Dónal O'Grady
Encyclopedia
Dónal O'Grady is an Irish
former hurler
and manager
.
O'Grady enjoyed a successful playing career as a full-back with the Cork senior team throughout the early 1980s. In a brief career he won one All-Ireland
winner's medal, three Munster
winner's medals and one National League
winner's medal as captain.
At club level, O'Grady was a double All-Ireland
medalist with St. Finbarr's
. In addition to this he has also won three Munster
club winners' medals and six county championship
winners' medals.
Following his retirement from playing he worked as a successful selector, coach and manager at all levels but most notably with the Cork and Limerick
senior hurling teams.
O'Grady also does media work and divides his time working for RTÉ
and TG4
while also writing for the Irish Examiner
.
club on the south side of Cork city, a club where he enjoyed much success during a career which spanned two decades. He won his first county senior championship
winners' medal in 1974 following 'the Barr's' 2-17 to 2-14 defeat of Blackrock
. The club later represented Cork in the provincial club series and even reached the final. A 0-7 to 0-3 defeat of Clare's Newmarket-on-Fergus gave O'Grady a coveted Munster
club winners' medal. The subsequent All-Ireland club final on St. Patrick’s weekend saw St. Finbarr’s take on the Fenians of Kilkenny. St. Finbarr’s ability to get goals at crucial times proved to be the difference in the 3-8 to 1-6 victory. It was O'Grday's first All-Ireland
club title.
In 1977 O'Grady collected a second county championship title following a victory over north side rivals and reigning champions Glen Rovers
. Once again St. Finbarr’s reached the Munster club final where Clare champions Sixmilebridge
provided the opposition. An interesting game developed, however, St. Finbarr's were the easy winners by 2-8 to 0-6. It was O'Grday's second Munster club winners' medal. He later lined out in the subsequent All-Ireland club final. Rathnure
, the Wexford and Leinster champs, were the opponents. The first-half was a disaster for St. Finbarr’s as a gale-force wind resulted in the Cork side trailing by 0-8 to 0-1. The second thirty minutes saw St. Finbarr's take control with Jimmy Barry-Murphy
scoring the deciding goal. A 2-7 to 0-9 victory gave O'Grady a second All-Ireland club winners' medal.
In 1980 O'Grady secured a third county title following a two-point win over Glen Rovers. A third Munster club winners' medal quickly followed after a 2-12 to 1-14 defeat of Roscrea
. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted O'Grday's St. Finbarr's side against Ballyhale Shamrocks
. The Cork side were beaten on that occasion.
1981 saw O'Grady appointed captain of the club's senior hurling team. That year he steered his team to a 1-12 to 1-9 victory over Glen Rovers. It was a fourth county championship winners' medal for O'Grady and a second consecutive defeat of Glen Rovers in the county championship decider.
St. Finbarr's made it three-in-a-row in 1982 as Blackrock fell by 2-17 to 3-9. On a personal level it was O'Grady's fifth championship medal.
In 1984 St. Finbarr's qualified for the centenary-year county final. North Cork minnows Ballyhea
provided the opposition, however, they were no match for 'the Barr's'. A 1-15 to 2-4 score line gave O'Grady a sixth county title.
title after a defeat of Offaly
in the final. O'Grady was included on the Cork championship panel that year at full-back, however, 'the Rebels' made an early exit from the championship.
In 1982 Cork were back in form and O'Grady won his first Munster
winners' medal following a 5-31 to 3-6 trouncing of Waterford
. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork take on Kilkenny. Following an impressive provincial championship campaign 'the Rebels' were the red-hot favourites, however, Kilkenny surprised. Christy Heffernan
scored two goals in a forty-second spell just before the interval to take the wind out of Cork's sails. Ger Fennelly
got a third goal within eight minutes of the re-start, giving Kilkenny a 3-18 to 1-15 victory, one of their biggest over Cork.
In 1983 Cork’s run of provincial success continued. O'Grady won a second Munster title that year as Cork trounced Waterford for the second consecutive year. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Cork against Kilkenny for the second consecutive year also. ‘The Cats’ used a strong wind to dominate the opening half and built up a strong lead. Cork came storming back with goals by Tomás Mulcahy
and Seánie O'Leary
, however, at the full-time whistle Kilkenny had narrowly won by 2-14 to 2-12.
1984 was a special year in the annals of Gaelic games
as it was the centenary year of the Gaelic Athletic Association
. The year began well with O'Grady helping his team to victory in the special Centenary Cup
competition. He later won his third Munster winners' medal as Cork defeated Tipperary
by 4-15 to 3-14 in a memorable Munster final. The subsequent All-Ireland final, played at Semple Stadium
in Thurles
, saw Cork take on Offaly
for the first time ever in championship history. The centenary-year final failed to live up to expectations and Cork recorded a relatively easy 3-16 to 1-12 victory. It was O'Grady's first All-Ireland
winners’ medal. He retired from inter-county hurling following that win.
In his first full season in charge in 2003 O'Grady brought some new players onto the team. John Gardiner
found a regular place on the team, while Tom Kenny
, Ronan Curran
and Setanta Ó hAilpín
all made their debuts. Success in the National League was never a priority for O'Grady, however, with a blend of youth and experience his team went on the capture their first Munster title since 2000. An exciting All-Ireland semi-final saw Cork earn a draw with Wexford
, however, it was 'the Rebels' who easily won the replay. The subsequent championship decider saw Cork take on Kilkenny
, with 'the Cats' earning the favourites tag. The result hung in the balance until the last five minutes when Kilkenny's Martin Comerford
scored the winning goal. A 1-14 to 1-11 score line meant that Cork had fallen short.
Following their performance in 2003 Cork were regarded as one of the favourites to take the championship title in 2004
. Some change to the team saw star forward Setanta Ó hAilpín depart while former star Brian Corcoran
made a dramatic comeback. Cork's plan came unstuck in the Munster final when 14-man Waterford defeated O'Grady's side by a single point. This game is regarded as one of the greatest provincial finals ever played. Cork later qualified for the All-Ireland final via the qualifiers and, for the second year in-a-row, Kilkenny provided the opposition. After a poor first-half the sides were evenly matched, however, the final 23 minutes saw Cork score nine points without reply from Kilkenny. O'Grady had led Cork out of the doldrums and to a coveted All-Ireland title.
There was some surprise when O'Grady resigned as manager immediately after the victory.
senior hurling team manager. He succeeded fellow Corkonian Justin McCarthy
. Limerick
played in Div 2 of the National League having gone down in 2010, they went the whole Leauge without losing before beating Clare
in the final to give O'Grady and Limerick
a good start to the year with promotion to division one. On 12 June 2011, Limerick lost to Waterford
in the 2011 Munster Championship semi-final
by 3-14 to 3-15 at Semple Stadium
.
In September 2011, O'Grady confirmed that he would not continue as Limerick hurling manager and would be stepping down from the post.
's the Sunday Game
as a regular studio analyst on the highlights programme, while also appearing on the live edition of the programme as a co-commentator. O'Grady also provided similar services for Irish language
station TG4
. He also wrote a regular hurling column in the Irish Examiner
newspaper.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
former hurler
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
and manager
Manager (Gaelic games)
In Gaelic games, a manager or coach is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of a team. Managing, or coaching, entails the application of sport tactics and strategies during the game itself, and usually entails substitution of players and other such...
.
O'Grady enjoyed a successful playing career as a full-back with the Cork senior team throughout the early 1980s. In a brief career he won one All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
winner's medal, three Munster
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
winner's medals and one National League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
winner's medal as captain.
At club level, O'Grady was a double All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...
medalist with St. Finbarr's
St. Finbarr's GAA
St. Finbarr's National Hurling and Football Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Togher area of Cork city, County Cork, Ireland....
. In addition to this he has also won three Munster
Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for the top hurling clubs in the province of Munster in Ireland...
club winners' medals and six county championship
Cork Senior Hurling Championship
The Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....
winners' medals.
Following his retirement from playing he worked as a successful selector, coach and manager at all levels but most notably with the Cork and Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
senior hurling teams.
O'Grady also does media work and divides his time working for RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
and TG4
TG4
TG4 is a public service broadcaster for Irish language speakers. The channel has been on-air since 31 October 1996 in the Republic of Ireland and since April 2005 in Northern Ireland....
while also writing for the Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner
The Irish Examiner, formerly The Cork Examiner and then The Examiner, is an Irish national daily newspaper which primarily circulates in the Munster region surrounding its base in Cork, though it is available throughout the country...
.
Club
O'Grady played his club hurling with the famous St. Finbarr'sSt. Finbarr's GAA
St. Finbarr's National Hurling and Football Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Togher area of Cork city, County Cork, Ireland....
club on the south side of Cork city, a club where he enjoyed much success during a career which spanned two decades. He won his first county senior championship
Cork Senior Hurling Championship
The Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....
winners' medal in 1974 following 'the Barr's' 2-17 to 2-14 defeat of Blackrock
Blackrock GAA
Blackrock National Hurling Club is a G.A.A. club located on the southside of Cork City, Ireland. The club was founded in 1883 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling.-History:...
. The club later represented Cork in the provincial club series and even reached the final. A 0-7 to 0-3 defeat of Clare's Newmarket-on-Fergus gave O'Grady a coveted Munster
Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for the top hurling clubs in the province of Munster in Ireland...
club winners' medal. The subsequent All-Ireland club final on St. Patrick’s weekend saw St. Finbarr’s take on the Fenians of Kilkenny. St. Finbarr’s ability to get goals at crucial times proved to be the difference in the 3-8 to 1-6 victory. It was O'Grday's first All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...
club title.
In 1977 O'Grady collected a second county championship title following a victory over north side rivals and reigning champions Glen Rovers
Glen Rovers GAA
Glen Rovers is a Cork-based Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Ballyvolane and Blackpool areas of Cork city, Ireland. The club was founded in 1916 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling.-Colours:...
. Once again St. Finbarr’s reached the Munster club final where Clare champions Sixmilebridge
Sixmilebridge GAA
Sixmilebridge is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in Sixmilebridge, County Clare, Ireland.-History:Sixmilebridge Hurling Club was founded in 1904. The first recorded matches were at Junior hurling and football level against Newmarket on Fergus with the hurlers winning and the footballers losing...
provided the opposition. An interesting game developed, however, St. Finbarr's were the easy winners by 2-8 to 0-6. It was O'Grday's second Munster club winners' medal. He later lined out in the subsequent All-Ireland club final. Rathnure
Rathnure GAA
Rathnure St. Anne’s is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Rathnure, County Wexford, Ireland. Rathnure's most famous players are the Rackards and Quigley brothers.-First AGM:...
, the Wexford and Leinster champs, were the opponents. The first-half was a disaster for St. Finbarr’s as a gale-force wind resulted in the Cork side trailing by 0-8 to 0-1. The second thirty minutes saw St. Finbarr's take control with Jimmy Barry-Murphy
Jimmy Barry-Murphy
James "Jimmy" Barry-Murphy is a former Irish hurler, Gaelic footballer and association footballer and is the current manager of the Cork senior hurling team...
scoring the deciding goal. A 2-7 to 0-9 victory gave O'Grady a second All-Ireland club winners' medal.
In 1980 O'Grady secured a third county title following a two-point win over Glen Rovers. A third Munster club winners' medal quickly followed after a 2-12 to 1-14 defeat of Roscrea
Roscrea GAA
Roscrea GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club is located in the town of Roscrea in North County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland. The club's ground ground shares its name with St. Cronan's BNS in Bray, Co. Wicklow. The club's colours are red and white and they play at Páirc Naomh Cronáin Roscrea...
. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted O'Grday's St. Finbarr's side against Ballyhale Shamrocks
Ballyhale Shamrocks GAA
Ballyhale Shamrocks is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Ballyhale in County Kilkenny, Ireland. The club was founded in 1972 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling...
. The Cork side were beaten on that occasion.
1981 saw O'Grady appointed captain of the club's senior hurling team. That year he steered his team to a 1-12 to 1-9 victory over Glen Rovers. It was a fourth county championship winners' medal for O'Grady and a second consecutive defeat of Glen Rovers in the county championship decider.
St. Finbarr's made it three-in-a-row in 1982 as Blackrock fell by 2-17 to 3-9. On a personal level it was O'Grady's fifth championship medal.
In 1984 St. Finbarr's qualified for the centenary-year county final. North Cork minnows Ballyhea
Ballyhea GAA
Ballyhea GAA is a hurling club in the village of Ballyhea in Cork, Ireland. The club is affiliated to the Avondhu, division of Cork GAA. The club currently competes in the Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship. It does not field Gaelic football teams....
provided the opposition, however, they were no match for 'the Barr's'. A 1-15 to 2-4 score line gave O'Grady a sixth county title.
Inter-county
O'Grady joined the Cork senior hurling team in the 1980-81 season, having never played for his county at minor or under-21 levels. That year he captained the team to a National Hurling LeagueNational Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
title after a defeat of Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
in the final. O'Grady was included on the Cork championship panel that year at full-back, however, 'the Rebels' made an early exit from the championship.
In 1982 Cork were back in form and O'Grady won his first Munster
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
winners' medal following a 5-31 to 3-6 trouncing of Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork take on Kilkenny. Following an impressive provincial championship campaign 'the Rebels' were the red-hot favourites, however, Kilkenny surprised. Christy Heffernan
Christy Heffernan
Christy Heffernan is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Glenmore and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1980s and 1990s. Heffernan is regarded as one of Kilkenny's greatest-ever players.-Club:...
scored two goals in a forty-second spell just before the interval to take the wind out of Cork's sails. Ger Fennelly
Ger Fennelly
Ger Fennelly is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Ballyhale Shamrocks and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1989. Fennelly captained Kilkenny to the All-Ireland title in 1979.-Biography:Ger Fennelly was born in Piltown, County...
got a third goal within eight minutes of the re-start, giving Kilkenny a 3-18 to 1-15 victory, one of their biggest over Cork.
In 1983 Cork’s run of provincial success continued. O'Grady won a second Munster title that year as Cork trounced Waterford for the second consecutive year. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Cork against Kilkenny for the second consecutive year also. ‘The Cats’ used a strong wind to dominate the opening half and built up a strong lead. Cork came storming back with goals by Tomás Mulcahy
Tomás Mulcahy
Tomás Mulcahy is an Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Glen Rovers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1983 until 1994. Mulcahy currently works as a pundit with The Sunday Game...
and Seánie O'Leary
Seánie O'Leary
Seanie O'Leary is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Youghal and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1971 until 1984.-Early & private life:...
, however, at the full-time whistle Kilkenny had narrowly won by 2-14 to 2-12.
1984 was a special year in the annals of Gaelic games
Gaelic games
Gaelic games are sports played in Ireland under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The two main games are Gaelic football and hurling...
as it was the centenary year of the Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
. The year began well with O'Grady helping his team to victory in the special Centenary Cup
Centenary Cup
The Centenary Cup was a Gaelic Games competition arranged by the Gaelic Athletic Association to mark the centenary of the GAA in 1984.The hurling competition was won by Cork and the football competition was won by Meath.-Hurling:-Football:...
competition. He later won his third Munster winners' medal as Cork defeated Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
by 4-15 to 3-14 in a memorable Munster final. The subsequent All-Ireland final, played at Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium, located in Thurles, North Tipperary, Ireland, is the home of hurling for Tipperary GAA and for the province of Munster. It is the second largest stadium in Ireland with a capacity of 53,500....
in Thurles
Thurles
Thurles is a town situated in North Tipperary, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Eliogarty and is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly...
, saw Cork take on Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
for the first time ever in championship history. The centenary-year final failed to live up to expectations and Cork recorded a relatively easy 3-16 to 1-12 victory. It was O'Grady's first All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
winners’ medal. He retired from inter-county hurling following that win.
Cork
In retirement from playing O'Grady has remained strongly involved at club and county level. He first gained managerial experience when he was a selector when Cork won the 1986 Munster and All-Ireland titles. He was appointed manager of the Cork senior hurling team in December 2002. It was a huge challenge for O'Grady, particularly since the inter-county hurlers had gone on strike for better conditions earlier in the year.In his first full season in charge in 2003 O'Grady brought some new players onto the team. John Gardiner
John Gardiner (hurler)
John Gardiner is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Na Piarsaigh and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 2002.-Biography:...
found a regular place on the team, while Tom Kenny
Tom Kenny (hurler)
Tom Kenny is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling and Gaelic football with his local club Grenagh and has been a dual player with the Cork senior inter-county teams at various times since 2003.-Biography:...
, Ronan Curran
Ronan Curran
Ronan Curran is an Irish retired inter-county hurler who played for the Cork senior team as a centre-back.Born in Cork city, Curran excelled as a dual player in school. He played both hurling and Gaelic football at inter-county minor and under-21 levels, and joined the Cork senior team in 2001...
and Setanta Ó hAilpín
Setanta Ó hAilpín
Setanta "Carlos" Ó hAilpín is an Australian-Irish sportsman. He was a hurler with the Cork senior team before becoming a professional Australian Rules footballer. He is of mixed Irish and Rotuman background...
all made their debuts. Success in the National League was never a priority for O'Grady, however, with a blend of youth and experience his team went on the capture their first Munster title since 2000. An exciting All-Ireland semi-final saw Cork earn a draw with Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
, however, it was 'the Rebels' who easily won the replay. The subsequent championship decider saw Cork take on Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
, with 'the Cats' earning the favourites tag. The result hung in the balance until the last five minutes when Kilkenny's Martin Comerford
Martin Comerford
Martin Comerford is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club O'Loughlin Gaels and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 2002 until 2010.-References:-Teams:...
scored the winning goal. A 1-14 to 1-11 score line meant that Cork had fallen short.
Following their performance in 2003 Cork were regarded as one of the favourites to take the championship title in 2004
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2004
The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 2004 was the 118th staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition. Cork won the championship, beating Kilkenny 0-17 to 0-9 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.-Participating counties:-Calendar:...
. Some change to the team saw star forward Setanta Ó hAilpín depart while former star Brian Corcoran
Brian Corcoran
Brian Corcoran is a former Irish sportsman. He played hurling and Gaelic football with Erin's Own and Cork in the 1990s and 2000s.-Early life:Brian Corcoran was born in Caherlag, Glounthaune, County Cork in 1973...
made a dramatic comeback. Cork's plan came unstuck in the Munster final when 14-man Waterford defeated O'Grady's side by a single point. This game is regarded as one of the greatest provincial finals ever played. Cork later qualified for the All-Ireland final via the qualifiers and, for the second year in-a-row, Kilkenny provided the opposition. After a poor first-half the sides were evenly matched, however, the final 23 minutes saw Cork score nine points without reply from Kilkenny. O'Grady had led Cork out of the doldrums and to a coveted All-Ireland title.
There was some surprise when O'Grady resigned as manager immediately after the victory.
Limerick
In September 2010 O'Grady was confirmed as the new LimerickLimerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
senior hurling team manager. He succeeded fellow Corkonian Justin McCarthy
Justin McCarthy (hurler)
Justin McCarthy is an Irish former hurling manager and former player, who took over as manager of the Limerick senior inter-county team in October 2008. He played hurling with his local club Passage and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s.As a player McCarthy was involved...
. Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
played in Div 2 of the National League having gone down in 2010, they went the whole Leauge without losing before beating Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
in the final to give O'Grady and Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
a good start to the year with promotion to division one. On 12 June 2011, Limerick lost to Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
in the 2011 Munster Championship semi-final
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2011
The 2011 GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship was the 123rd staging of the All-Ireland championship since its establishment in 1887. The draw for the 2011 fixtures took place on 7 October 2010. The championship began on 14 May and ended on 4 September 2011...
by 3-14 to 3-15 at Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium, located in Thurles, North Tipperary, Ireland, is the home of hurling for Tipperary GAA and for the province of Munster. It is the second largest stadium in Ireland with a capacity of 53,500....
.
In September 2011, O'Grady confirmed that he would not continue as Limerick hurling manager and would be stepping down from the post.
Media career
Following his hiatus from inter-county management, O'Grady developed a career in the media. He appeared on RTÉRTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
's the Sunday Game
The Sunday Game
The Sunday Game is Raidió Teilifís Éireann's main Gaelic games television programme. It is shown on RTÉ Two every Sunday during the Football Championship and Hurling Championship seasons. It is one of RTÉ Two’s longest-running shows, having been on air since 1979, one year after the channel first...
as a regular studio analyst on the highlights programme, while also appearing on the live edition of the programme as a co-commentator. O'Grady also provided similar services for Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
station TG4
TG4
TG4 is a public service broadcaster for Irish language speakers. The channel has been on-air since 31 October 1996 in the Republic of Ireland and since April 2005 in Northern Ireland....
. He also wrote a regular hurling column in the Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner
The Irish Examiner, formerly The Cork Examiner and then The Examiner, is an Irish national daily newspaper which primarily circulates in the Munster region surrounding its base in Cork, though it is available throughout the country...
newspaper.