Johnny Coen is 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 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 Loughrea and has been a member of the 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,...

 senior inter-county team since 2011.

Club

Coen plays his club hurling with Loughrea. He was just out of the minor grade in 2009 when he lined out in his first county senior championship final. That game ended in a huge defeat with Portumna

Portumna GAA

Portumna GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the town of Portumna in County Galway. The club is almost exclusively focused on hurling.-History:...

 winning by 5-19 to 1-12.

Twelve months later Coen's side were back in the county final. After an exciting draw and a replay victory went to Clarinbridge

Clarinbridge GAA

Clarinbridge GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the village of Clarinbridge in County Galway, Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with the game of hurling...

.

Inter-county

Coen first played for 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,...

 at minor level in 2009. It was a successful year for the young Tribesmen as they reached the All-Ireland final. 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...

 provided the opposition, however, Galway won by 2-15 to 2-11 giving Coen 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.

The following year Coen joined the county under-21 team. Once again Galway reached the All-Ireland final where 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...

 provided the opposition. That game ended in a rout as Tipp won by 5-22 to 0-12.

Coen made his senior championship debut against Westmeath

Westmeath GAA

The Westmeath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Westmeath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Westmeath...

in the Leinster quarter-final in 2011.