Shane O'Neill (hurler)

Shane O'Neill (born 1 March 1986) is an Irish hurler who plays as a right corner-back for the Cork senior team.[1][2]

Shane O'Neill
Personal information
Irish name Seán Ó Néill
Sport Hurling
Position Right corner-back
Born (1986-03-01) 1 March 1986
Bishopstown, Cork, Ireland
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Occupation Advisory associate at PwC
Club(s)
Years Club
2004-present
 Bishopstown
Club titles
Cork titles 0
Inter-county(ies)*
Years County Apps (scores)
2005-present
 Cork 35 (0-1)
Inter-county titles
Munster titles 1
All-Irelands 0
NHL 0
All Stars 0
*Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 15:43, 18 July 2014.

Born in Bishopstown, Cork, O'Neill first played competitive hurling whilst at school in Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh. He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of seventeen when he first linked up with the Cork minor team, before later joining the under-21 side. He joined the senior team as a member of the extended panel during the 2005 championship. Since then O'Neill has become a regular member of the starting fifteen and has won one Munster medal on the field of play. He has been an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion.

As a member of the Munster inter-provincial team, O'Neill has won one Railway Cup medal. At club level he has won several championship medals in all grades with Bishopstown.

Playing career

Club

O'Neill was a beneficiary of the under-age hurling boom with Bishopstown between 2003 and 2007. Back-to-back minor championship medals in 2003 and 2004 were followed by back-to-back under-21 championship medals in 2006 and 2007.

In 2006 O'Neill was a key member of Bishopstown's top team that faced Carrigtwohill in the final of the premier intermediate championship. A 0-20 to 1-11 victory gave him a Cork Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship medal.

Inter-county

O'Neill first lined out with Cork in the minor grade in 2003. A disappointing season followed, however, in 2004 he won his first Munster medal as Cork ended Tipperary's hopes of four-in-a-row with a 2-13 to 3-8 victory.[3]

The following year O'Neill was a key member of the Cork under-21 team. He won a Munster medal in his debut year, as Cork defeated old rivals Tipperary by 4-8 to 0-13.[4]

Two years later and O'Neill was appointed captain of the Cork under-21 team. He won a second Munster medal on that occasion following a 1-20 to 0-10 trouncing of Waterford.[5]

By 2005 O'Neill's performances for the Cork minor and under-21 teams brought him to the attention of the senior selectors. He was a member of the extended panel during Cork's All-Ireland victory. He won a Munster medal in 2006 as an unused substitute.

On 17 June 2007 O'Neill made his senior championship debut in a 5-15 to 3-18 Munster semi-final defeat by Waterford. The following few seasons saw Cork go into decline, however, a highlight for O'Neill was being appointed captain of the team in 2011.[6]

O'Neill lined out in his second Munster decider in 2013, however, Cork faced a 0-24 to 0-15 defeat by Limerick.[7] On 8 September 2013 he lined out against Clare in his first All-Ireland final. Three second-half goals through Conor Lehane, Anthony Nash and Pa Cronin, and a tenth point of the game from Patrick Horgan gave Cork a one-point lead as injury time came to an end. A last-gasp point from corner-back Domhnall O'Donovan earned Clare a 0-25 to 3-16 draw.[8] The replay on 28 September was regarded as one of the best in recent years. Clare's Shane O'Donnell was a late addition to the team, and went on to score a hat-trick of goals in the first nineteen minutes of the game. Patrick Horgan top scored for Cork, however, further goals from Conor McGrath and Darach Honan secured a 5-16 to 3-16 victory for Clare.[9]

In 2014 O'Neill won his first Munster medal on the field of play as goals by Séamus Harnedy and Paudie O'Sullivan gave Cork a 2-24 to 0-24 victory over Limerick.[10]

Inter-provincial

O'Neill also had the honour of being picked for Munster in the inter-provincial series of games. He won an Interprovincial Championship medal in 2013 as Munster defeated Connacht by 1-22 to 0-15.[11]

Honours
Bishopstown
Cork
Munster

References
  1. "Player profile: Shane O'Neill". Cork GAA website. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  2. Murphy, Brian (19 June 2014). "Shane O'Neill: 'We can't keep losing'". GAA website. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  3. Larkin, Brendan (28 June 2004). "Murphy ends Tipperary dreams of four in a row". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  4. Larkin, Brendan (4 August 2005). "Hartnett goal seals Cork grand slam". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  5. Keyes, Dermot (3 August 2007). "Waterford's Munster treble dream dashed by Rebels". The Munster Express. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  6. O'Toole, Fintan & Fogarty, John (5 January 2011). "O'Neill the 'ideal choice' as new Cork hurling captain". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  7. O'Flynn, Diarmuid (15 July 2013). "Day of joy sends tremor through Treaty". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  8. O'Flynn, Diarmuid (9 September 2013). "An emotional, riveting roller-coaster". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  9. O'Flynn, Diarmuid (30 September 2013). "A day borrowed from the hurling gods". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
  10. O'Flynn, Diarmuid (14 July 2014). "Irrepressible Rebels rule Munster again". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  11. "Munster too strong for Connacht". Irish Examiner. 3 March 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
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