Jack O'Shea

Infobox GAA player |

name =Jack O' Shea
irish =Seán O Sé
placeofbirth= Kerry
countryofbirth=Ireland
dob= birth date and age|1957|11|19
dod=
nickname=
height=
sport=Gaelic football
code=Football
county=Kerry
province=Munster
clposition= Forward
club=St Mary's GAA Club, Leixlip
clyears=? -?
clapps(points)=
clcounty=
clprovince=
clubs=
counties= Kerry
icposition= Midfield
icyears= ?- ?
icapps(points)=
icprovince=
icallireland=7
allstars=6
icupdate=
clupdate=
|

Jack O'Shea is an All-Ireland winning Gaelic footballer from County Kerry.

Early Years

Jack O'Shea was born in Caherciveen, County Kerry in 1957. As a boy he showed a talent for Gaelic football and was inspired by watching Mick O'Dwyer and Mick O'Connell training in his native town. After making his minor debut against Waterford in the 1974 Munster Championship "Jacko" went on to represent the Under-21s with whom he won a record four All-Ireland medals in a row.

enior career

The natural progression to the Kerry County senior team came in 1977 and after a disappointing All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Dublin, Kerry went on to achieve an exceptional four-in-a-row between 1978 and 1981. O'Shea's footballing prowess earned him a place on the Sunday Independent/Irish Nationwide team of the century.

He was also a member of the side in the centenary year of the Gaelic Athletic Association, 1984, a side that won three All-Ireland's in a row between 1984 and 1986. 1986 would be O'Shea's last All-Ireland medal but the midfielder remained on the team until 1992. His last game was in the Munster final against Clare when Kerry were beaten. The loss brought Jacko's sixteen-year career with Kerry to end, during which time he won three National Leagues, ten Munster titles and seven All-Irelands. He was also the recipient of six consecutive GAA All Stars Awards from 1980 to 1985, in midfield - the most notoriously difficult position to win the award. The only player who has since come close to this feat has been Tyrone's Sean Cavanagh, who won three awards in a row from 2003 to 2005.

O'Shea also played a central role on Ireland's International Rules team. He was captain for the series against the Australians in 1984 and 1986 and was again part of the panel in 1990. He was a member of the GAA Football Team of the Century in 1984.