Tomás O'Leary takes up role with Éire Óg hurlers

Éire Óg’s hurling team have secured the services of former Ireland rugby international Tomás O’Leary for the coming season.

O’Leary, who captained Cork to win the 2001 All-Ireland minor hurling title before embarking on a professional rugby career, has agreed to come on board a set-up led by manager John Malone and coach Vincent Hurley.

Forty-year-old O’Leary, the son of Cork great Seánie, won a Munster medal with Cork in 2000 before skippering the side to glory the following year but by that stage he had begun to blossom into a star rugby player at Christian Brothers College.

After leaving school, he signed with Munster and was part of the Ireland team that reached the final of the 2004 U21 Rugby World Cup. In 2005-06, he became a key member of the Munster first-team squad, winning a Heineken Cup medal, and he was the starting scrum-half when the trophy was regained in 2008.

Having earned his first Ireland senior cap in 2007, he was part of the side which achieved a grand slam in the 2009 Six Nations Championship. That same year, he was named in the Lions squad for the tour of South Africa but an ankle injury forced his withdrawal.

In 2012, O’Leary joined London Irish, where he remained for three years before returning to Munster. He finished his career with a short stint at French side Montpellier.

CULTURE

Following his retirement, he once again lined out with Erin’s Own at junior level while in December of last year he was appointed head of junior rugby at his alma mater, CBC.

He said at the time: “There’s a lot of [Munster] boys who have gone into coaching and have been very successful off the back of it.

“That speaks to the culture of that Munster team and the growth mindset that was within that team. That’s the one thing you try and instill in your players, having that growth mindset, not being afraid to make that pass or make that mistake.”

Since winning the 2020 Co-op SuperStores IAHC, Éire Óg have operated premier intermediate level. In 2021, they finished third in their group and then in 2022 they came fourth, necessitating a win over Youghal in the relegation play-off.

Last year, the Ovens side were very unlucky, beating Valley Rovers and Carrigaline in their opening two matches before defeat to Ballymartle left them in a three-way tie on four points with the Riverstick club and Valleys, losing out on scoring difference.

A second-placed finish in Division 3 of the RedFM Hurling League in 2023 saw them promoted to Division 2 for the coming year, their campaign beginning with a home tie against St Finbarr’s on Saturday, March 9.

DERBIES

For the upcoming Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship, Éire Óg have been drawn with fellow Muskerry sides Ballincollig and Aghabullogue – whom they meet in their opener on August 3 – as well as Mallow.