Michael Duignan

Michael Duignan (born 21 February 1968 in Banagher, County Offaly) is a retired Irish hurling manager and former dual player. He played hurling and Gaelic football with his local club St. Rynagh's and with the Offaly senior inter-county teams from the 1980s until the early 2000s. Duignan served as manager of the Meath senior hurling team from 2001 until 2003. He has since become a Gaelic games pundit for RTÉ.

Playing career

Club

Duignan played his club hurling with the famous St. Rynagh's club in Banagher. He enjoyed some success at underage levels before winning a senior county title in 1987. Three more county titles followed in 1990, 1992 and 1993, with Duignan converting this last county win into a Leinster club title. Shortly after his retirement from inter-county hurling in 2001 Duignan, who at that stage was living in Naas, County Kildare, transferred to the Raheen club in Kildare.^[1] In 2004 he moved clubs again, this time to Durrow where he expected to end his career, however, in 2006 Duignan returned to his native club of St. Rynagh's.^[2]

Inter-county

Duignan first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Offaly minor hurling team in the mid-1980s. He won Leinster and All-Ireland honours at minor level in 1986, the year that he also made his senior inter-county debut. In 1988, 1989 and 1990 Duignan won his first three Leinster titles, however, Offaly were defeated on each occasion in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final. The most embarrassing of these defeats wa sin 1989 when an unfancied Antrim team got the better of Offaly. There was some consolation in 1991 when Duignan helped Offaly to win its very first, and since then its only, National Hurling League title.

Three years later in 1994 Duignan won a fourth provincial title. He didn't play in the All-Ireland final which Offaly won following a great game against Limerick, however, he did win an All-Ireland medal as a substitute. Offaly were back in 1995 winning another Leinster title, however, in the All-Ireland final victory went to Clare. It was the county’s first All-Ireland win since 1914. Three years later in 1998 Duignan claimed his first All-Ireland title following a win over the Leinster champions Kilkenny. He finished off the year by winning his first All-Star award. In 2000 the old foes of Offaly and Kilkenny met again in both the Leinster and All-Ireland finals, however, this time Kilkenny emerged victorious in one of the most one-sided All-Ireland finals in decades.

In 2001 Duignan decided to retire from inter-county hurling.^[3]

Honours

• Leinster Senior Hurling Championship (5) 1988 1989 1990 1994 1995
• All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship (2) 1994 1998
• Walsh Cup (2) 1990 1993
• National Hurling League (1) 1991
• Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship (1) 1989
• Leinster Minor Hurling Championship (1) 1986
• Offaly Senior Hurling Championship (4) 1987 1990 1992 1993
• Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship (1) 1993
• GAA GPA All Stars Awards (1) 1998
• Offaly Intermediate Football Championship (1) 1997

Post-playing career

In retirement from playing Duignan maintained a keen interest in the game. He was appointed manager of the Meath senior hurling team in 2001, shortly after his retirement from playing. During his tenure in charge Meath managed a dramatic Leinster championship victory over Laois in Páirc Tailteann. The team also put up a creditable performance against Offaly and hopes were high that they would make further progress. Duignan, however, and the Meath County Board had major public clashes towards the end of his term in charge, after the board fixed senior club football championship games just 24 hours before Meath hurlers were due to play Antrim in a crucial National Hurling League match. As a result of this key players were expected to play for their clubs a day prior to the Antrim game.^[4]

Duignan is also a regular contributor to Raidió Teilifís Éireann's Gaelic Games programme The Sunday Game.

References