Johnny Dooley

Infobox GAA player
code= Hurling
sport = Hurling


name = Johnny Dooley
irish = Seán Ó Dulaoích
fullname = Johnny Dooley
placeofbirth = Clareen
countryofbirth = County Offaly
bday=7
bmonth=10
byear= 1971
height =
nickname =
county = Offaly
province = Leinster
club = Seir Kieran
clposition = Forward
clubs =
clyears =
clapps(points) =
clcounty =
clprovince=
clallireland =
counties = Offaly
icposition = Forward
icyears = 1990s-2000s
icapps(points) =
icprovince = 2
icallireland = 2
allstars = 3
clupdate =
icupdate = Johnny Dooley (born 7 October, 1971 in Clareen, County Offaly) is an Irish hurling manager and former player, currently embarking on his first season as manager of the Westmeath senior hurling team.cite web|url=http://www.hoganstand.com/Westmeath/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=85107|title=Qualter takes over Westmeath minors|publisher=Hoganstand.com|date=2007-10-25|accessdate=2008-04-27] He played hurling with his local club Seir Kieran and was a member of the Offaly senior inter-county team in the 1990s and 2000s.

Early life

Johnny Dooley was born just outside Clareen, County Offaly in 1971. He was born into a family that was steeped in hurling history. His father's uncle, Tom Dooley, as well as his mother's father and uncle had all played with Offaly in the junior All-Ireland finals in 1929 and 1923 respectively. Similarly, for almost two decades Johnny and his brothers Billy and Joe formed the backbone of the Offaly senior hurling team.

On January 10, 2007 Dooley, along with his two brothers Billy and Joe, was profiled on the TG4 television programme "Laochra Gael".

Playing career

Club

Dooley, along with his four brothers, played club hurling with his local Seir Kieran club. He enjoyed some success at underage levels before winning four senior county championship titles in 1988, 1995, 1996 and 1998.

Inter-county

Dooley first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Offaly minor hurling team in the late 1980s. He made his debut in 1987 and went on to win his first Leinster title in that grade. Dooley later lined out in his first championship decider. Tipperary provided the opposition on that occasion; however, Offaly emerged victorious giving Dooley his first All-Ireland medal. Offaly lost their provincial crown in 1988, however, Dooley captured a second Leinster title in 1989. That year Offaly lined out against Clare in the championship decider and Dooley duly added a second All-Ireland minor medal to his collection. That same year Dooley joined the Offaly under-21 hurling team. He continued his remarkable run of success bu capturing a Leinster title in that grade that same year. Offaly were later defeated by Tipperary in the All-Ireland final. Two years later in 1991 Dooley won a second Leinster under-21 medal, however, Galway triumphed over Dooley’s side in the All-Ireland final. In 1992 he won a third Leinster under-21 title in four years and, once again, he lined out in the championship decider. Waterford provided the opposition on that occasion; however, Dooley ended the game with an All-Ireland under-21 medal.

By this stage Dooley had already made his debut for the Offaly senior hurling team. He won a National Hurling League title in 1991, the first such victory for Offaly in that competition. The minor and under-21 successes of the late 1980s and early 1990s paved the way for a glorious period of success at senior level in the 1990s. In 1994 Dooley won his first senior Leinster title before later playing in one of the most famous All-Ireland finals of all-time. With five minutes left in the game, Limerick were leading by five points and looked set for victory. With time running out Dooley squared up to take a 21-metre free. Although he was instructed from the sideline to take a point Dooley crashed the sliothar into the back of the net. This score seemed to open the floodgates as Offaly amassed another 1-6 in the remaining few minutes. Offaly had snatched victory away from Limerick and Dooley had claimed his first senior All-Ireland medal. He was later presented with his first All-Star award. In 1995 Dooley was back in Croke Park and added a second Leinster medal to his collection. He later lined out in his second championship decider. On that occasion Clare provided the opposition, however, victory went to the Munstermen. It was Clare’s first All-Ireland title since 1914. In spite of this loss Dooley was still presented with a second All-Star award. Offaly surrendered their provincial crown for the next few years and failed to regain it. The advent of the ‘back-door system’ allowed Dooley’s side, who were defeated by Kilkenny in the 1998 Leinster final, to have another chance of winning the All-Ireland. That year’s All-Ireland final saw Offaly take on Kilkenny. In that game Offaly gained revenge for the earlier defeat and trounced ‘the Cats’ on a score line of 3-16 to 2-13. Dooley had collected his second All-Ireland medal. Two years later in 2000 Kilkenny defeated Offaly in the Leinster final once again. In spite of this the two sides later met again in the championship decider. There was no victory for Offaly on that occasion as Kilkenny defeated their rivals on a score line of 5-15 to 1-14. It was a terrible result for Offaly, however, Dooley finished off the year by winning a third All-Star award.

Managerial career

In retirement from playing Dooley maintained a keen interest in the game. In 2004 he served in a coaching capacity with the Kildare senior hurling team and in 2005 he took charge of the Offaly minor hurling team. [cite web|url=http://www.hoganstand.com/Offaly/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=41108|title=Dooley to manage Offaly minors|publisher=Hoganstand.com|date=2005-01-06|accessdate=2008-04-27] Following unsuccessful stints in both Kildare and Offaly Dooley was invited to Westmeath where he took charge of coaching the county's senior hurling team. [cite web|url=http://www.hoganstand.com/Offaly/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=67958|title=Dooley to coach Westmeath hurlers|publisher=Hoganstand.com|date=2006-10-18|accessdate=2008-04-27] During his year as coach Dooley saw Westmeath capture the Christy Ring Cup. Following the resignation of manager Séamus Qualter following this victory Dooley took over as manager.

2008: First season

Dooley's first season in charge has seen some early success. His team only lost to Mayo in the group stages of Division 2A of the National Hurling League. Four victories out of five allowed the team advance to the semi-final stage of the competition where they trounced Down. The final saw Dooley's side defeat Carlow on a score line of 2-12 to 0-12. [cite web|url=http://www.hoganstand.com/Westmeath/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=93376|title=Westmeath GAA notes|publisher=Hoganstand.com|date=2008-04-21|accessdate=2008-04-27] In spite of not being eligible to play in the Liam McCarthy Cup series of games, Westmeath were invited to participate in the Leinster Championship. The teams first outing was against Dublin, however, Dooley's side were defeated by 3-21 to 0-11. Westmeath's real hope of succes was to retain the Christy Ring Cup which they won in 2007. Their campaign in that competition got off to a good start with a 3-23 to 0-13 trouncing of Roscommon. Dooley's side narrowly lost their next game against Wicklow, however, in spite of this his side still qualified for the quarter-finals of the Christy Ring Cup. Kildare, the side that Westmeath defeated in the final of the competion in 2007, proved admirable opponents, however, Dooley's side still captured a 2-22 to 3-13 win. His next outing with his team will be a Christy Ring Cup semi-final.

Teams

References