Finbarr Gantley

Finbarr Gantley

Personal information
Irish name	Fionbarra Mag Sheanlaoich
Sport	Hurling
Position	Right wing-forward
Born	(1950-09-01)1 September 1950 Shanaglish, County Galway, Ireland
Died	16 July 2021(2021-07-16) (aged 70) Tubber, County Galway, Ireland
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Occupation	Farmer
Club(s)
Years	Club
	Seán McDermotts Brothers Pearse St. Gabriel's Beagh
Club titles
London titles	6
Inter-county(ies)
Years	County	Apps (scores)
1977-1982	Galway	11 (3-10)
Inter-county titles
All-Irelands	1
NHL	0
All Stars	0

Finbarr Gantley (1 September 1950 – 16 July 2021) was an Irish hurler who played for a number of club sides, including St. Gabriel's and Beagh. He also lined out at inter-county level with the Warwickshire, London and Galway senior hurling teams.

Career

Born near Shanaglish on the County Clare-Galway border, Gantley had an uncle, Paddy Gantley, who had played with the Galway senior hurling team in the 1940s and is regarded as one of their greatest ever players. After emigrating to the UK at the age of 16, Gantley won County Championship titles with the Brothers Pearse and St. Gabriel's clubs.[1] He also lined out with Warwickshire and London, losing five All-Ireland finals across the junior, intermediate and senior B grades. After returning to Ireland Gantley joined the Beagh club and was drafted onto the Galway senior team. He lined out in three successive All-Ireland finals, coming on as a substitute for Galway's 1980 All-Ireland final defeat of Limerick.[2]

Personal life and death

Gantley's sons Finbarr Jnr and Rory also hurled for the Galway senior team in the 1990s and 2000s.[3] He died in Tubber, County Galway on 16 July 2021.[4][5]

Honours

Brothers Pearse

• London Senior Hurling Championship: 1968, 1972

St Gabriel's

• London Senior Hurling Championship: 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977

Beagh

• Galway Intermediate Hurling Championship: 1980

Galway

• All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship: 1980

References

1. "Hurling's prodigal sons: The players who returned home to win All-Irelands". Sky Sports. 21 August 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
2. "Not prodigal, just prodigious". Irish Times. 13 May 2000. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
3. "Elder Gantley back in Galway's colours". Irish Independent. 22 March 2000. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
4. "Death of Galway All-Ireland winning hurler Finbarr Gantley". Hogan Stand. 17 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
5. "Tributes paid to the late Finbarr Gantley, All-Ireland winner with Galway". Irish Examiner. 18 July 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.