Damian O'Neill (Gaelic footballer)

Last updated

Damian O'Neill
Personal information
Irish name Damian Ó Néill
Sport Gaelic football
Position Midfield
Born 1973 (1973)
Bantry, County Cork, Ireland
Occupation Company director
Club(s)
YearsClub
Bantry Blues
Club titles
Cork titles 2
Colleges(s)
YearsCollege
Cork RTC
College titles
Sigerson titles 0
Inter-county(ies)
YearsCountyApps (scores)
1996-1999
Cork 3 (1-05)
Inter-county titles
Munster titles 1
All-Irelands 0
NFL 1
All Stars 0

Damian O'Neill (born 1973) is an Irish former Gaelic footballer. At club level, he played with Bantry Blues and at inter-county level with the Cork senior football team.

Contents

Career

O'Neill began his club career at juvenile and underage levels with Bantry Blues. He won back-to-back Cork U21AFC medals while simultaneously progressing to adult level. He claimed his first adult silverware in 1993 when he won a Cork IFC medal after a 0-12 to 0-10 win over Ballincollig in the final. [1] O'Neill captained Bantry Blues to the Cork SFC title in 1995 after a 0-10 to 0-08 win over Muskerry in the final. [2] He won a second Cork SFC medal in 1998 when he once again captained Bantry to a 0-17 to 2-06 defeat of Duhallow in the final. [3] [4]

At inter-county level, O'Neill first appeared for Cork as a member of the minor team that won the All-Ireland MFC title in 1991, after a 1-09 to 1-07 win over Mayo in the final. [5] He later progressed to the under-21 team and added an All-Ireland U21FC medal to his collection when he captained the team to a 1-12 to 1-05 defeat of Mayo in the 1994 All-Ireland under-21 final. [6]

O'Neill was drafted onto the senior team during the 1996–97 National Football League. His senior tenure was blighted by a series of injuries, including a cruciate ligament injury in May 1997. [7] O'Neill was part of the Cork team that won the National League title after a defeat of Dublin in the final. [8] He was appointed captain the senior team for the championship, however, injury ruled him out of the team. [9] O'Neill was a member of the extended panel for Cork's defeat by Meath in the 1999 All-Ireland final. [10] [11] [12]

Personal life

O'Neill's uncle, Declan Barron, won an All-Ireland SFC medal with Cork in 1973. [13]

Honours

Bantry Blues
Cork

References

  1. "When the Blues ruled the county". The Southern Star. 19 November 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  2. "LONG READ: How Bantry boys became Blues' legends in 1995". The Southern Star. 1 November 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  3. "When the Blues ruled the county". The Southern Star. 19 November 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  4. "Blues for Duhallow". Irish Independent. 5 October 1998. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  5. "Cork profile". Hogan Stand website. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  6. "Cork under-21 football teams: 1962-2010" (PDF). Cork GAA website. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  7. "DAMIAN O'NEILL INTERVIEW: 'Do I regret not being able to do more with Cork? Yes and no'". The Southern Star. 7 February 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  8. "Cork football rewatch: League final joy in the Páirc against the Dubs in 1999". Echo Live. 19 April 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  9. "O'Neill faces injury D-Day". Irish Independent. 28 January 1999. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  10. "10 of the best: That sweet feeling when Cork beat Kerry in championship". Echo Live. 28 April 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  11. "O'Regan blow for Cork". Irish Independent. 30 August 1999. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  12. "Mark O'Sullivan will take 1999 All-Ireland final regrets 'to the grave'". Irish Examiner. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  13. Coughlan, John (22 April 2020). "The Leeside legends series: Barron of Bantry cast a spell on the football field". The Echo. Retrieved 3 April 2021.