Timmy McCarthy
Encyclopedia
Timmy McCarthy is an Irish
sportsperson. He plays hurling
with his local club Castlelyons
and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1999 until 2009.
, County Cork
in 1977. He grew up on the family farm and was educated at the local national school in Castlelyons and subsequently attended nearby St. Colman's College, a famous hurling nursery in Fermoy
. It was here that his hurling talents first came to the fore. McCarthy won two Dean Ryan Cup winners' medals in the early 1990s before being made captain of the college senior team in 1996. That year he guided his team to the Dr. Harty Cup
title. St. Colman's later qualified for the All-Ireland colleges'
final with St. Kieran's College of Kilkenny
providing the opposition. The Cork team never really troubled their Kilkenny counterparts, as it was St. Kieran's who recorded the victory with a 1-14 to 2-6 score line
McCarthy currently works as a farmer.
and has enjoyed much success. He was not long on the team when Castlelyons reached the final of the Imokilly junior championship. Fr. O'Neill's
provided the opposition on that ocacsion, however, Castlelyons were defeated by a solitary point.
McCarthy first tasted victory with the club in 1997 when Castlelyons reached a second consecutive divisional final in the junior grade. Bride Rovers
provided the opposition, however, they were no match for a superior Castlelyons side who won the game by 1-16 to 0-9. This victory resulted in McCarthy's club representing Imokilly in the county championship. Castlelyons reached the county final at the first time of asking, with Courcey Rovers
providing the opposition. A close game developed, however, at the full-time whistle McCarthy's side had recorded a 2-9 to 1-11 victory, giving him a coveted county junior championship
winners' medal. This victory also allowed Castlelyons to be promoted to the intermediate grade. 1997 also saw McCarthy enjoy success with Imokilly
in the senior championship. After defeat in 1996 the divisional side reached the final of the county senior championship
. That game saw Sarsfield's roviding the opposition, however, an Imokilly goal proved decisive. A 1-18 to 2-12 to score line gave the divisional side the victory and aloowed McCarthy to add a county senior championship winenrs' medal to his ever-growing collection.
In 1998 McCarthy's clun continued their dominance of the club scene. The club reached the final of the intermediate grade with east Cork neighbours Killeagh
providing the opposition. The game was another close affair, however, Castlelyons powered to a 2-12 to 2-9 victory. Once again, this victory allowed Castlelyons to be promoted to the senior grade. While McCarthy was enjoying a great run of success with his club, 1998 also saw him line out in a second consecutive countys enior championship final with Imokilly. Mighty Blackrock
, the kingpins of club hurling in Cork, were the opponents. On the day they proved no match for the divisional side who won by 1-10 to 1-5. It was a second consecutive senior winners' medal for McCarthy.
Because of Castlelyons's promotion to the senior grade in 1999, McCarthy was ineligible to line out with Imokilly for an assault on the three-in-a-row. Since this promotion the club has enjoyed little success as a member of the top table in club hurling in Cork.
. In 1995 he won his sole Munster
minor winners' medal in hurling as Cork trounced Waterford
by 3-18 to 0-10. Around the same time as this victory McCarthy also lined out in the Munster
minor football decider. Tipperary
were the opponents, however, at the end of a close game McCarthy ended up on the losing side by 2-6 to 0-10. Cork later qualified for the All-Ireland minor hurling final against Kilkenny
with Deane lining out at centre-forward. The game turned into a rout as Cork won easily, giving McCarthy a coveted All-Ireland
winners' medal in the minor grade.
Two years later in 1997 McCarthy was a dual player
in the under-21 grade. He won a Munster
hurling title in this grade that same year as Tipperary were narrowly defeated, thanks to a late, late goal from McCarthy. On the football scene, Cork were defeated by Kerry
in a replay of the provincial decider. The subsequent All-Ireland under-21 hurling final saw Cork take on Galway and McCarthy lining out in his usual position in the forwards. Cork were victorious on that occasion on a score line of 3-11 to 0-13 giving McCarthy a coveted All-Ireland
under-21 winners' medal.
In 1997 McCarthy was also a key member of the Cork intermediate hurling team. He won a Munster
title in this grade that year, following a three-point win over Limerick in the provincial decider. An All-Ireland final appearance beckoned for Cork, with Galway lining out as the opposition. Inanother close game Cork just about shaded a victory with a 2-11 to 1-12 score line. This win gave McCarthy an All-Ireland
intermediate medal to add to his collection.
1998 saw Cork maintaining their provincial dominance with McCarthy collecting a third consecutive Munster under-21 medal with a 3-18 to 1-10 victory over Tipp. For the third year in-a-row Cork played in the All-Ireland final and, for the second consecutive year, Galway were the opponents. In a close game Cork just about secured a 2-15 to 2-10 win. It was McCarthy's second consecutive All-Ireland under-21 winners' medal.
. Cork reached the final that year, however, McCarthy played no part in the defeat of Waterford. It was a welcome return to the big time for Cork.
In 1999 Cork were back in their first Munster final since 1992 and McCarthy was named on the starting fifteen. Clare
, the team that had won three of the last four provincial titles, together with two All-Ireland titles, provided the opposition and were very much the favourites going into the game. An exciting contest unfolded with Joe Deane
scoring a key goal after an excellent pass from Seánie McGrath
. A score line of 1-15 to 0-14 gave Cork the victory and gave McCarthy his first senior Munster
title. Cork later defeated Offaly
in one of the games of the year to set up an All-Ireland final meeting with arch-rivals Kilkenny. A wet and windy day meant that the classic game that everyone expected failed to materialise. Both sides shot seventeen wides over the course of the seventy minutes as a young and inexperienced Cork came back from five points down to win by 0-13 to 0-12. It was Cork’s first senior All-Ireland
title since 1990 and it was also McCarthy's first in the senior grade.
In 2000 Cork were the favourites to retain their All-Ireland title. The team got off to a good start by retaining their Munster title, however, Tipperary put up a good fight but Cork won by 0-23 to 3-12. Cork’s next game was an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Offaly. While Cork were expected to win the game without breaking a sweat Offaly caught McCarthy's side on the hop and recorded a 0-19 to 0-15 win.
While the Cork hurling team should have gone from strength to strength as a result of a solid foundation at minor and under-21 levels the opposite happened. Embarrassing defeats in 2001 and 2002 saw the Cork hurling team reach rock bottom and call a players' strike just before Christmas in 2002. McCarthy played a low-key role in the strike, however, he was fully supportive of some of the more outspoken members of the panel. Had the strike failed it could have meant the end of his and his fellow teammates' careers, however, in the end the county board relented and met the demands. Although still amateur sportsmen the Cork senior hurling team were treated as professional athletes.
In 2003 the Cork players were vindicated in taking a stand as the team reached the Munster final for the first time in three years. Waterford provided the opposition on that occasion as one of hurling’s modern rivalries began in earnest. An exciting game resulted between the two teams; however, victory went to Cork by 3-16 to 3-12. It was McCarthy's third Munster medal and it gave a signal that Cork were back. McCarthy's side were hot favourites going into the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final against Wexford
, however, it was far from a walkover. In one of the most exciting games of the championship both sides finished level: Cork 2-20, Wexford 3-17. Both sides met again six days later with Cork making no mistake and taking the spoils on a score line of 3-17 to 2-7. This win set up an All-Ireland final meeting with Kilkenny. In another thrilling game of hurling both teams were level for much of the game, exchanging tit-for-tat scores. A Setanta Ó hAilpín
goal steadied the Cork ship, however, a Martin Comerford
goal five minutes from the end settled the game as Kilkenny went on to win by 1-14 to 1-11.
2004 saw Cork reach the Munster final once again and, for the second consecutive year, Waterford provided the opposition. In what many consider to be the greatest provincial decider of them all, both sides fought tooth-and-nail for the full seventy minutes. Unfortunately for McCarthy Cork lost the game by just a single point on a score line of Waterford 3-16, Cork 1-21. Although Cork surrendered their provincial crown they were still in with a chance of landing the All-Ireland title. After maneuvering through the qualifiers, a series of games which saw McCarthy rekindle his form, Cork reached a second consecutive All-Ireland final and, once again, Kilkenny provided the opposition. This game took on a life of its own for a number of reasons. Chief among these was the fact that Kilkenny were attempting to capture a third All-Ireland in-a-row and go one ahead of Cork in the All-Ireland roll of honour. The game was expected to be another classic; however, a damp day put an end to this. The first-half was a low-scoring affair and provided little excitement for fans. The second-half saw Cork completely take over. For the last twenty-three minutes Cork scored nine unanswered points and went on to win the game by 0-17 to 0-9. It was McCarthy's second All-Ireland winners' medal.
In 2005 Cork were on form again. They won back the provincial crown that year with a 1-12 to 1-16 victory over Tipperary. It was McCarthy's fourth Munster winners’ medal as Cork went on the march for glory once again. In the All-Ireland semi-final against Clare their championship campaign was nearly derailed when they fell behind by seven points at the start of the second-half. A huge performance by Cork turned this deficit around and McCarthy's side eventually went on to win the game by 0-16 to 0-15. While it was expected that Cork and Kilkenny would do battle again in a third consecutive All-Ireland final Galway were the surprise winners of the second semi-final. It was the first meeting of Cork and Galway in an All-Ireland final since 1990 and even more daunting was the fact that men from the west had never beaten Cork in a championship decider. Once again neither side broke away into a considerable lead, however, at the final whistle Cork were ahead by 1-21 to 1-16. For the second year in-a-row Cork were the All-Ireland champions and McCarthy collected his third winners’ medal.
2006 saw Cork turn their attentions to a first three-in-a-row of All-Ireland titles since 1978. The team’s championship campaign got off to a good start with a 0-20 to 0-14 defeat of Clare in the opening round of the Munster championship. The subsequent provincial decider saw Cork take on Tipp for the second consecutive year. McCarthy collected a fifth Munster title that day as Cork recorded a 2-11 to 1-11 victory over their old rivals. Subsequent victories over Limerick and Waterford saw Cork qualify for their fourth consecutive All-Ireland final and for the third time Kilkenny were the opponents. Like previous encounters neither side took a considerable lead, however, Kilkenny had a vital goal from Aidan Fogarty
. Cork were in arrears coming into the final few minutes, however, Ben O'Connor
goaled for Cork. It was too little too late as ‘the Cats’ denied ‘the Rebels’ the three-in-a-row on a score line of 1-16 to 1-13.
In 2007 Cork were out for redemption, however, their championship ambitions were hampered from the beginning. The so-called Semplegate affair resulted in Seán Óg Ó hAilpín
, Donal Óg Cusack
and Diarmuid O'Sullivan
being suspended for a crucial Munster semi-final clash with Waterford. In spite of being without three of their best players Cork put up a good fight but only lost by a goal. After maneuvering through the qualifiers Cork reached the All-Ireland quarter-final. Once again Waterford provided the opposition as the game controversially ended in a draw – 3-16 apiece. The replay was less exciting; however, it was still a good game as Waterford triumphed by 2-17 to 0-20.
The activities of the Cork footballers and their reaction to the appointment of Teddy Holland
as their new manager impacted greatly on the preparations of the Cork hurling team. The entire panel went on a sympathy strike and missed the opening games of the National League. In the end the Cork hurlers returned to duty, with their first championship game being a Munster semi-final with Tipperary. In the lead up to the game there was speculation as to the formation of the Cork team as it was believed that some of the ‘old guard’ would be blending into the background. Cork lost by six points and had to take their chances in the win-or-bust qualifiers. A goal by Joe Deane in their next outing helped Cork to limp over the finish line against Dublin
. The team’s overall performance was less than impressive in the 1-17 to 0-15 win. Cork’s next game saw Galway, a team regarded as one of the best in the country, provided the opposition. The first-half was a poor affair with Cork’s goalkeeper, Donal Óg Cusack, being sent off. In the second-half Cork took charge with Joe Deane giving a great display and scoring four crucial points from play to help his team to a 0-23 to 2-15 victory and a place in the All-Ireland quarter-final. Clare were the opposition on that occasion and, once again, Cork gave a poor first-half display. The second-half was a different story with Cork taking charge once again and securing a 2-19 to 2-17 victory. This win allowed Cork to advance to the All-Ireland semi-final where Kilkenny provided the opposition. It was the first time that these two teams met in the championship outside of an All-Ireland final. That game was an intriguing encounter; however, ‘the Cats’ won the day by 1-23 to 0-17.
Following the defeat there was speculation that some of the veterans on the Cork team, including McCarthy, would retire. While Joe Deane and Diarmuid O'Sullivan did hang up their hurleys, McCarthy decided to embark on his eleventh championship campaign. There was also speculation surrounding manager Gerald McCarthy's future as his two-year contract came to an end with the defeat by Kilkenny. He was later re-appointed for a further two-year term by the Cork County Board, in spite of the majority of the players not wanting him to stay on. The players on the 2008 panel then refused to play or train under Gerald McCarthy. (see 2008-2009 Cork players strike). McCarthy accordingly began the 2009 National League campaign with a new squad, none of whom had been able to make the previous year's panel. After months of pressure McCarthy eventually stepped down as manager and the old '2008 panel' returned.
Following the resolution to these difficulties Cork were defeated by Tipperary on a score line of 1-19 to 0-19 in the opening round of the Munster campaign. After a convincing win over Offaly, Cork's next assignment with Cork was a win-or-bust All-Ireland qualifier meeting with Galway. Cork faltered in the final ten minutes as 'the Tribesmen' knocked 'the Rebels' out of the championship by 1-19 to 0-15. This defeat once again created speculation that McCarthy would retire from hurling and that Cork's so-called 'golden generation' would not play together again.
in the inter-provincial championship. He first lined out for his province in 2007 as Munster recorded a controversial victory over Connacht
under lights at Croke Park
.
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 Castlelyons
Castlelyons GAA
Castlelyons GAA is a Gaelic football and hurling club located in the small town of Castlelyons in east County Cork, Ireland. The club is affiliated with Cork county board and Imokilly division.-Role of Honour:Football:...
and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1999 until 2009.
Biography
Timmy McCarthy was born in CastlelyonsCastlelyons
Castlelyons is a small village in East County Cork in the Province of Munster in Ireland. It is situated south of Fermoy. In the 2002 census it recorded a population of 211....
, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
in 1977. He grew up on the family farm and was educated at the local national school in Castlelyons and subsequently attended nearby St. Colman's College, a famous hurling nursery in Fermoy
Fermoy
Fermoy is a town in County Cork, Ireland. It is situated on the River Blackwater in the south of Ireland. Its population is some 5,800 inhabitants, environs included ....
. It was here that his hurling talents first came to the fore. McCarthy won two Dean Ryan Cup winners' medals in the early 1990s before being made captain of the college senior team in 1996. That year he guided his team to the Dr. Harty Cup
Dr. Harty Cup
The Dr. Harty Cup is a hurling competition for schools in the province of Munster in Ireland. The cup is presented to the winners of the Munster Colleges Senior "A" Hurling Championship. Players have to be under the age of 19 to compete. The winning team represents Munster in the Dr. Croke Cup...
title. St. Colman's later qualified for the All-Ireland colleges'
Dr. Croke Cup
The Dr. Croke Cup is an inter-county GAA competition in hurling. The first Croke Cups took place between 1896 and 1915. Clare was the first winner of the Dr Croke Cup for Hurling in 1896. In 1909 Ulster were expelled from the Dr...
final with St. Kieran's College of 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...
providing the opposition. The Cork team never really troubled their Kilkenny counterparts, as it was St. Kieran's who recorded the victory with a 1-14 to 2-6 score line
McCarthy currently works as a farmer.
Club
McCarthy plays his club hurling with his local club in CastlelyonsCastlelyons GAA
Castlelyons GAA is a Gaelic football and hurling club located in the small town of Castlelyons in east County Cork, Ireland. The club is affiliated with Cork county board and Imokilly division.-Role of Honour:Football:...
and has enjoyed much success. He was not long on the team when Castlelyons reached the final of the Imokilly junior championship. Fr. O'Neill's
Fr. O'Neill's GAA
Fr. O'Neill's GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the parish of Ballymacoda and Ladysbridge in Cork, Ireland. The club fields hurling and Gaelic football teams in competitions organized by the Cork county board and Imokilly division....
provided the opposition on that ocacsion, however, Castlelyons were defeated by a solitary point.
McCarthy first tasted victory with the club in 1997 when Castlelyons reached a second consecutive divisional final in the junior grade. Bride Rovers
Bride Rovers GAA
Bride Rovers GAA is a Gaelic games club located in the small villages of Rathcormac and Bartlemy in east County Cork, Republic of Ireland. The club fields Gaelic football and hurling teams in Cork GAA and Imokilly GAA divisional competitions.-History:...
provided the opposition, however, they were no match for a superior Castlelyons side who won the game by 1-16 to 0-9. This victory resulted in McCarthy's club representing Imokilly in the county championship. Castlelyons reached the county final at the first time of asking, with Courcey Rovers
Courcey Rovers GAA
Courcey Rovers is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the villages of Ballinspittle and Ballinadee in County Cork, Ireland. The club fields both hurling, Gaelic football and camogie teams. It has historically concentrated on hurling. The club is part of the Carrigdhoun division of Cork...
providing the opposition. A close game developed, however, at the full-time whistle McCarthy's side had recorded a 2-9 to 1-11 victory, giving him a coveted county junior championship
Cork Junior Hurling Championship
The Cork Junior Hurling Championship is the third tier championship for hurling clubs in Cork. The winners of this championship compete in the Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship in the following year. This championship is often considered the most difficult championship to win, since more teams...
winners' medal. This victory also allowed Castlelyons to be promoted to the intermediate grade. 1997 also saw McCarthy enjoy success with Imokilly
Imokilly GAA
Imokilly GAA is a Gaelic football and Hurling division in the east of Cork, Ireland. The division includes towns such as Midleton, Cobh, and Youghal. It is one of eight divisions of Cork County Board. It organizes competitions for the clubs within the division, from Under 12 up to the adult level...
in the senior championship. After defeat in 1996 the divisional side reached the final of the 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....
. That game saw Sarsfield's roviding the opposition, however, an Imokilly goal proved decisive. A 1-18 to 2-12 to score line gave the divisional side the victory and aloowed McCarthy to add a county senior championship winenrs' medal to his ever-growing collection.
In 1998 McCarthy's clun continued their dominance of the club scene. The club reached the final of the intermediate grade with east Cork neighbours Killeagh
Killeagh GAA
Killeagh GAA club is a Hurling and Gaelic football club located in the small village of Killeagh in east County Cork, Ireland. The club is affiliated with the East Cork division of Imokilly and the Cork county board.-Notable players:...
providing the opposition. The game was another close affair, however, Castlelyons powered to a 2-12 to 2-9 victory. Once again, this victory allowed Castlelyons to be promoted to the senior grade. While McCarthy was enjoying a great run of success with his club, 1998 also saw him line out in a second consecutive countys enior championship final with Imokilly. Mighty Blackrock
Blackrock GAA
Blackrock National Hurling Club is a G.A.A. club located on the southside of Cork City, Ireland. The club was founded in 1883 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling.-History:...
, the kingpins of club hurling in Cork, were the opponents. On the day they proved no match for the divisional side who won by 1-10 to 1-5. It was a second consecutive senior winners' medal for McCarthy.
Because of Castlelyons's promotion to the senior grade in 1999, McCarthy was ineligible to line out with Imokilly for an assault on the three-in-a-row. Since this promotion the club has enjoyed little success as a member of the top table in club hurling in Cork.
Minor, under-21 & intermediate
McCarthy's hurling skills at colleges and club championship levels brought him to the attentions of the Cork inter-county selectors and he was soon picked for the minor teams in both hurling and Gaelic footballGaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
. In 1995 he won his sole Munster
Munster Minor Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Minor Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1928 for the youngest competitors in the province of Munster in Ireland...
minor winners' medal in hurling as Cork trounced Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
by 3-18 to 0-10. Around the same time as this victory McCarthy also lined out in the Munster
Munster Minor Football Championship
The Munster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council. The current Munster Minor football champions are Tipperary. Clare won the inaugural...
minor football decider. 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...
were the opponents, however, at the end of a close game McCarthy ended up on the losing side by 2-6 to 0-10. Cork later qualified for the All-Ireland minor hurling final against 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...
with Deane lining out at centre-forward. The game turned into a rout as Cork won easily, giving McCarthy 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...
winners' medal in the minor grade.
Two years later in 1997 McCarthy was a dual player
Dual player
Dual player or dual star is a term used in Gaelic games to describe a player who plays both Men's Gaelic football and Hurling or Ladies' Gaelic football and Camogie. The player doesn't necessarily have to play at the same standard in both sports...
in the under-21 grade. He won a Munster
Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Under-21 Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for players aged between 18 and 21 in the province of Munster in Ireland...
hurling title in this grade that same year as Tipperary were narrowly defeated, thanks to a late, late goal from McCarthy. On the football scene, Cork were defeated by Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry 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 Kerry...
in a replay of the provincial decider. The subsequent All-Ireland under-21 hurling final saw Cork take on Galway and McCarthy lining out in his usual position in the forwards. Cork were victorious on that occasion on a score line of 3-11 to 0-13 giving McCarthy a coveted 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...
under-21 winners' medal.
In 1997 McCarthy was also a key member of the Cork intermediate hurling team. He won a Munster
Munster Intermediate Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Intermediate Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1961 for the strong hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland...
title in this grade that year, following a three-point win over Limerick in the provincial decider. An All-Ireland final appearance beckoned for Cork, with Galway lining out as the opposition. Inanother close game Cork just about shaded a victory with a 2-11 to 1-12 score line. This win gave McCarthy an All-Ireland
All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship is a hurling competition played between the strong hurling counties of Ireland. In some cases the teams consist of players who are not on the senior squads for their county , or in others of players who are from junior or intermediate clubs...
intermediate medal to add to his collection.
1998 saw Cork maintaining their provincial dominance with McCarthy collecting a third consecutive Munster under-21 medal with a 3-18 to 1-10 victory over Tipp. For the third year in-a-row Cork played in the All-Ireland final and, for the second consecutive year, Galway were the opponents. In a close game Cork just about secured a 2-15 to 2-10 win. It was McCarthy's second consecutive All-Ireland under-21 winners' medal.
Senior
McCarthy's move onto the Cork senior team was a natural progression. He made his senior debut in the 1997-98 National LeagueNational 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...
. Cork reached the final that year, however, McCarthy played no part in the defeat of Waterford. It was a welcome return to the big time for Cork.
In 1999 Cork were back in their first Munster final since 1992 and McCarthy was named on the starting fifteen. 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....
, the team that had won three of the last four provincial titles, together with two All-Ireland titles, provided the opposition and were very much the favourites going into the game. An exciting contest unfolded with Joe Deane
Joe Deane
Joe Deane is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Killeagh and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1996 until 2009...
scoring a key goal after an excellent pass from Seánie McGrath
Seánie McGrath
Seánie McGrath is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local clubs Mayfield and Glen Rovers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1997 until 2003.-Early life:...
. A score line of 1-15 to 0-14 gave Cork the victory and gave McCarthy his first senior Munster
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
title. Cork later defeated 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 one of the games of the year to set up an All-Ireland final meeting with arch-rivals Kilkenny. A wet and windy day meant that the classic game that everyone expected failed to materialise. Both sides shot seventeen wides over the course of the seventy minutes as a young and inexperienced Cork came back from five points down to win by 0-13 to 0-12. It was Cork’s 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....
title since 1990 and it was also McCarthy's first in the senior grade.
In 2000 Cork were the favourites to retain their All-Ireland title. The team got off to a good start by retaining their Munster title, however, Tipperary put up a good fight but Cork won by 0-23 to 3-12. Cork’s next game was an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Offaly. While Cork were expected to win the game without breaking a sweat Offaly caught McCarthy's side on the hop and recorded a 0-19 to 0-15 win.
While the Cork hurling team should have gone from strength to strength as a result of a solid foundation at minor and under-21 levels the opposite happened. Embarrassing defeats in 2001 and 2002 saw the Cork hurling team reach rock bottom and call a players' strike just before Christmas in 2002. McCarthy played a low-key role in the strike, however, he was fully supportive of some of the more outspoken members of the panel. Had the strike failed it could have meant the end of his and his fellow teammates' careers, however, in the end the county board relented and met the demands. Although still amateur sportsmen the Cork senior hurling team were treated as professional athletes.
In 2003 the Cork players were vindicated in taking a stand as the team reached the Munster final for the first time in three years. Waterford provided the opposition on that occasion as one of hurling’s modern rivalries began in earnest. An exciting game resulted between the two teams; however, victory went to Cork by 3-16 to 3-12. It was McCarthy's third Munster medal and it gave a signal that Cork were back. McCarthy's side were hot favourites going into the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final against Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
, however, it was far from a walkover. In one of the most exciting games of the championship both sides finished level: Cork 2-20, Wexford 3-17. Both sides met again six days later with Cork making no mistake and taking the spoils on a score line of 3-17 to 2-7. This win set up an All-Ireland final meeting with Kilkenny. In another thrilling game of hurling both teams were level for much of the game, exchanging tit-for-tat scores. A Setanta Ó hAilpín
Setanta Ó hAilpín
Setanta "Carlos" Ó hAilpín is an Australian-Irish sportsman. He was a hurler with the Cork senior team before becoming a professional Australian Rules footballer. He is of mixed Irish and Rotuman background...
goal steadied the Cork ship, however, a Martin Comerford
Martin Comerford
Martin Comerford is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club O'Loughlin Gaels and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 2002 until 2010.-References:-Teams:...
goal five minutes from the end settled the game as Kilkenny went on to win by 1-14 to 1-11.
2004 saw Cork reach the Munster final once again and, for the second consecutive year, Waterford provided the opposition. In what many consider to be the greatest provincial decider of them all, both sides fought tooth-and-nail for the full seventy minutes. Unfortunately for McCarthy Cork lost the game by just a single point on a score line of Waterford 3-16, Cork 1-21. Although Cork surrendered their provincial crown they were still in with a chance of landing the All-Ireland title. After maneuvering through the qualifiers, a series of games which saw McCarthy rekindle his form, Cork reached a second consecutive All-Ireland final and, once again, Kilkenny provided the opposition. This game took on a life of its own for a number of reasons. Chief among these was the fact that Kilkenny were attempting to capture a third All-Ireland in-a-row and go one ahead of Cork in the All-Ireland roll of honour. The game was expected to be another classic; however, a damp day put an end to this. The first-half was a low-scoring affair and provided little excitement for fans. The second-half saw Cork completely take over. For the last twenty-three minutes Cork scored nine unanswered points and went on to win the game by 0-17 to 0-9. It was McCarthy's second All-Ireland winners' medal.
In 2005 Cork were on form again. They won back the provincial crown that year with a 1-12 to 1-16 victory over Tipperary. It was McCarthy's fourth Munster winners’ medal as Cork went on the march for glory once again. In the All-Ireland semi-final against Clare their championship campaign was nearly derailed when they fell behind by seven points at the start of the second-half. A huge performance by Cork turned this deficit around and McCarthy's side eventually went on to win the game by 0-16 to 0-15. While it was expected that Cork and Kilkenny would do battle again in a third consecutive All-Ireland final Galway were the surprise winners of the second semi-final. It was the first meeting of Cork and Galway in an All-Ireland final since 1990 and even more daunting was the fact that men from the west had never beaten Cork in a championship decider. Once again neither side broke away into a considerable lead, however, at the final whistle Cork were ahead by 1-21 to 1-16. For the second year in-a-row Cork were the All-Ireland champions and McCarthy collected his third winners’ medal.
2006 saw Cork turn their attentions to a first three-in-a-row of All-Ireland titles since 1978. The team’s championship campaign got off to a good start with a 0-20 to 0-14 defeat of Clare in the opening round of the Munster championship. The subsequent provincial decider saw Cork take on Tipp for the second consecutive year. McCarthy collected a fifth Munster title that day as Cork recorded a 2-11 to 1-11 victory over their old rivals. Subsequent victories over Limerick and Waterford saw Cork qualify for their fourth consecutive All-Ireland final and for the third time Kilkenny were the opponents. Like previous encounters neither side took a considerable lead, however, Kilkenny had a vital goal from Aidan Fogarty
Aidan Fogarty
Aidan Fogarty is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Emeralds and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team.-Club:...
. Cork were in arrears coming into the final few minutes, however, Ben O'Connor
Ben O'Connor
Ben O'Connor is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Newtownshandrum and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999. O'Connor is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.-Biography:Ben O’Connor was born in the village of...
goaled for Cork. It was too little too late as ‘the Cats’ denied ‘the Rebels’ the three-in-a-row on a score line of 1-16 to 1-13.
In 2007 Cork were out for redemption, however, their championship ambitions were hampered from the beginning. The so-called Semplegate affair resulted in Seán Óg Ó hAilpín
Seán Óg Ó hAilpín
Seán Óg Ó hAilpín is an iconic Irish-Fijian sportsperson. A former dual player, he currently plays hurling with his local club Na Piarsaigh and is a member of the Cork senior inter-county team. Ó hAilpín captained Cork to the All-Ireland title in 2005...
, Donal Óg Cusack
Dónal Óg Cusack
Donal Óg Cusack is a well-known Irish hurler and Ireland's first openly gay elite sportsman. He plays hurling at club level with Cloyne and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999....
and Diarmuid O'Sullivan
Diarmuid O'Sullivan
Diarmuid O'Sullivan is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Cloyne and was a dual player with the Cork senior inter-county teams at various times from 1997 until 2008. O'Sullivan is regarded as one of Cork's greatest-ever players.-Biography:Diarmuid O'Sullivan was born in...
being suspended for a crucial Munster semi-final clash with Waterford. In spite of being without three of their best players Cork put up a good fight but only lost by a goal. After maneuvering through the qualifiers Cork reached the All-Ireland quarter-final. Once again Waterford provided the opposition as the game controversially ended in a draw – 3-16 apiece. The replay was less exciting; however, it was still a good game as Waterford triumphed by 2-17 to 0-20.
The activities of the Cork footballers and their reaction to the appointment of Teddy Holland
Teddy Holland
Teddy Holland is an Irish retired Gaelic football manager and former player. He played football with his local clubs Ballinascarthy and St. Finbarr's and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1969 until 1970...
as their new manager impacted greatly on the preparations of the Cork hurling team. The entire panel went on a sympathy strike and missed the opening games of the National League. In the end the Cork hurlers returned to duty, with their first championship game being a Munster semi-final with Tipperary. In the lead up to the game there was speculation as to the formation of the Cork team as it was believed that some of the ‘old guard’ would be blending into the background. Cork lost by six points and had to take their chances in the win-or-bust qualifiers. A goal by Joe Deane in their next outing helped Cork to limp over the finish line 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...
. The team’s overall performance was less than impressive in the 1-17 to 0-15 win. Cork’s next game saw Galway, a team regarded as one of the best in the country, provided the opposition. The first-half was a poor affair with Cork’s goalkeeper, Donal Óg Cusack, being sent off. In the second-half Cork took charge with Joe Deane giving a great display and scoring four crucial points from play to help his team to a 0-23 to 2-15 victory and a place in the All-Ireland quarter-final. Clare were the opposition on that occasion and, once again, Cork gave a poor first-half display. The second-half was a different story with Cork taking charge once again and securing a 2-19 to 2-17 victory. This win allowed Cork to advance to the All-Ireland semi-final where Kilkenny provided the opposition. It was the first time that these two teams met in the championship outside of an All-Ireland final. That game was an intriguing encounter; however, ‘the Cats’ won the day by 1-23 to 0-17.
Following the defeat there was speculation that some of the veterans on the Cork team, including McCarthy, would retire. While Joe Deane and Diarmuid O'Sullivan did hang up their hurleys, McCarthy decided to embark on his eleventh championship campaign. There was also speculation surrounding manager Gerald McCarthy's future as his two-year contract came to an end with the defeat by Kilkenny. He was later re-appointed for a further two-year term by the Cork County Board, in spite of the majority of the players not wanting him to stay on. The players on the 2008 panel then refused to play or train under Gerald McCarthy. (see 2008-2009 Cork players strike). McCarthy accordingly began the 2009 National League campaign with a new squad, none of whom had been able to make the previous year's panel. After months of pressure McCarthy eventually stepped down as manager and the old '2008 panel' returned.
Following the resolution to these difficulties Cork were defeated by Tipperary on a score line of 1-19 to 0-19 in the opening round of the Munster campaign. After a convincing win over Offaly, Cork's next assignment with Cork was a win-or-bust All-Ireland qualifier meeting with Galway. Cork faltered in the final ten minutes as 'the Tribesmen' knocked 'the Rebels' out of the championship by 1-19 to 0-15. This defeat once again created speculation that McCarthy would retire from hurling and that Cork's so-called 'golden generation' would not play together again.
Inter-provincial
McCarthy has also played with MunsterMunster 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 championship. He first lined out for his province in 2007 as Munster recorded a controversial victory over Connacht
Connacht GAA
The Connacht Council are a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Connacht.-Constituent counties:*Galway*Leitrim*Mayo*Roscommon*Sligo-Special counties:...
under lights at Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
.
Castlelyons/Imokilly
- Cork Senior Hurling ChampionshipCork Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe 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....
:- Winner (2): 1997, 1998
- Cork Intermediate Hurling ChampionshipCork Intermediate Hurling ChampionshipCork Intermediate Hurling Championship is the second-tier hurling competition organized by the Cork Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The winners usually will play in the senior grade the following year for the Cork Senior Hurling Championship. This championship has been played for since 1909...
:- Winner (1): 1998
- Cork Junior Hurling ChampionshipCork Junior Hurling ChampionshipThe Cork Junior Hurling Championship is the third tier championship for hurling clubs in Cork. The winners of this championship compete in the Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship in the following year. This championship is often considered the most difficult championship to win, since more teams...
:- Winner (1): 1997
- East Cork Junior Hurling Championship:
- Winner (1): 1997
- Runner-up (1): 1996
Cork
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe 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....
:- Winner (3): 1999All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1999The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1999 was the 113th staging of Ireland's premier hurling competition...
, 2004All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2004The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 2004 was the 118th staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition. Cork won the championship, beating Kilkenny 0-17 to 0-9 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.-Participating counties:-Calendar:...
, 2005All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2005The Guinness Hurling Championship 2005 began on Sunday, May 15, 2005. The 2005 championship saw some change with the introduction of a new format whereby after the provincial championships and the two new qualifying groups were completed, eight teams were left to face off in four quarter finals.... - Runner-up (2): 2003All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2003The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2003 was the 117th since its establishment in 1887. The first matches of the season were played in May 2003, and the championship ended on 14 September 2003...
, 2006All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2006The Guinness Hurling Championship 2006 was won by Kilkenny, who defeated holders Cork in the All-Ireland final.-Format:The format of the 2006 championship remained the same as in 2005:...
- Winner (3): 1999
- Munster Senior Hurling ChampionshipMunster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
:- Winner (5): 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006
- Runner-up (1): 2004
- National Hurling LeagueNational Hurling LeagueThe 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...
:- Winner (1): 1997-98 (sub)
- Runner-up (1): 2002
- All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Intermediate Hurling ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship is a hurling competition played between the strong hurling counties of Ireland. In some cases the teams consist of players who are not on the senior squads for their county , or in others of players who are from junior or intermediate clubs...
:- Winner (1): 1997
- Munster Intermediate Hurling ChampionshipMunster Intermediate Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Hurling Intermediate Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1961 for the strong hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland...
:- Winner (1): 1997
- All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipThe 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...
:- Winner (1): 1997, 1998
- Munster Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipMunster Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Hurling Under-21 Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for players aged between 18 and 21 in the province of Munster in Ireland...
:- Winner (1): 1997, 1998
- Munster Under-21 Football ChampionshipMunster Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe Munster Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster, in Ireland....
:- Winner (0):
- Runner-up (1): 1997
- All-Ireland Minor Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Minor Hurling ChampionshipThe 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...
:- Winner (1): 1995
- Munster Minor Hurling ChampionshipMunster Minor Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Hurling Minor Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1928 for the youngest competitors in the province of Munster in Ireland...
:- Winner (1): 1995
- Munster Minor Football ChampionshipMunster Minor Football ChampionshipThe Munster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council. The current Munster Minor football champions are Tipperary. Clare won the inaugural...
:- Winner (0):
- Runner-up (1): 1995
Sources
- Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005).
- Walsh, Denis, Hurling: the Revolution Years (Penguin Ireland, 2005).