Maurice O'Shea 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 hurling with his local club Dungourney

Dungourney GAA

Dungourney GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Dungourney, County Cork, Ireland. The club fields teams in both Gaelic football and hurling. It is a member of the Imokilly division of Cork GAA. The club was one of the strongest clubs in the Cork during the first decade of the 20th...

 and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team for one season in 1902.

Club

O'Shea played his club hurling with the famous Dungourney

Dungourney GAA

Dungourney GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Dungourney, County Cork, Ireland. The club fields teams in both Gaelic football and hurling. It is a member of the Imokilly division of Cork GAA. The club was one of the strongest clubs in the Cork during the first decade of the 20th...

 team in Cork and enjoyed some success. He won three county senior championship

Cork Senior Hurling Championship

The Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....

 titles in all, with these victories coming in 1902, 1907 and 1909.

Inter-county

O'Shea first came to prominence on the inter-county scene with Cork in 1902. He was a late inclusion for the All-Ireland 'home' final 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...

. O'Shea's side won after a draw and a replay and booked their place in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

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....

 final with London

London GAA

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

 providing the opposition. The game was played in Cork

Cork (city)

Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...

 to mark the opening of the new Cork Athletic Ground

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...

. O'Shea's side made no mistake on this occasion and powered to a 3-13 to 0-0 victory. It was a huge triumph for Cork and gave O'Shea a coveted 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....

 winners’ medal. It was O'Shea's only All-Ireland final appearance.

Sources

• Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005).
• Cronin, Jim, A Rebel Hundred: Cork's 100 All-Ireland Titles.
• Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games (DBA Publications Limited, 2005).

Teams