Niall O'Leary

Niall O'Leary

Personal information
Irish name	Niall Ó Laoire
Sport	Hurling
Position	Left corner-back
Born	1998 Castlelyons, County Cork, Ireland
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Occupation	Secondary school teacher
Club(s)
Years	Club
2015-present 2017-2018; 2020 2019; 2021-2023	Castlelyons → Imokilly → University College Cork
Club titles
Cork titles	2
Colleges(s)
Years	College
2017-2023	University College Cork
College titles
Fitzgibbon titles	2
Inter-county(ies)*
Years	County	Apps (scores)
2019-present	Cork	10 (0-01)
Inter-county titles
Munster titles	0
All-Irelands	0
NHL	0
All Stars	0
*Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 21:52, 31 July 2021.

Niall O'Leary (born 1998) is an Irish hurler who plays for club side Castlelyons, divisional side Imokilly and at inter-county level with the Cork senior hurling team. He is usually deployed as a corner-back, but can also be deployed as a full-back or as a centre-back.

Playing career

St. Colman's College

O'Leary first came to prominence as a hurler with St. Colman's College in Fermoy. On 18 February 2017, he scored 1-01 from play for St. Colman's in a 2-22 to 1-06 defeat by Our Lady's Secondary School from Templemore in the Harty Cup final.[1]

University College Cork

On 23 February 2019, O'Leary lined out at right corner-back for University College Cork when they faced Mary Immaculate College in the Fitzgibbon Cup final. He scored a point from play in the 2-21 to 0-13 victory.[2]

O'Leary played in a second successive Fitzgibbon Cup final on 12 February 2020. Selected at left wing-back but mostly playing in a sweeper role, he ended the game with a second successive winners' medal after the 0-18 to 2-11 defeat of the Institute of Technology, Carlow.[3]

Castlelyons

O'Leary joined the Castlelyons club at a young age and played in all grades at juvenile and underage levels. On 8 October 2016, he scored 1-1 from midfield in a 2-13 to 1-15 Cork Minor Championship final replay defeat by Ballygiblin.[4]

Imokilly

In 2017, O'Leary was added to the Imokilly senior team. On 22 October, he was at centre-back when Imokilly defeated Blackrock by 3-13 to 0-18 to win the Cork Senior Championship.[5]

On 14 October 2018, O'Leary won a second successive Cork Senior Championship medal from centre-back, following Imokilly's 4-19 to 1-18 defeat of Midleton in the final.[6]

Cork

Minor and under-21

O'Leary first played for Cork at minor level on 8 April 2015 in a 2-20 to 1-13 Munster Championship defeat of Limerick.[7] An anomaly in the championship format saw Cork face the same opposition in the semi-final, with Limerick reversing the result.[8] O'Leary was eligible for the minor grade again in 2016 and was appointed captain of the team.[9] He played his last game in the minor grade on 30 June 2016 in a 0-23 to 1-12 defeat by Tipperary in the Munster semi-final.[10]

On 20 June 2018, O'Leary made his first appearance for the Cork under-21 hurling team in a 0-23 to 1-17 defeat of Waterford.[11] He later won a Munster Championship medal on 4 July following Cork's 2-23 to 1-13 defeat of Tipperary in the final.[12] On 26 August, O'Leray was at left corner-back in Cork's 3-13 to 1-16 All-Ireland final defeat by Tipperary, in what was his last game in the grade.[13]

Senior

On 2 January 2019, O'Leary made his first appearance for the Cork senior hurling team in a 1-24 to 1-18 pre-season Munster League defeat by Waterford.[14] He was later included on the Cork panel for the National League but made no appearances throughout the six-game campaign. O'Leary made his first competitive appearance on 12 May when he lined out at left corner-back in a 2-28 to 1-24 defeat by Tipperary in the Munster Championship.[15]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 20 April 2019.

Team	Year	Cork PIHC
		Apps	Score
Castlelyons	2015	2	0-01
	2016	1	0-00
	2017	3	0-03
	2018	3	0-00
	2019	1	0-02
Career total		10	0-06

Inter-county

As of 31 July 2021.

Team	Year	National League			Munster		All-Ireland		Total
		Division	Apps	Score	Apps	Score	Apps	Score	Apps	Score
Cork	2019	Division 1A	0	0-00	4	0-00	2	0-00	6	0-00
	2020		3	0-00	0	0-00	1	0-00	4	0-00
	2021		3	0-00	1	0-00	2	0-01	6	0-01
Career total			6	0-00	5	0-00	5	0-01	16	0-01

Honours

University College Cork

• Fitzgibbon Cup: 2019, 2020

Castlelyons

• Munster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship: 2023
• Cork Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship: 2023

Imokilly

• Cork Senior Hurling Championship: 2017, 2018

Cork

• Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship: 2018

References

1. Hurley, Denis (20 February 2017). "Templemore turn on the power". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
2. "Fitzgibbon Cup final: UCC in a different class". Hogan Stand. 23 February 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
3. Farrell, Sinéad (12 February 2020). "14-man UCC come from 6 points down to win Fitzgibbon Cup final against IT Carlow". The 42. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
4. Ryan, Pat (15 October 2016). "Ballygiblin claim famous county title". The Corkman. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
5. Hurley, Denis (22 October 2017). "Cork's Seamus Harnedy helps Imokilly end 19 years of hurt to claim county title". The 42. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
6. Cormican, Eoghan (14 October 2018). "Imokilly retain title after ten-point win". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
7. Cormican, Eoghan (9 April 2015). "Denis Ring delights as Cork minor hurlers roar past Limerick". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
8. O'Callaghan, Therese (2 July 2015). "Limerick minors deliver late knockout to Cork". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
9. Fennessy, Paul (5 April 2016). "Cork senior goalkeepers' brother in minor side as Waterford name three players from 2015 team". The 42. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
10. "Tipp's blistering second-half blast adds to Rebel woes". Breaking News. 30 June 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
11. Hurley, Denis (20 June 2018). "Cork through to Munster hurling final after second-half comeback against Waterford". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
12. Cormican, Eoghan (5 July 2018). "Cork outclass Tipperary on home soil to end 11-year Munster U21 hurling crown wait". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
13. "Injury time drama as late Tipperary goal secures All-Ireland U21 victory over Cork". Irish Independent. 26 August 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
14. Hurley, Denis (2 January 2019). "0-13 for Bennett and a goal for Brick Walsh as Waterford saw off Cork tonight". The 42. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
15. Sweeney, Peter (12 May 2019). "Tipperary outclass Cork in Munster opener". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 20 May 2019.