Jimmy Coogan
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Coogan is an Irish
sportsperson. He plays hurling
with his local club Tullaroan
and is a former member of the Kilkenny
senior inter-county team.
, County Kilkenny
in 1979. The area is famous for its association with the game of hurling
and, naturally, Coogan would later play for both club and county. He was educated locally and later attended St. Kierans College, Kilkenny
, a nursery for young hurling talent. He won an All-Ireland Colleges’ medal here in 1996, along with future county stars Henry Shefflin
and Michael Kavanagh
.
minor hurling team winning a Leinster minor medal in 1996. Coogan later joined the county under-21 team playing in 1997, 1998 and won both provincial and All-Ireland
honours in 1999. He later joined the county senior team, making his championship debut against Dublin
in 2000. In 2001 Coogan smashed his right knee during a club game and completely severed his cruciate ligament. He also suffered damage to the medial ligament and his cartilage was torn so badly that it had to be removed. His thigh bone had also been cracked. The injury had the potential to end his career, however, Coogan fought back and made a miraculous recovery. He returned to inter-county action in time to claim a National Hurling League
medal in 2002. He made his championship return in the All-Ireland semi-final and scored a goal and a point against Tipperary
to put Kilkenny into the final. Coogan later collected his first senior All-Ireland
medal as Kilkenny defeated Clare
in the championship decider playing at wing forward in the All Ireland Final. Coogan won his second league medal and third All Ireland the following September when Kilkenny defeated Cork in the final.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
sportsperson. He plays 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 Tullaroan
Tullaroan GAA
Tullaroan is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the village of Tullaroan in County Kilkenny, Ireland. The club was founded in 1884 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling. Tullaroan is the most successful club in the history of the Kilkenny Senior Hurling...
and is a former member of the 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...
senior inter-county team.
Early life
Jimmy Coogan was born in TullaroanTullaroan
Tullaroan is a village on the west side of County Kilkenny in the Slieveardagh Hills near the Tipperary border. Tullaroan is also the name of the local civil parish.-Sport:...
, County Kilkenny
County Kilkenny
County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
in 1979. The area is famous for its association with the game of 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...
and, naturally, Coogan would later play for both club and county. He was educated locally and later attended St. Kierans College, Kilkenny
Kilkenny
Kilkenny is a city and is the county town of the eponymous County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster, in the south-east of Ireland...
, a nursery for young hurling talent. He won an All-Ireland Colleges’ medal here in 1996, along with future county stars Henry Shefflin
Henry Shefflin
Henry Shefflin is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Ballyhale Shamrocks and has been a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team since 1999...
and Michael Kavanagh
Michael Kavanagh
Michael Kavanagh is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club St. Lachtain's and has a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team since 1998.-Biography:...
.
Inter-county
Coogan first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the KilkennyKilkenny 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...
minor hurling team winning a Leinster minor medal in 1996. Coogan later joined the county under-21 team playing in 1997, 1998 and won both provincial and 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...
honours in 1999. He later joined the county senior team, making his championship debut against 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 2000. In 2001 Coogan smashed his right knee during a club game and completely severed his cruciate ligament. He also suffered damage to the medial ligament and his cartilage was torn so badly that it had to be removed. His thigh bone had also been cracked. The injury had the potential to end his career, however, Coogan fought back and made a miraculous recovery. He returned to inter-county action in time to claim 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 in 2002. He made his championship return in the All-Ireland semi-final and scored a goal and a point against 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...
to put Kilkenny into the final. Coogan later collected his 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 as Kilkenny defeated 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....
in the championship decider playing at wing forward in the All Ireland Final. Coogan won his second league medal and third All Ireland the following September when Kilkenny defeated Cork in the final.