Matt O'Gara
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Sport | Dual player | ||
Football Position: | Midfield | ||
Hurling Position: | Midfield | ||
Born | Toomevara, Co. Tipperary | ||
Club(s) | |||
Years | Club | ||
Toomevara | |||
Club titles | |||
Football | Hurling | ||
Tipperary titles | 3 | 1 | |
Inter-county(ies) | |||
Years | County | ||
1960s | Tipperary | ||
Inter-county titles | |||
Football | Hurling | ||
Munster Titles | 0 | 2 | |
All-Ireland Titles | 0 | 2 |
Matt O'Gara is a former hurler from Toomevara, County Tipperary, Ireland. He played his hurling with his local club Toomevara, and Tipperary as midfield and wing back. He enjoyed great success winning a senior county title in hurling in 1960 and three senior titles in football between 1958 and 1960.
Playing career
Inter-county
O'Gara first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Tipperary minor hurling team in 1955. That team defeated Galway in the minor hurling final in Croke Park. O'Gara came on as a substitute for Joe Small of Borrisoleigh.
O'Gara’s performances at this level brought him to the attention of the senior team. In 1961 it was National League medal number one and Munster medal number one for O'Gara. In the subsequent All-Ireland final Tipp faced Dublin, however, in spite of being red-hot favourites, O'Gara's side were lucky to clinch victory by a single point, thus capturing his first All-Ireland senior hurling medal.
In 1962 Tipp were still the kingpins of Munster hurling with O'Gara capturing a second provincial medal. In the subsequent All-Ireland final the second instalment of the Tipperary-Wexford rivalry resulted in a win for Tipp and a second All-Ireland medal for O'Gara. He retired from inter-county hurling in 1963, following an eye injury.
Provincial
O'Gara was voted best new rookie in 1961 and narrowly failed to be selected on the Railway Cup team.
Honours
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship: 2
- 1961, 1962
- All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship: 1
- 1955
- Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship: 1
- 1960
- Tipperary Senior Football Championship: 3
- 1958, 1959, 1960