J.J. Delaney
Encyclopedia
J.J. Delaney is an Irish
sportsperson. He plays hurling
with his local club Fenians and has been a member of the Kilkenny
senior inter-county team since 2001.
, County Kilkenny
in 1982. He was born into a family that had a strong association with the game of hurling
. His father, Shem Delaney, is a retired inter-county hurler with Kilkenny. Two of Delaney’s uncles, Billy Fitzpatrick
and Pat Delaney
, also had glittering careers with Kilkenny in the 1970s. Delaney was educated at the local primary school before later attending Coláiste Mhuire in Johnstown. Here his hurling skills were first developed and he tasted early success by capturing two under-16 Leinster schools medals. Delaney also captured two Leinster senior schools medals as a member of the Coláiste Mhuire team. He later studied at the Waterford Institute of Technology
where he was a key member of the college hurling team. He captured back-to-back Fitzgibbon Cup
titles in 2003 and 2004. Delaney currently works as a sales representative with Tegral.
he has since left tegral due to the downturn in the economy and is now working for kingspan insulation.
minor team in the late 1990s. He lined out in his first provincial final in that grade in 1999, however, the game ended in a 0-13 apiece draw with Wexford
. Kilkenny won the replay giving Delaney a Leinster
minor medal. ‘The Cats’ were later defeated by Galway
in the All-Ireland semi-final. After an early exit from the minor championship in 2000 Delaney joined the county under-21 panel. Success was slow in coming in this grade also as Wexford dominated in the early years of the new century. In 2003 Kilkenny defeated Dublin
by 0-12 to 1-4 giving Delaney a Leinster
title in that grade. He later lined out in the under-21 championship decider with Galway providing the opposition. Kilkenny won that game by 2-13 to 0-12 with Delaney collecting a coveted All-Ireland
medal.
title as Kilkenny completely overpowered Wexford
in the final. After such a huge win ‘the Cats’ were hot favourites to retain their All-Ireland title, however, Delaney’s were outsmarted by Galway
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
‘The Cats’ bounced back in 2002 with Delaney claiming a first National Hurling League
medal. He subsequently claimed a second Leinster title before later lining out in his first senior All-Ireland final. Clare
, who were defeated in the first-round of the Munster championship but had made it to the final via the newly introduced qualifier system, put up a good fight in that game. A combined tally of 2-13 for both Henry Shefflin
and D.J. Carey gave Kilkenny a seven-point victory and secured a first senior All-Ireland
title for Delaney.
In 2003 Delaney captured a second National League title before later winning a third consecutive Leinster medal. Kilkenny later faced Cork in an exciting and close All-Ireland final. The Leinstermen never led by more than four-points and only secured victory with a late Martin Comerford
goal. Delaney won his second All-Ireland medal that day and he was later honoured with an All-Star
award.
In 2004 Kilkenny were aiming for an unprecedented third All-Ireland victory in-a-row, however, the team was now under severe pressure from all quarters. For the first time in seven years Kilkenny failed in their bid to become Leinster champions as a last-gasp Wexford goal ended an almost unprecedented run of success in the provincial championship. Kilkenny took the scenic route via the qualifiers system; however, after a scare against Clare
they still reached the All-Ireland final. Once again Cork provided the opposition on a gloomy and overcast day. The sides were level for much of the game; however, in the final twenty minutes Cork scored nine points without reply and secured the victory. Kilkenny ended the year with no silverware, however, Delaney was presented with a second All-Star award.
Kilkenny were back in form in 2005 with Delaney adding a third National League medal to his ever-growing collection. He later collected a fourth Leinster title as ‘the Cats’ had a narrow win over reigning provincial champions Wexford. While a third successive All-Ireland showdown with Cork seemed extremely likely, Galway defeated Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final in one of the most exciting games of the decade.
In 2006 Delaney captured a fourth National League medal. He later won a fifth Leinster title following another victory over Wexford. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Kilkenny take on Cork in the game that was billed as the game that would decide the team of the decade. Cork were playing in their fourth consecutive final and were going for a third title in-a-row while Kilkenny wanted to gain revenge for the defeat in 2004. In the build up to the game Delaney injured his cruciate ligament while training with the inter-county hurlers. It was an injury which forced him to miss the All-Ireland final which Kilkenny went on to win. In spite of missing the game Delany’s prowess earned him a third All-Star award.
Initial concerns, however, that he would be absent for most of 2007 proved unfounded, as surgery revealed that 75% of the ligament remained undamaged and intact. He returned to full training early in January and made his return to the Kilkenny side during the National League campaign. After losing the league final the team moved on undeterred and Delaney collected a sixth Leinster medal following another facile victory in the provincial decider. After a minor scare against Galway Kilkenny later qualified for the All-Ireland final where, surprisingly, Limerick
provided the opposition. Kilkenny got off to a flying start with Eddie Brennan
and Henry Shefflin scoring two goals within the first ten minutes. Unfortunately, Shefflin sustained an injury during the game and had to retire at half-time. In spite of losing their captain and star player Kilkenny still went on to win the game by 2-19 to 1-15. It was Delaney’s third All-Ireland medal on the field of play.
2008 saw Kilkenny launch an all-out attack in an attempt to capture a third All-Ireland title in-a-row. The team had an easy passage through the Leinster Championship, however, the opening half of the provincial final against Wexford
gave ‘the Cats’ another minor scare. In the end Delaney collected his seventh Leinster medal after a 5-21 to 0-17 victory. This victory allowed Kilkenny to advance directly to the All-Ireland semi-final where arch-rivals Cork were the opponents. The game was an interesting encounter; however, Kilkenny claimed a 1-23 to 0-17 victory. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Kilkenny take on Waterford
. It was their first meeting in the championship decider since 1963. A classic game of hurling was expected by many, however, Kilkenny started stronger. Two goals by Eddie Brennan after twenty minutes effectively killed the game, however, ‘the Cats’ ploughed on to record an enormous 3-30 to 1-13 victory over their rivals. Delaney thus collected his fifth All-Ireland medal, his fourth on the field of play.
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Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
sportsperson. He plays hurling
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...
with his local club Fenians and has been a member of the 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...
senior inter-county team since 2001.
Biography
J.J. Delaney was born in JohnstownJohnstown, County Kilkenny
Johnstown , historically known as Coorthafooka , is a village in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Bypassed in December 2008 by the M8, the town lies at the junction of the R639, the R502 and the R435 regional roads. It is the home of the Fenians GAA hurling club...
, County Kilkenny
County Kilkenny
County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
in 1982. He was born into a family that had a strong association with the game of hurling
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...
. His father, Shem Delaney, is a retired inter-county hurler with Kilkenny. Two of Delaney’s uncles, Billy Fitzpatrick
Billy Fitzpatrick
Billy Fitzpatrick is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club the Fenians and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1986. Fitzpatrick captained Kilkenny to the All-Ireland title in 1975.-Biography:Billy Fitzpatrick was born in Johnstown,...
and Pat Delaney
Pat Delaney (Kilkenny hurler)
Pat Delaney is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Fenians and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1969 until 1977.-Club:...
, also had glittering careers with Kilkenny in the 1970s. Delaney was educated at the local primary school before later attending Coláiste Mhuire in Johnstown. Here his hurling skills were first developed and he tasted early success by capturing two under-16 Leinster schools medals. Delaney also captured two Leinster senior schools medals as a member of the Coláiste Mhuire team. He later studied at the Waterford Institute of Technology
Waterford Institute of Technology
Waterford Institute of Technology is a state funded third-level educational institution situated in the city of Waterford, Ireland. The Institute has six Schools and 16 Departments....
where he was a key member of the college hurling team. He captured back-to-back Fitzgibbon Cup
Fitzgibbon Cup
The Fitzgibbon Cup the championship for top division of university hurling in Ireland. It is administrated by the Higher Education committee which is part of the Gaelic Athletic Association...
titles in 2003 and 2004. Delaney currently works as a sales representative with Tegral.
he has since left tegral due to the downturn in the economy and is now working for kingspan insulation.
Club
Delaney plays his club hurling with the famous Fenians club in Johnstown. He has enjoyed some success with the club at underage levels, beginning with an under-16 north county club medal. Delaney later won both an under-21 north county club medal and an under-21 county club medal. He has yet to win a senior county title with the Fenians.Minor & under-21
Delaney first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the KilkennyKilkenny 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...
minor team in the late 1990s. He lined out in his first provincial final in that grade in 1999, however, the game ended in a 0-13 apiece 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...
. Kilkenny won the replay giving Delaney a Leinster
Leinster Minor Hurling Championship
The ESB Leinster Minor Hurling Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Hurling played in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Leinster Council...
minor medal. ‘The Cats’ were later defeated by Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
in the All-Ireland semi-final. After an early exit from the minor championship in 2000 Delaney joined the county under-21 panel. Success was slow in coming in this grade also as Wexford dominated in the early years of the new century. In 2003 Kilkenny defeated Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
by 0-12 to 1-4 giving Delaney a Leinster
Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship
For the Senior equivalent see: Leinster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Leinster U-21 Hurling Championship or for sponsorship reasons the Erin Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship is an U-21 hurling tournament. The first tournament took place in 1964 when Wexford were crowned champions. Wexford...
title in that grade. He later lined out in the under-21 championship decider with Galway providing the opposition. Kilkenny won that game by 2-13 to 0-12 with Delaney collecting a coveted All-Ireland
All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of hurling played in Ireland...
medal.
Senior
In 2001 Delaney joined the Kilkenny senior team for the first time. He made his debut in the provincial championship and later collected his first senior LeinsterLeinster Senior Hurling Championship
The Leinster 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 Leinster in Ireland....
title as Kilkenny completely overpowered 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...
in the final. After such a huge win ‘the Cats’ were hot favourites to retain their All-Ireland title, however, Delaney’s were outsmarted by Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
‘The Cats’ bounced back in 2002 with Delaney claiming a first National Hurling 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...
medal. He subsequently claimed a second Leinster title before later lining out in his first senior All-Ireland final. 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....
, who were defeated in the first-round of the Munster championship but had made it to the final via the newly introduced qualifier system, put up a good fight in that game. A combined tally of 2-13 for both Henry Shefflin
Henry Shefflin
Henry Shefflin is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Ballyhale Shamrocks and has been a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team since 1999...
and D.J. Carey gave Kilkenny a seven-point victory and secured a first senior 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....
title for Delaney.
In 2003 Delaney captured a second National League title before later winning a third consecutive Leinster medal. Kilkenny later faced Cork in an exciting and close All-Ireland final. The Leinstermen never led by more than four-points and only secured victory with a late 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:...
goal. Delaney won his second All-Ireland medal that day and he was later honoured with an All-Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
award.
In 2004 Kilkenny were aiming for an unprecedented third All-Ireland victory in-a-row, however, the team was now under severe pressure from all quarters. For the first time in seven years Kilkenny failed in their bid to become Leinster champions as a last-gasp Wexford goal ended an almost unprecedented run of success in the provincial championship. Kilkenny took the scenic route via the qualifiers system; however, after a scare against 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....
they still reached the All-Ireland final. Once again Cork provided the opposition on a gloomy and overcast day. The sides were level for much of the game; however, in the final twenty minutes Cork scored nine points without reply and secured the victory. Kilkenny ended the year with no silverware, however, Delaney was presented with a second All-Star award.
Kilkenny were back in form in 2005 with Delaney adding a third National League medal to his ever-growing collection. He later collected a fourth Leinster title as ‘the Cats’ had a narrow win over reigning provincial champions Wexford. While a third successive All-Ireland showdown with Cork seemed extremely likely, Galway defeated Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final in one of the most exciting games of the decade.
In 2006 Delaney captured a fourth National League medal. He later won a fifth Leinster title following another victory over Wexford. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Kilkenny take on Cork in the game that was billed as the game that would decide the team of the decade. Cork were playing in their fourth consecutive final and were going for a third title in-a-row while Kilkenny wanted to gain revenge for the defeat in 2004. In the build up to the game Delaney injured his cruciate ligament while training with the inter-county hurlers. It was an injury which forced him to miss the All-Ireland final which Kilkenny went on to win. In spite of missing the game Delany’s prowess earned him a third All-Star award.
Initial concerns, however, that he would be absent for most of 2007 proved unfounded, as surgery revealed that 75% of the ligament remained undamaged and intact. He returned to full training early in January and made his return to the Kilkenny side during the National League campaign. After losing the league final the team moved on undeterred and Delaney collected a sixth Leinster medal following another facile victory in the provincial decider. After a minor scare against Galway Kilkenny later qualified for the All-Ireland final where, surprisingly, 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...
provided the opposition. Kilkenny got off to a flying start with Eddie Brennan
Eddie Brennan
Eddie Brennan is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Graigue-Ballycallan and has been a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team since 2000.-Biography:...
and Henry Shefflin scoring two goals within the first ten minutes. Unfortunately, Shefflin sustained an injury during the game and had to retire at half-time. In spite of losing their captain and star player Kilkenny still went on to win the game by 2-19 to 1-15. It was Delaney’s third All-Ireland medal on the field of play.
2008 saw Kilkenny launch an all-out attack in an attempt to capture a third All-Ireland title in-a-row. The team had an easy passage through the Leinster Championship, however, the opening half of the provincial final against 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...
gave ‘the Cats’ another minor scare. In the end Delaney collected his seventh Leinster medal after a 5-21 to 0-17 victory. This victory allowed Kilkenny to advance directly to the All-Ireland semi-final where arch-rivals Cork were the opponents. The game was an interesting encounter; however, Kilkenny claimed a 1-23 to 0-17 victory. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Kilkenny take on 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...
. It was their first meeting in the championship decider since 1963. A classic game of hurling was expected by many, however, Kilkenny started stronger. Two goals by Eddie Brennan after twenty minutes effectively killed the game, however, ‘the Cats’ ploughed on to record an enormous 3-30 to 1-13 victory over their rivals. Delaney thus collected his fifth All-Ireland medal, his fourth on the field of play.
Kilkenny
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe 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 (7): 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
- Leinster Senior Hurling ChampionshipLeinster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Leinster 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 Leinster in Ireland....
:- Winner (8): 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
- National Hurling LeagueNational Hurling LeagueThe 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 (4): 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009
- Runner-up (1): 2007
Kilkenny
- GPA Hurler of the YearGPA Hurler of the YearThe GPA Hurler of the Year is a hurling award that honours the achievements of a hurler of outstanding excellence. At the end of every Hurling Championship the members of the Gaelic Players Association, the players 'union', vote on which of its members has played the best hurling in the previous...
:- Winner (1): 2003
- Texaco Hurler of the YearTexaco Hurler of the YearThe Texaco Hurler of the Year is a hurling award, created in 1958, that honours the achievements of a hurler of outstanding excellence. The award is part of the Texaco Sportstars Awards, in which Irish sportspeople from all fields are honoured....
:- Winner (1): 2003
- Vodafone Hurler of the YearVodafone Hurler of the YearThe Gaelic Athletic Association Gaelic Players' Association All Stars Hurler of the of the Year, formerly known as the Vodafone Hurler of the Year and the Eircell Hurler of the Year, is a hurling award, created in 1995, that honours the achievements of a hurler of outstanding excellence...
:- Winner (1): 2003
- GAA All Stars AwardsGAA All Stars AwardsThe All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
:- Winner (5): 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2011
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