Jim Young (hurler)

Infobox GAA player
code= Hurling
sport = Hurling


name = Jim Young
irish = Séamus de Siún
fullname = James Young
placeofbirth = Dunmanway
countryofbirth = County Cork
height =
nickname = Youngie
county = Cork
province = Munster
club = Glen Rovers
clposition = Half-back
clubs =
clyears =
clapps(points) =
clcounty =
clprovince=
clallireland =
counties = Cork
icposition = Half-back
icyears = 1939-1949
icapps(points) =
icprovince = 6
icallireland = 5
allstars =
clupdate =
icupdate =

Dr. Jim Young (1915-1992) was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Glen Rovers and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1939 until 1949.

Early & private life

Jim Young was born in Dunmanway, County Cork in 1915. He was born into a family that had a strong association with Gaelic football. His father, Jack, won an All-Ireland medal with Cork in 1911 and was a star for his local club team. His brother, Eamon, later won an All-Ireland football title with Cork in 1945 and came to be regarded as one of the county's greatest-ever players.

Jim Young was educated locally and later received a degree in medicine. He was considered a fine doctor & diagnostician in his general practice based in Cork City.

Playing career

Club

Young played most of his club hurling with the famous Glen Rovers club in the Blackpool area of Cork. He joined 'the Glen' at a time when the club was in the process of capturing eight senior county titles in-a-row between 1934 and 1942. Young later helped the club to further glory in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Inter-county

Young first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Cork minor hurling team in the early 1930s. He enjoyed little success in this grade but later became a member of the Cork senior team. In 1939 Young won his first Munster hurling title, however, Kilkenny later accounted for Cork in the famous "thunder and lightning" All-Ireland final. In 1939 and 1940 he captured back-to-back National Hurling League titles, however, the 1941 championship was severely hampered due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. Cork only had to play two games to be crowned All-Ireland hurling champions, however, they lost the delayed Munster hurling final to Tipperary. In 1942 Young captured his second set of Munster and All-Ireland medals. 1943 proved to be another successful year for Young as he won a third Munster hurling medal and a third All-Ireland title in-a-row. In 1944 Lynch captured his fourth Munster hurling title. Later that year Cork created a piece of sporting history by becoming the only team to win four All-Ireland hurling titles in-a-row. Young was one of nine heroes of the team who played in all four finals. In 1945 Cork surrendered their provincial hurling crown, however, the team returned to their winning ways in 1946 and Young claimed a fifth provincial hurling title. A fifth All-Ireland hurling medal was later added to his collection following a defeat of old rivals Kilkenny in the final. Young captured a sixth Munster hurling medal in 1947 before going on to play in his seventh All-Ireland hurling final in less than a decade. The game itself against Kilkenny has often been described as the greatest All-Ireland final ever played, however, Young ended up on the losing side by a single point. There was some consolation at the start of 1948 as Young captained Cork to another National Hurling League medal, however, Tipperary quickly became the dominant force in the Munster Championship. Young retired from inter-county hurling in 1949.

Inter-provincial

Young also lined out for Munster in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He captured Railway Cup medals in 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945 and 1946.

Post-playing careers

In retirement from hurling Young maintained a keen interested in the game and in other sports. He became Munster squash champion and served as non-playing captain of the Irish Davis Cup tennis team in 1967. Young also served as president of the Irish Rifle Association for many years.

Teams