Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Irish name | Niall Mac an Airchinnigh | ||
Sport | Hurling | ||
Position | Right corner-back | ||
Born |
Sixmilebridge, County Clare, Ireland | 8 May 1949||
Died |
22 November 2004 Galway, Ireland | (aged 55)||
Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
Nickname | Niall Mac | ||
Occupation | Secondary school teacher | ||
Club(s) | |||
Years | Club | ||
Sixmilebridge Liam Mellows | |||
Club titles | |||
Galway titles | 2 | ||
Inter-county(ies) | |||
Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
1972–1973 1974–1983 |
Clare Galway |
2 (0-00) 24 (0-00) | |
Inter-county titles | |||
All-Irelands | 1 | ||
NHL | 1 | ||
All Stars | 2 |
Niall McInerney (8 May 1949 – 22 November 2004[1][2]) was an Irish hurler who played as a right corner-back for the Clare and Galway senior teams.[3]
Born in Sixmilebridge, County Clare, McInerney first played competitive hurling in his youth. He made his first impression on the inter-county scene when he joined the Clare minor team, before later linking up with the under-21 team. He made his senior debut during the 1972 championship. McInerney later played a key role with Galway for almost a decade, and won one All-Ireland medal and one National Hurling League medal. He was an All-Ireland runner-up on three occasions.
As a member of the Connacht inter-provincial team at various times, McInerney won three Railway Cup medal. At club level he was a one-time intermediate championship medallist with Sixmilebridge. McInerney also lined out with Liam Mellows.
Throughout his career McInerney made a combined total of 26 championship appearances for Clare and Galway. His retirement came following the conclusion of the 1983 championship.
McInerney is widely regarded as one of Galway's greatest-ever hurlers. He has often been voted onto teams made up of the sport's greats, including at full-back on the Fitzgibbon Cup Hurling Team of the Century.[4]
In retirement from playing, McInerney became involved in team management and coaching. At schools level he was involved in coaching the Galway vocational schools' hurlers to a remarkable sixteen All-Ireland titles, including a record eight-in-a-row. He also helped Moneenageisha Vocational School to two All-Ireland titles. McInerney later served as a selector with the Galway senior team.[5]