Eudie Coughlan
Personal information | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Irish name | Eoghan Ó Cochláin | |||||
Sport | Hurling | |||||
Position | Half-forward | |||||
Born |
Blackpool, Cork, Ireland | 26 August 1900|||||
Died |
4 January 1987 Blackrock, Cork, Ireland | (aged 86)|||||
Nickname | Eudie | |||||
Club(s) | ||||||
Years | Club | |||||
Cork titles | 7 | |||||
Inter-county(ies) | ||||||
Years | County | Apps (scores) | ||||
1919–1931 | Cork | 34 (11–33) | ||||
Inter-county titles | ||||||
Munster titles | 7 | |||||
All-Irelands | 5 | |||||
NHL | 2 | |||||
All Stars | 1 |
Eugene "Eudie" Coughlan (26 August 1900 – 4 January 1987) was an Irish hurler. His league and championship career with the Cork senior team spanned thirteen seasons from 1919 until 1931.
Born in Cork, Coughlan was raised in a strong hurling family. His father as well as several of his paternal and maternal uncles all won All-Ireland medals with Cork in the early years of the championship.
Coughlan first played competitive hurling with the
After impressing on the club scene, Coughlan came to prominence at inter-county level at the age of nineteen when he was added to the Cork senior panel in 1919. Over the course of the next thirteen seasons he won five All-Ireland medals, beginning with a lone triumph as a non-playing substitute in his debut season, three championship titles in four seasons between 1926 and 1929 and a fifth and final winners' medal as captain of the team in 1931. Coughlan also won seven Munster medals and two National Hurling League medals. He played his last game for Cork in November 1931. Coughlan was joined on the Cork team by his brother, John.
After being chosen on the
Even during his playing days Coughlan came to be recognised as one of the greatest players of all time. In 1985 he was the recipient of the
Early life
Eugene 'Eudie' Coughlan (pronounced Cawlan) was born in
All of Coughlan's family earned their livelihoods as fishermen. As a youngster he rowed a boat on the
Playing career
Club
Coughlan carried on the tradition of his father and uncles and played his club
Inter-county
Coughlan first came to the attention of the
Cork were defeated in the provincial championship for the next few seasons as Limerick and Tipperary came to dominate the competition. In the winter and spring of 1925–1926 the inaugural National Hurling League was played. Coughlan's side reached the final of that competition and defeated Dublin, giving Coughlan, and his brother John, his first major victory. Cork later proved themselves by reaching the Munster final. Tipperary were the opponents on that occasion and took a 1–2 to 0–0 lead. At that point the game was abandoned and a replay was ordered. The second game was a much tighter affair with both sides finishing level on a score line of 4–1 to 3–4. The third game was also a close affair, however, Cork pulled through to win by 3–6 to 2–4, giving Coughlan his first Munster title on the field of play. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Cork against Kilkenny at a snow-covered Croke Park in October of that year. Coughlan's side took the lead at half-time and held on to win by 4–6 to 2–0. It was Cork's first championship title since 1919 and Coughlan's first All-Ireland medal on the field of play.[4]
Cork retained their Munster title in 1927 with a 5–3 to 3–4 victory over Clare. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork take on Dublin once again. Cork fell behind by 2–3 to 0–1 at half-time; however, they fought back in the second-half. In a team made up of nine members of the Garda Síochána 'the Dubs' claimed the victory by 4–8 to 1–3.[5]
In 1928 Cork faced Clare in the Munster final for the second year in-a-row. That game ended in a draw, however, in the replay Cork triumphed with Coughlan collecting his third consecutive Munster title. Cork later defeated Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-final before lining out against Galway in the championship decider. Galway got a bye into the final without picking up a hurley, however, the game turned into a rout. A score line of 6–12 to 1–0 gave Cork the victory and gave Coughlan a second All-Ireland medal.[6] 1928 also saw Coughlan lining out with the Irish Hurling Team in the Tailteann Games, Ireland's answer to the Olympic Games.[7]
In 1929 Cork retained their provincial dominance for a fourth consecutive year. A 4–6 to 2–3 defeat of Waterford gave Coughlan his fourth Munster title in four years. The subsequent All-Ireland final was a replay of the previous year's game as Cork played Galway once again. Mick Ahern scored a goal for Cork after just 25 seconds to start another rout. Cork won the day by 4–9 to 1–3 giving Coughlan his third All-Ireland title.[8]
In 1930 Coughlan was appointed captain of the Cork senior hurling team. That year he won a second National League title, however, Cork surrendered their provincial crown later that summer. The team bounced back in 1931 with Coughlan, who was still the captain of the side, collecting a fifth Munster winners' medal. Once again it took a replay for Cork and Waterford to be separated. The All-Ireland final saw Cork take on Kilkenny for the first time since 1926. After a close game both sides finished level – 1–6 apiece. Coughlan played a captain's role in that game as he scored a point from his knees to level the scores. The replay of the final took place four weeks later and is regarded as a classic. Cork took the lead at half-time, however, Kilkenny fought back. Once again both sides finished level – 2–5 apiece. After this game officials pressed for extra time, however, Coughlan, as Cork captain, rejected this. It was also suggested at a meeting of the GAA's Central Council that both counties be declared joint champions and that half an All-Ireland medal by given to each player. This motion was later defeated.[9] The first week of November saw the second replay of the All-Ireland final take place. Coughlan gave his best-ever performance in that game. At the third attempt Cork triumphed by 5–8 to 3–4 giving Coughlan his fourth All-Ireland medal.
At the beginning of 1932 Coughlan took umbrage at the actions of the Cork County Board in taking from his club, Blackrock, the selection of the Cork senior hurling team for the upcoming year. Coughlan, although in line to retain the captaincy, retired from inter-county hurling in protest at the relatively young age of 31.[10]
Provincial
Coughlan also lined out with
Post-playing career
In retirement from the game Coughlan came to be recognised as one of the greatest players of all-time. In 1961 he was selected, by popular opinion, as a wing-forward on a Gael-Linn sponsored "Best Ever Team". At the 1984
Eudie Coughlan died on 4 January 1987. He was posthumously honoured in 2000 when he was named in the right wing-forward position on the Cork Hurling Team of the Century.
Honours
Blackrock
- Cork Senior Hurling Championship:
- Winner (7): 1920, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
- Runner-up (5): 1918, 1919, 1922, 1923, 1926
Cork
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship:
- Winner (4): 1931
- Runner-up (2): 1927
- Winner (4):
- Munster Senior Hurling Championship:
- Winner (5): 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931
- Runner-up (1): 1921,
- National Hurling League:
- Winner (2): 1925–1926, 1929–1930
- Runner-up (1): 1928–1929
Munster
- Railway Cup:
- Winner (3): 1928, 1929, 1931
- Runner-up (1): 1932
Sources
- Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005).
- Fullam, Brendan, Captains of the Ash (Wolfhound Press, 2002).
References
- ^ Fullam, Brendan (2002). Captains of the Ash. Wolfhound Press. pp. 142–143.
- ^ Captains of the Ash p. 144
- ^ Corry, Eoghan (2005). The GAA Book of Lists. Hodder Headline Ireland. p. 342.
- ^ The GAA Book of Lists p. 344
- ^ The GAA Book of Lists p. 344
- ^ The GAA Book of Lists p. 345
- ^ The GAA Book of Lists p. 273
- ^ The GAA Book of Lists p. 345
- ^ Captains of the Ash p. 143
- ^ Captains of the Ash p. 144
- ^ "Munster Railway Cup Hurling Teams". Munster GAA. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 23 October 2008.