Fergal Hartley

Fergal Hartely

Personal information
Irish name	Fergal Ó hArtaile
Sport	Hurling
Position	Centre-back
Born	(1972-02-04) 4 February 1972 (age 49) Ballygunner, County Waterford, Ireland
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Nickname	Fergie, Bird
Occupation	Recruitment firm owner
Club(s)
Years	Club
	Ballygunner
Club titles
Waterford titles	8
Munster titles	1
Inter-county(ies)*
Years	County	Apps (scores)
1992–2006	Waterford	26 (0-00)
Inter-county titles
Munster titles	1
All-Irelands	0
NHL	0
All Stars	1
*Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 19:34, 8 October 2014.

Fergal Hartley (born 4 February 1972) is an Irish retired hurler who played as a centre-back for the Waterford senior team. ^[1]

Born in Ballygunner, County Waterford, Hartley first played competitive hurling during his schooling at De La Salle College. He arrived on the inter-county scene when he first linked up with the Waterford minor team, before later joining the under-21 side. He made his senior debut during the 1993 championship. Hartley went on to enjoy a lengthy career and won one Munster medal.

Hartley was a member of the Munster inter-provincial team on a number of occasions. At club level he is a one-time Munster medallist with Ballygunner. In addition to this Hartley has also won eight championship medals.

Throughout his career Hartley made 26 championship appearances for Waterford. After retiring from inter-county hurling in July 2003, he returned to inter-county activity for one more campaign in 2005. ^[2] Hartley retired for the second time on 10 January 2006. ^[3]

In retirement from playing Hartley became involved in team management and coaching. He spent two years as manager of the Waterford under-21 team, Hartley later took charge of the Ballygunner senior team.

Playing career

Club

Hartley played his club hurling with the Ballygunner club in Waterford and has enjoyed much success.

In 1992 Hartley won his first county club championship medal following a 1–12 to 2–7 defeat of Mount Sion. It was the club's first title in twenty-four years.

Ballygunner surrendered their club title the following year, but were back in the final again in 1995 to face Mount Sion. Hartley won his second championship medal that year following a draw and a replay. It was the first of three county final victories in-a-row for Ballygunner, defeating Lismore in 1996 and Passage in 1997.

Four club titles in-a-row proved beyond Ballygunner, however, the club bounced back in 1999 with Hartley winning a fifth county championship medal following a five-point defeat of old rivals Mount Sion. ^[4]

After a defeat by Mount Sion in the championship decider in 2000, Hartley secured a sixth championship medal in 2001 when Ballygunner accounted for Lismore. ^[5] He later claimed a Munster winners' medal after his club accounted for Blackrock in the provincial final. ^[6]

After the high of winning the provincial title Ballygunner went on to lose three club championship finals in succession. They broke this unenviable record at the fourth attempt with Hartley winning a seventh county championship medal following a 2–10 to 1–12 defeat of De La Salle. ^[7]

Ballygunner lost two further finals in succession before Hartley won his eight championship medal in 2009 following a one-point defeat of Lismore after a draw and a replay. ^[8]

Inter-County

Hartley first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Waterford under-21 teams. In 1992 he won a Munster medal in that grade before later lining out in the All-Ireland final. ^[9] Offaly provided the opposition on that occasion, however, the game ended in a draw. The replay saw Waterford take the title by 0–12 to 2–3 and Hartley collected an All-Ireland under-21 medal.

Flynn's performances at underage levels brought him to the attention of the senior selectors and he made his senior debut in the 1993 championship. It was a less than auspicious start to Hartley's hurling career as Waterford were defeated by the minnows of Kerry in the opening round of the Munster championship. ^[10] It was one of the lowest points in Waterford hurling.

In 1998 Hartley played in his first Munster final in the senior grade. Waterford held All-Ireland champions Clare to a draw in the Munster final, however, the Decies lost the replay. Hartley's side later faced Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final in what would be the county's first appearance in Croke Park since 1963. Kilkenny won by a single point.

In 2002 Waterford emerged from the doldrums by reaching the Munster final once again. Hartley was captain as he collected his first Munster winners' medal as Waterford defeated reigning All-Ireland champions Tipperary by 2–23 to 3–12. It was their first provincial crown in thirty-nine years. ^[11] Waterford's hurling odyssey came to an end in the All-Ireland semi-final.

After surrendering the Munster title to Cork in 2003, Hartley decided to call time on his inter-county career.

In 2005 Hartley had a change of heart and decided to return to the Waterford team for one final season. ^[12] It was a disappointing year as Waterford crashed out of the early stages of the provincial championship in 2005 before facing a defeat by Cork in the All-Ireland series.

In January 2006 Hartley announced his retirement from inter-county hurling for the second time. ^[13]

Inter-provincial

Hartley also unsuccessfully lined out with Munster in the inter-provincial series of games. ^[14]

Honours

Player

University of Limerick

• Fitzgibbon Cup (1): 1994

Ballygunner

• Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship (1): 2001
• Waterford Senior Club Hurling Championship (8): 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2009

Waterford

• Munster Senior Hurling Championship (1): 2002 (c)
• All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship (1): 1992
• Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship (1): 1992

Manager

Ballygunner

• Waterford Senior Club Hurling Championship (2): 2014 2017

References

1. "Where are they now?". Irish Independent. 2 June 2013. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
2. "Hartley comes out of retirement". Hogan Stand website. 18 January 2005. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
3. "Hartley retires for the second time". RTÉ Sport. 10 January 2006. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
4. Murphy, John (20 September 1999). "Free for all mars Deise final". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 7 February 2006. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
5. Hogan, Vincent (18 September 2001). "Ballygunner crowned kings". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
6. Breheny, Martin (3 December 2001). "Ballygunner finally scale club heights". Irish Independent . Retrieved 7 August 2012.
7. "Flynn's late magic keeps Gunners firing". Irish Independent. 17 October 2005. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
8. "Flynn fires Gunners to glory". Irish Independent. 17 October 2009. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
9. "Under-21 Hurling". Munster GAA website. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
10. O'Shea, Kerry (7 May 2003). "Brick is the foundation for a Kerry victory". The Kingdom. Retrieved 7 August 2012.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
11. Breheny, Martin (1 July 2002). "Waterford wonders whip Tipp with awesome display". Irish Independent . Retrieved 2 August 2012.
12. "Hartley comes out of retirement". Hogan Stand website. 18 January 2005. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
13. "Hartley says his final goodbye". Hogan Stand website. 10 January 2006. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
14. "Railway Cup Hurling". Munster GAA website. Retrieved 7 August 2012.

Sporting positions
Preceded by Ken McGrath	Waterford Senior Hurling Captain 2002	Succeeded by Tony Browne
Preceded by Shane Aherne	Waterford Under-21 Hurling Manager 2011–2012	Succeeded by Peter Queally