PJ Cuddy
Encyclopedia
PJ Cuddy was a hurling
player with Laois
and Camross
. He was voted on the "Laois Team of the Millennium", and has been called "the best full forward of his generation" by the Leinster Express
.
in 1976. Later that season, Camross captured the Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship
title with a victory over James Stephens (Kilkenny). They subsequently beat Ballycran (Down) in the All-Ireland semi-final but were denied the final title by Cork kingpins Glen Rovers.
Cuddy went on to captain the Laois under 21 team in 1979. Laois reached the Leinster final that year but their captain missed the defeat to Offaly after being sent off in an earlier game. It was the only time in his career that he missed a game through suspension.
The following year, Cuddy was promoted to the senior team (his brothers Ger and Sean had also played senior for Laois) and he made his debut as a substitute in a National Hurling League
defeat to Clare at Portlaoise. He was selected from the start for Laois’ next outing against Antrim.
Despite the defeat to Clare, the O’Moore County succeeded in gaining promotion to Division 1 in ’81 and were drawn to face Tipperary in the quarter-final. Tipp were favourites, but two goals from Cuddy turned the game in Laois’ favour. They subsequently lost to neighbours and bogey side Offaly at the penultimate round stage.
A Railway Cup winner with Leinster in 1988, Cuddy brought his inter-county career to a close in 1996 with no silverware to show for his years of service. At club level, however, he garnered 12 county senior championship medals. The Cuddy name is synonymous with Camross
hurling. At one stage, there were seven Cuddys on the club’s senior team.
Twenty years on from his first Leinster club championship
success, Cuddy won his second Leinster medal in 1996 when Camross defeated O’Toole’s of Dublin in the provincial decider. Camross’ bid for the All-Ireland title was eventually ended by Athenry of Galway.
In 2009, he became the new manager of Camross.
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...
player with Laois
Laois GAA
The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:...
and Camross
Camross
Camross GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association hurling and gaelic football club in County Laois, Ireland.-History:Founded in 1903, the club is the most successful hurling clubs in County Laois and club colours are black and amber....
. He was voted on the "Laois Team of the Millennium", and has been called "the best full forward of his generation" by the Leinster Express
Leinster Express
The Leinster Express is a regional newspaper in Ireland that serves County Laois.The paper was part of the Leinster Leader Group, which was sold to Johnston Press in late 2005 and are now operated by Johnston Press Ireland...
.
Biography
Cuddy played with Laois for more than 15 years. The youngest of a family of 11, Cuddy acquired a passion for hurling at an early age. He was just 18 when he won his first Laois Senior Hurling Championship medal with CamrossCamross
Camross GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association hurling and gaelic football club in County Laois, Ireland.-History:Founded in 1903, the club is the most successful hurling clubs in County Laois and club colours are black and amber....
in 1976. Later that season, Camross captured the Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship
Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship
The Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual Hurling tournament played between the winners of the senior club hurling championships of the counties in Leinster. The current holders of the Leinster title are Ballyhale Shamrocks from Kilkenny. The first Leinster senior club hurling...
title with a victory over James Stephens (Kilkenny). They subsequently beat Ballycran (Down) in the All-Ireland semi-final but were denied the final title by Cork kingpins Glen Rovers.
Cuddy went on to captain the Laois under 21 team in 1979. Laois reached the Leinster final that year but their captain missed the defeat to Offaly after being sent off in an earlier game. It was the only time in his career that he missed a game through suspension.
The following year, Cuddy was promoted to the senior team (his brothers Ger and Sean had also played senior for Laois) and he made his debut as a substitute in 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...
defeat to Clare at Portlaoise. He was selected from the start for Laois’ next outing against Antrim.
Despite the defeat to Clare, the O’Moore County succeeded in gaining promotion to Division 1 in ’81 and were drawn to face Tipperary in the quarter-final. Tipp were favourites, but two goals from Cuddy turned the game in Laois’ favour. They subsequently lost to neighbours and bogey side Offaly at the penultimate round stage.
A Railway Cup winner with Leinster in 1988, Cuddy brought his inter-county career to a close in 1996 with no silverware to show for his years of service. At club level, however, he garnered 12 county senior championship medals. The Cuddy name is synonymous with Camross
Camross
Camross GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association hurling and gaelic football club in County Laois, Ireland.-History:Founded in 1903, the club is the most successful hurling clubs in County Laois and club colours are black and amber....
hurling. At one stage, there were seven Cuddys on the club’s senior team.
Twenty years on from his first Leinster club championship
Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship
The Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual Hurling tournament played between the winners of the senior club hurling championships of the counties in Leinster. The current holders of the Leinster title are Ballyhale Shamrocks from Kilkenny. The first Leinster senior club hurling...
success, Cuddy won his second Leinster medal in 1996 when Camross defeated O’Toole’s of Dublin in the provincial decider. Camross’ bid for the All-Ireland title was eventually ended by Athenry of Galway.
In 2009, he became the new manager of Camross.