatic win over Ulster, Ó Cinnéide's side subsequently faced Connacht
in the series decider. A low-soring game saw Munster win by 0-10 to 0-7 and Ó Cinnéide added a Railway Cup winners' medal to his collection.
Ó Cinnéide played with his province for the last time in 2002. On that occasion Munster were narrowly defeated by Ulster in the semi-final stage of the competition.
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 Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
with his local club An Ghaeltacht
An Ghaeltacht GAA
An Ghaeltacht is a Gaelic Athletic Association club from County Kerry. The club competes as an individual club in the Kerry Senior Football Championship.-Honours:* Kerry Senior Football Championship Winners: 2001,2003...
and was a member of the Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry 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 Kerry...
senior inter-county team from 1995 until 2005. Ó Cinnéide captained Kerry to the All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
title in 2004.
Biography
Dara Ó Cinnéide was born near DingleDingle
Dingle is a town in County Kerry, Ireland. The only town on the Dingle Peninsula, it sits on the Atlantic coast, about 49 kilometres southwest of Tralee and 71 kilometres northwest of Killarney....
, County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
in 1975. A native Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
-speaker, he was educated at the local national school and later attended Dingle CBS
Dingle CBS
Dingle CBS was a Secondary School in Dingle town in County Kerry. It opened in 1846 by the Christian Brothers...
. Ó Cinnéide currently works as a radio broadcaster with the Irish Language station RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta , abbreviated RnaG, is the Irish-language radio service of the public-service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. The station is available on FM in Ireland and via satellite and on the Internet.- History :...
, where he produces the daily afternoon show An Saol Ó Dheas, and he also presents the main weekly GAA show Seó Spóirt on the Irish language channel TG4
TG4
TG4 is a public service broadcaster for Irish language speakers. The channel has been on-air since 31 October 1996 in the Republic of Ireland and since April 2005 in Northern Ireland....
. He also writes a Gaelic football column for the Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner
The Irish Examiner, formerly The Cork Examiner and then The Examiner, is an Irish national daily newspaper which primarily circulates in the Munster region surrounding its base in Cork, though it is available throughout the country...
and is a regular panellist on RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
's premier Gaelic games programme, The Sunday Game
The Sunday Game
The Sunday Game is Raidió Teilifís Éireann's main Gaelic games television programme. It is shown on RTÉ Two every Sunday during the Football Championship and Hurling Championship seasons. It is one of RTÉ Two’s longest-running shows, having been on air since 1979, one year after the channel first...
.
Club
Ó Cinnéide played his club football with his local club called an GhaeltachtAn Ghaeltacht GAA
An Ghaeltacht is a Gaelic Athletic Association club from County Kerry. The club competes as an individual club in the Kerry Senior Football Championship.-Honours:* Kerry Senior Football Championship Winners: 2001,2003...
and enjoyed much success during his career. He first came to prominence with the club at underage levels, however, he enjoyed little success in these grades.
In 2000 an Ghaeltacht reached the final of the county senior championship for the very first time. Ó Cinnéide's side were the red-hot favourites going into the match, however, all did not go as planned as Dr. Crokes
Dr. Crokes
Dr Crokes is a Gaelic football club based in Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland. Famous current players include Colm "Gooch" Cooper and Eoin Brosnan....
took charge. A hard-fought 1-4 to 0-6 score line resulted in defeat for an Ghaeltacht.
In 2001 an Ghaeltacht were out to atone for this defeat. The team regrouped well and recahed a second consecutive county final. Tralee-based club Austin Stacks
Austin Stacks
Austin Stacks is a hurling and Gaelic football club based in Tralee in County Kerry, Ireland. It has more All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medals and GAA All-Stars than any other GAA club in Ireland...
provided the opposition on this occasion, however, Ó Cinnéide's side were well prepared. A conclusive 1-13 to 0-10 victory gave Ó Cinnéide, who chipped in with five points, a coveted county winners' medal.
An Ghaeltacht surrendered their club title in 2002, however, the following year Ó Cinnéide's side were back in the county championship decider. Laune Rangers
Laune Rangers
Laune Rangers is a Gaelic football and Hurling club based in Killorglin, County Kerry, Ireland. The club is affiliated to Kerry GAA. Rangers won the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship in 1996.-History:...
were the opponents on this occasion, however, the game ended in a 0-10 apiece draw. The replay a fortnight later was a much more conclusive affair. A 0-12 to 2-4 score line gave an Ghaeltacht the victory and gave Ó Cinnéide a second county winners' medal in three years. This victory allowed the club to represent Kerry in the provincial club championship. A successful campaign saw Ó Cinnéide's side reach the provincial final against St. Senan's of Clare. A close game developed, however, the Kerrymen held on in the end to secure a 1-8 to 1-6 victory, giving Ó Cinnéide a coveted Munster
Munster Senior Club Football Championship
The Munster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament played between the hundreds of senior football clubs in Munster. The winners will represent Munster in the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship. East Kerry were the first winners of the Munster senior...
club winners' medal. An Ghaeltacht continued their march in the All-Ireland series and line dout on St. Patrick's Day 2004 in the All-Ireland club championship final. Caltra
Caltra GAC
Caltra is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Caltra, County Galway, Republic Of Ireland. The club is a member of the Galway GAA...
, a club from 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...
, provided the opposition and an exciting game developed. Ó Cinnéide faced the heartbreak of missing a goal in the dying seconds and eventually losing by just a single point - 0-13 to 0-12.
The following few years saw Ó Cinnéide enjoy little success with the club after the victories of the earlier parts of the decade. He retired from club football in 2007 following an Ghaeltacht's 1-3 to 0-5 defeat of Kerins O'Rahilly's
Kerins O'Rahilly's
Kerins O'Rahilly's are a Gaelic Athletic Association club from Tralee County Kerry, Ireland. They are based in the Strand Road area of the town. They are in Division 1 of the county league which they won in 2006, and compete in the County Championship. The club won the County Championship last in...
to take the county league
Kerry County Football League - Division 1
The Kerry County Football League is a Gaelic football competition between all of the club teams in Kerry. The competition is divided into five divisions. All of the teams in each division play against each other once. At the end of the competition the top 2 and bottom 2 teams get promoted and...
title.
Minor, under-21 & junior
Ó Cinnéide first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the KerryKerry GAA
The Kerry 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 Kerry...
minor football team in the early 1990s. He lined out in the provincial decider in that grade in 1992 with Cork providing the opposition. A close game developed; however, both sides finished level. The replay was also a close affair but proved more conclusive. Kerry were defeated by their greatest rivals on that occasion by 3-6 to 2-7.
Ó Cinnéide was eligible for the minor grade again in 1993, however, Kerry were knocked out of the provincial championship at a very early stage.
In 1994 Ó Cinnéide was picked for the Kerry junior football team. He played no part in the team’s hard-fought 1-6 to 0-8 Munster final victory over Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
, however, he was included on the team for the subsequent All-Ireland decider. 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,...
provided the opposition on that occasion, however, the game turned into a rout. ‘The Kingdom’ proved too strong for the Connacht champions and a 0-15 to 0-4 victory secured an All-Ireland
All-Ireland Junior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Junior Football Championship is a Gaelic Athletic Association competition for junior gaelic football inter-county teams in Ireland. The definition of what constitutes a junior player differs from county to county. In some, the junior team is the second team after the senior team...
winners’ medal in the junior grade.
That same year Ó Cinnéide joined the Kerry under-21 team. It was an unsuccessful year for the team in that grade, however, in 1995 Ó Cinnéide lined out in his first Munster under-21 final. 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...
were the opponents and a rout ensued. A 1-21 to 2-5 trouncing gave Ó Cinnéide a coveted Munster
Munster Under-21 Football Championship
The Munster Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster, in Ireland....
winners’ medal in the under-21 grade. Kerry later qualified to play Mayo
Mayo GAA
The Mayo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Mayo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Mayo and the Mayo inter-county teams.-History:...
in the All-Ireland final. After the highs of the Munster final victory, Kerry were held to a draw and a replay was required. That game was also a close affair, however, Kerry’s goal-scoring ability proved the key. A 3-10 to 1-12 score line saw Kerry claim the victory and gave Ó Cinnéide an All-Ireland winners’ medal with the Kerry under-21 team.
In 1996 Ó Cinnéide was in his last year as a member of the Kerry under-21 team. A second Munster winners’ medal was secured after an absolute trouncing of Clare in the provincial decider. The 3-14 to 0-6 victory put Kerry on the All-Ireland trail once again. Cavan
Cavan GAA
The Cavan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Cavan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Cavan...
provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland decider, however, that game was far from a rout. Kerry had the upper hand for much of the game and went on to win by 1-17 to 2-10. It was Ó Cinnéide’s second All-Ireland winners’ medal in the under-21 grade.
Senior
By this stage Ó Cinnéide was also a key member of the Kerry senior football team. He made his senior debut in a National Football LeagueNational Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
game against Donegal
Donegal GAA
The Donegal County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Donegal GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Donegal. The county board is also responsible for the Donegal inter-county teams.Gaelic football is strongest in the...
in 1994, however, he had to wait until the following year for his senior championship debut to come in a provincial semi-final against 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...
. Kerry won that day and Ó Cinnéide lined out in the subsequent Munster final against archrivals Cork. Expectations were high that ‘the Kingdom’ could defeat ‘the Rebels’ and break back into the big time after a period in the wilderness. The game was a disappointing one for Ó Cinnéide as his side lost by 0-15 to 1-9.
In 1996 Kerry regrouped under new manager Páidí Ó Sé
Páidí Ó Sé
Páidí Ó Sé is a retired Irish Gaelic football manager and former player. He played football with his local club An Ghaeltacht and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1975 until 1987...
and Ó Cinnéide lined out in his second provincial decider. Cork provided the opposition once again, however, on this occasion Kerry were a different team. A 0-14 to 0-11 victory gave Ó Cinnéide his first Munster
Munster Senior Football Championship
The Munster Senior Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition in the game of football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council and are played during the summer months...
winners’ medal in the senior grade and kick-started the Kerry football revival. Kerry’s next assignment was an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Mayo. In spite of claiming the provincial title, Kerry were still not the finished article. Ó Cinnéide’s side were eventually defeated by 2-13 to 1-10.
1997 saw Kerry through down an early marker with regard to their All-Ireland ambitions. The team reached the final of the National League that year with Cork providing the opposition in 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...
. A 3-7 to 1-8 victory gave Ó Cinnéide a winners’ medal in Gaelic football’s secondary competition. Later that summer Kerry reached the Munster final once again. Clare provided the opposition on this occasion; however, in spite of shocking the Kerry men five years earlier, there was no shock this time. A 1-13 to 0-11 victory saw Ó Cinnéide add a second Munster winners’ medal to his collection. A subsequent defeat of Cavan saw Kerry qualify for their first All-Ireland final in eleven years. Mayo, the defeated finalists of the previous year, provided the opposition. Mayo went on a scoring spree during the match, capturing 1-2 inside two minutes. Maurice Fitzgerald
Maurice Fitzgerald (footballer)
Maurice Fitzgerald is an Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club St. Mary's and divisional side South Kerry and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county football team from 1988 until 2001...
was the start player for Kerry. He scored nine points throughout the game while Mayo froze and were held scoreless for the last twenty minutes. A 0-13 to 1-7 score line gave Kerry the title and gave Ó Cinnéide a coveted All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
winners’ medal.
Kerry continued their march again in 1998 with a Munster final showdown 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...
. For the third year in succession ‘the Kingdom’ proved the provincial masters, and a 0-17 to 1-10 win gave Ó Cinnéide a third Munster title. Kerry were the favourites to retain their All-Ireland title, however, a narrow 0-13 to 1-9 defeat by Kildare
Kildare GAA
For more information see Kildare Senior Club Football Championship or Kildare Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Kildare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Kildare GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kildare...
in the All-Ireland semi-final brought an end to their All-Ireland quest.
In 1999 Kerry were attempting to secure a fourth provincial title in succession. Cork put an end to this dream with a 2-10 to 2-4 win over their great rivals in the Munster final. With that Kerry were dumped out of the championship.
After a low point the previous year, Kerry were back in the provincial decider again in 2000. Ó Cinnéide lined out in his sixth Munster final, his second with Clare as opposition. In a disappointing match as regards a contest, Kerry walloped ‘the Banner men’ by 3-15 to 0-8. It was Ó Cinnéide’s fourth Munster medal. Kerry had firmly established their All-Ireland contender credentials, however, the All-Ireland series proved difficult. Ó Cinnéide’s side drew with Armagh
Armagh GAA
The Armagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Armagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Armagh...
in the semi-final, while the replay proved just as tense. Both sides finished level after seventy minutes once again and it took a period of extra-time to find a winner. Kerry narrowly emerged from that game as the 2-15 to 1-15 winners and booked a place in the Millennium All-Ireland 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,...
provided the opposition in what was their second championship decider appearance in three years. In a game to forget both sides missed easy chances and seemed apprehensive about taking a lead. Galway trailed by seven points at one stage, but clawed their way back to secure a 0-14 apiece draw. The replay was a much more conclusive affair. Galway worked the ball the length of the field to Declan Meehan
Declan Meehan
Declan Meehan is an Irish radio presenter. Currently fronting The Morning Show with local radio station East Coast FM, his career has incorporated involvement with multiple pirate radio stations and, later, Radio 2...
who scored a goal to give the westerners a boost. A disputed free with seventeen minutes left in the game gave Kerry a lead which they would not relinquish. At the full-time whistle Kerry were the champions by 0-17 to 1-10. It was Ó Cinnéide’s second All-Ireland winners’ medal.
Kerry swept through the provincial series with ease again in 2001. A 0-19 to 1-13 defeat of Cork gave Ó Cinnéide a fifth Munster winners’ medal and gave Kerry a boost in their All-Ireland ambitions. In a new innovation called the All-Ireland qualifiers series, Kerry’s provincial victory allowed them to advance to the All-Ireland quarter-final. An exciting draw and a replay 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...
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....
gave Ó Cinnéide’s side the right to advance to an All-Ireland semi-final showdown with Meath
Meath GAA
The Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
. In one of the lowest points ever for Kerry football, Ó Cinnéide’s side were absolutely demolished by ‘the Royals’ on a score line of 2-14 to 0-5.
In 2002 Kerry crashed out of the provincial championship at an early stage. In spite of this Ó Cinnéide’s side still had a chance of winning the All-Ireland title via the scenic route in the All-Ireland qualifiers. After successfully negotiating through the early stages Kerry trounced Galway in the All-Ireland quarter-final before stuffing archrivals Cork in a unique all-Munster All-Ireland semi-final. The subsequent All-Ireland decider pitted Kerry against Armagh in one of the great finals of recent years. The first-half saw everything going Kerry’s way while Armagh floundered. The Ulster men lost John McEntee
John McEntee (Gaelic footballer)
John McEntee is a retired Irish Gaelic footballer. McEntee played for Armagh between 19xx and 2007. He was part of the Armagh first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winning side in 2002...
to concussion while Oisín McConville
Oisín McConville
Oisín McConville is an Irish Gaelic footballer who played for Armagh in the 1990s and 2000s. He has won an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medal, seven Ulster Championships and a National League title with the county...
missed a penalty just before the interval. As it stood Armagh trailed by four points at half-time and Ó Cinnéide’s side looked to be in the driving seat. A different Armagh team emerged in the second-half. McConville compensated for his earlier miss by scoring a key goal in the 55th minute. Kerry froze after this and failed to score for the rest of the match as Armagh went on to narrowly win their first All-Ireland by 1-12 to 0-14.
Kerry regrouped after this blow and reached the provincial decider once again in 2003. Limerick provided the opposition; however, they were no match for ‘the Kingdom’. A 1-11 to 0-9 victory gave Ó Cinnéide a sixth Munster winners’ medal. After an exciting game with Roscommon
Roscommon GAA
For more details of Roscommon GAA see Roscommon Senior Club Football Championship or Roscommon Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Roscommon County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Roscommon GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games...
, Kerry advanced to an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Tyrone
Tyrone GAA
The Tyrone County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Tyrone GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Tyrone. The county board is also responsible for the Tyrone inter-county teams....
. After being shocked in the latter stages of the two previous championships, Kerry were out to atone and were favourites going into the match. The Ulster men ambushed ‘the Kingdom’, however, and Ó Cinnéide’s side faced another humiliation in Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
. A 0-13 to 0-6 defeat saw Tyrone advance to the All-Ireland final while Kerry were unceremoniously dumped out of the championship.
2004 saw Ó Cinnéide being appointed captain of the Kerry team. The year began well with Ó Cinnéide’s side reaching the final of the National League. An exciting 3-11 to 1-6 victory saw Kerry claim the title and Ó Cinnéide picked up a second National League winners’ medal. Kerry later booked their almost annual spot in the provincial final and, for the second year in succession, Limerick were the opponents. Surprisingly, that game ended in a 1-10 apiece draw. The replay was also a close-run affair; however, Kerry never really looked in danger of losing. A 3-10 to 2-9 victory gave Ó Cinnéide a seventh Munster winners’ medal, while he also had the honour of lifting the Munster Cup on behalf of his team. The All-Ireland series proved no difficulty for Kerry, and ‘the Kingdom’ booked their place in the All-Ireland final against Mayo. An early goal from Alan Dillon
Alan Dillon
Alan Dillon is a current Irish Gaelic Footballer. He plies his trade locally with Ballintubber GAA Club and is a member of the Mayo Senior Football Team since 2003. Club...
gave the Connacht men some hope, however, the game was effectively over after twenty-five minutes when Colm Cooper
Colm Cooper
Colm ‘Gooch’ Cooper is an Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club Dr. Croke’s and has been a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team since 2002. Cooper is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.-Club:Cooper helped Dr. Crokes win the 2000 Kerry...
scored Kerry’s only goal of the day. The points kept coming from Ó Cinnéide’s team and an injury-time Michael Conroy goal was nothing but a consolation for Mayo. A 1-20 to 2-9 victory gave Ó Cinnéide a third All-Ireland winners’ medal, while he also had the honour of lifting the famous Sam Maguire Cup
Sam Maguire Cup
The Sam Maguire Cup, often called The Sam , is the name of the cup that is awarded to winners of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland...
.
In 2005 Kerry were hot favourites to retain their All-Ireland title. All was going to plan as Ó Cinnéide’s side reached yet another provincial final. In a return to tradition, Cork were the opponents. A close game developed, however, in the end Kerry were the narrow winners by 1-11 to 0-11. It was Ó Cinnéide’s eighth Munster winners’ medal. Following this win Kerry cruised through the All-Ireland series to reach another championship decider with Tyrone providing the opposition. In one of the great finals of the decade, the result remained in doubt until the final whistle. Ó Cinnéide powered his team ahead with a goal after just six minutes. Tyrone responded in kind with a Peter Canavan
Peter Canavan
Peter Canavan is manager of Fermanagh and an Irish former Gaelic football player for Tyrone, and is one of the most decorated players in the game's history, winning two All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medals, six GAA All Stars Awards , four provincial titles, and two National Leagues and...
goal just before half-time. Tomás Ó Sé
Tomás Ó Sé
Tomás Ó Sé is an Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club An Ghaeltacht and has been a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1998.-Club:...
launched the Kerry comeback in the 57th minute with Kerry’s second goal; however, it was too later. Tyrone hung on to win by 1-16 to 2-10. It was Ó Cinnéide’s second defeat in an All-Ireland final.
Early in 2006 Ó Cinnéide announced his retirement from inter-county football.
Inter-provincial
Ó Cinnéide has also lined out with MunsterMunster 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:...
in the inter-provincial series of games and has enjoyed some success. He first lined out with his province in 1996 when Munster were drawn to play Ulster
Ulster GAA
The Ulster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, and handball in the province of Ulster. The headquarters of the Ulster GAA is based in Armagh City....
in the semi-final. That game ended in a draw, however, Ó Cinnéide's side narrowly won the replay by a single point. Leinster
Leinster 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...
provided the opposition in the subsequent final. The southerners were completely outclassed on that occasion and they were defeated by 1-13 to 0-19.
After an absence of one year, Ó Cinnéide was picked for duty with Munster again in 1998, albeit as a substitute. On that occasion Munster were narrowly defeated by Leinster once again.
In 1999 Ó Cinnéide was back on the Munster starting fifteen. After a draw and an emphatic win over Ulster, Ó Cinnéide's side subsequently faced 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:...
in the series decider. A low-soring game saw Munster win by 0-10 to 0-7 and Ó Cinnéide added a Railway Cup winners' medal to his collection.
Ó Cinnéide played with his province for the last time in 2002. On that occasion Munster were narrowly defeated by Ulster in the semi-final stage of the competition.
An Ghaeltacht
- All-Ireland Senior Club Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Club Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament run since 1971, played between the thousands of senior football clubs in Ireland. The current champions are Crossmaglen Rangers of Armagh, who defeated St. Brigid's of Roscommon on March 17, 2011 to win their...
:- Winner (0):
- Runner-up (1): 2004
- Munster Senior Club Football ChampionshipMunster Senior Club Football ChampionshipThe Munster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament played between the hundreds of senior football clubs in Munster. The winners will represent Munster in the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship. East Kerry were the first winners of the Munster senior...
:- Winner (1): 2003
- Kerry Senior Football Championship:
- Winner (2): 2001, 2003
- Runner-up (1): 2000
- Kerry County Club Football ChampionshipKerry County Club ChampionshipThe kerry club championship was a football championship played between senior clubs in kerry. The last final was played in 2005 were An Ghaeltachtbeat Kerins O'Rahilly's. The competition was restarted in 2009.-2009 Championship:-Roll of honour:...
:- Winner (3): 2001, 2002, 2005
- Runner-up (3): 1999, 2000, 2003
- Kerry County Football League – Division 1:
- Winner (1):: 2007
Kerry
- All-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
:- Winner (3): 1997, 2000, 2004 (c)
- Runner-up (2): 2002, 2005
- Munster Senior Football ChampionshipMunster Senior Football ChampionshipThe Munster Senior Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition in the game of football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council and are played during the summer months...
:- Winner (8): 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004 (c), 2005
- Runner-up (2): 1995, 1999
- National Football LeagueNational Football League (Ireland)The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
:- Winner (1): 1996-97, 2004 (c)
- All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship:
- Winner (1): 1995, 1996
- Munster Under-21 Football ChampionshipMunster Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe Munster Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster, in Ireland....
:- Winner (1): 1995, 1996
- Munster Minor Football ChampionshipMunster Minor Football ChampionshipThe Munster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council. The current Munster Minor football champions are Tipperary. Clare won the inaugural...
:- Winner (0):
- Runner-up (1): 1992
- All-Ireland Junior Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Junior Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Junior Football Championship is a Gaelic Athletic Association competition for junior gaelic football inter-county teams in Ireland. The definition of what constitutes a junior player differs from county to county. In some, the junior team is the second team after the senior team...
:- Winner (1): 1994
- Munster Junior Football ChampionshipMunster Junior Football ChampionshipThe Munster Junior football championship is an annual Gaelic football competition between the Munster GAA counties. The rules with respect to who is eligible vary between the counties. In Cork and Kerry, the players can not play with a senior club. In the other four counties, any player who is not...
:- Winner (1): 1994 (sub)