Humphrey Kelleher
Encyclopedia
Humphrey Kelleher was an Irish
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 Millstreet
Millstreet GAA
Millstreet GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the parish of Millstreet in Cork, Ireland. The club paricipates in competitions organized by Cork GAA county board and Duhallow division...

 and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1971 until 1975.

Club

Kelleher played his club football with his local club in Millstreet
Millstreet GAA
Millstreet GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the parish of Millstreet in Cork, Ireland. The club paricipates in competitions organized by Cork GAA county board and Duhallow division...

, however, he enjoyed little success.

Inter-county

By the late 1960s Kelleher had joined the Cork senior team, however, the team was forced to play second fiddle to Kerry. In 1971 Cork were back. A 0-25 to 0-14 trouncing of back-to-back All-Ireland champions Kerry gave Kelleher a coveted 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. Cork, however, were later defeated by eventual champions 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...

 in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Two years later Kelleher secured his second Munster winners' medal. The 5-12 to 1-15 defeat of arch-rivals Kerry showed the traditional football powers that Cork were coming. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Cork against 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,...

. Teenager Jimmy Barry-Murphy
Jimmy Barry-Murphy
James "Jimmy" Barry-Murphy is a former Irish hurler, Gaelic footballer and association footballer and is the current manager of the Cork senior hurling team...

 scored the first of his two goals after just two minutes before scored a third for Cork after switching to left wing-forward. At full-time Cork were the champions by 3-17 to 2-13. This victory gave Kelleher 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.

Cork continued their provincial dominance in 1974. A 1-11 to 0-7 defeat of Kerry gave Kelleher a third Munster winners' medal. This victory resulted in Cork being installed as the favourites to retain their All-Ireland title. An air of overconfidence crept into the side as Kelleher's side were defeated by eventual champions 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...

 in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Inter-provincial

Kelleher also lined out with 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:...

 in the inter-provincial football competition. He first played with his province in 1974, however, success was slow in coming. In 1975 Kelleher was a key member of the team again and he captured a coveted Railway Cup winners' medal following a high-scoring victory over 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....

. Kelleher was a non-playing substitute when Munster retained the title in 1976.

Teams

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