Justin McCarthy (hurler)
Encyclopedia
Justin McCarthy is an Irish
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,...

 former 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...

 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...

 and former player, who took over as manager of the 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 inter-county team in October 2008. He played hurling with his local club Passage
Passage West GAA
Passage West GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the town of Passage West, Cork, Republic of Ireland. The club fields teams in both Gaelic football and hurling. It is a member of the Seandún...

 and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s.

As a player McCarthy was involved with the Cork team of the late 1960s. In a senior inter-county career that lasted from 1964 until 1974 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....

 title, 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....

 titles, two 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...

 titles and two Railway Cup titles.

Over the last four decades McCarthy has had some success as a manager with many different teams. In the 1970s he coached Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...

 to an All-Ireland title at intermediate level before capturing back-to-back National Hurling League titles with 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....

. The 1980s saw McCarthy coach his own native Cork to two Munster titles and an All-Ireland triumph in 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...

. While in charge of the Waterford senior hurling team from 2001 to 2008 he guided the team to three Munster titles and one National Hurling League title. Waterford, in spite of being regarded as one of the top three teams in the country, failed to reach an All-Ireland final under McCarthy.

Biography

Justin McCarthy was born in Passage West
Passage West
Passage West is a port town in County Cork, Ireland, situated on the west bank of Cork Harbour. It is some 10 km from Cork city, separated by the green belt from the urban sprawl of Douglas and Rochestown. The town has many services, amenities and social outlets...

, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...

 in 1945. From an early age he showed a huge interest in the game of hurling. McCarthy’s hurling genes came from his mother’s side of the family. Her brothers, Batt and Ger O’Mahony, had played with the Young Ireland’s club in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...

 and won the North American championship in 1934. When Bord na nÓg was formed in Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...

 in the 1950s McCarthy took part in the under-14, under-15 and under-16 competitions under the tutelage of Fr. Roch, a Kilkenny native. In 1955 he wore the red jersey of Cork for the first time when it was arranged for the altar boys of Cork to take on a group of altar boys from Kilkenny. It was a proud moment for McCarthy as Cork won. Justin's namesake his son Justin McCarthy works for Irish radio station Today FM
Today FM
Radio Ireland Ltd, trading as 100-102 Today FM is an Irish commercial FM radio station which is available nationally. The station, which commenced broadcasting on Saint Patrick's Day in 1997, can be received nationally and carries a mix of music and talk...

 as the station's political correspondent.

On 12 January 2005 McCarthy was profiled on the 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....

 television programme Laochra Gael
Laochra Gael
Laochra Gael which means Gaelic heroes in the Irish language is an Irish television programme. Now its seventh series the show profiles and celebrates some of the greatest names in Gaelic games since the 1940s. Each of the programmes contains interviews with the subject, archive footage of their...

.

Club

McCarthy played his club hurling with his local club in Passage
Passage West GAA
Passage West GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the town of Passage West, Cork, Republic of Ireland. The club fields teams in both Gaelic football and hurling. It is a member of the Seandún...

. He enjoyed some success at juvenile levels before moving onto the club’s top team. Passage played in the county intermediate championship
Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship
Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship is the second-tier hurling competition organized by the Cork Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The winners usually will play in the senior grade the following year for the Cork Senior Hurling Championship. This championship has been played for since 1909...

 and last won the title in 1960, prior to McCarthy’s playing days. Throughout the 1960s he had the opportunity to move to a more prominent city club but choose to stay with his native Passage. In 1975 Passage were back in the big time and contested the county final at intermediate level. Ballinhassig
Ballinhassig GAA
Ballinhassig is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the village of Ballinhassig in County Cork, Republic of Ireland. The club was founded in 1886, and now plays Hurling at Premier Intermediate level, having won the Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship in 2005, and the Cork Junior Hurling...

 provided the opposition on that occasion and it was Ballinhassig who claimed the victory. In 1976 Passage were back in s second consecutive county final. On this occasion Newtownshandrum
Newtownshandrum GAA
Newtownshandrum GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the small village of Newtownshandrum in County Cork, Ireland. The club, situated in half a parish of about 800 people, was founded in 1896 and is almost exclusively concerned with the game of hurling.In senior hurling...

 were the opponents and, once again, McCarthy ended up on the losing side. Remarkably, McCarthy continued playing with Passage until 1991 when he retired after winning a city divisional junior league title.

Minor & under-21

McCarthy first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Cork minor hurling team in the early 1960s. He lined out for Cork in this grade in 1963, however, his side was defeated in the early rounds of the championship. In 1964 McCarthy was a key member of both the Cork under-21 and intermediate hurling teams. Success was slow in coming but the big breakthrough for Cork and McCarthy came in 1966. That year he won a Munster title
Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Under-21 Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for players aged between 18 and 21 in the province of Munster in Ireland...

 with the under-21 team following a 5-12 to 2-6 defeat of 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...

. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork play 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 an interesting encounter. After an entertaining sixty minutes of hurling both sides finished level with Cork scoring 3-12 to Wexford’s 5-6. The replay took place shortly afterwards, however, both sides finished all square again with 4-9 apiece. A second replay had to be played to eventually find a winner. At the third time of asking Cork emerged victorious with a huge tally of 9-9 to 5-9. This victory gave Cork their first All-Ireland title in this grade and gave McCarthy a coveted All-Ireland under-21
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

McCarthy made his debut for the Cork senior team in 1964. The decade after the 1956 All-Ireland final appearance was a bleak period for Cork’s senior hurling team; however, in 1966 McCarthy was a key player at midfield as Cork hurling returned to the big time. That year Cork avoided 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...

, their old tormentors in the provincial championship, and qualified for a Munster showdown with 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...

. An entertaining hour of hurling followed, however, victory went to Cork for the first time in ten years. It was McCarthy’s first senior 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....

 medal. This victory allowed Cork to advance directly to the All-Ireland final where arch-rivals 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...

 provided the opposition. It was the first meeting of these two sides since 1947 and "the Cats" were installed as the firm favourites. In spite of this, two goals by Colm Sheehan
Colm Sheehan
Colm Sheehan is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Éire Óg and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1965 until 1968.-Club:...

 and a third from John O'Halloran
John O'Halloran
John O'Halloran is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local clubs UCC and Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1963 until 1969.-Inter-county:...

 gave Cork a merited 3-9 to 1-10 victory over an Eddie Keher
Eddie Keher
Edward Peter Keher , better known as Eddie Keher, is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game....

 inspired Kilkenny. It was McCarthy’s 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....

 medal. His performances at midfield throughout the championship set him apart, and he was honoured with the prestigious Caltex Hurler of the Year
Texaco Hurler of the Year
The 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....

 award. At 21 he was the youngest person ever to receive the award, a record which stood until it was broken by McCarthy’s fellow county men Pat McDonnell
Pat McDonnell
Pat McDonnell is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Inniscarra and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1970 until 1976.-Biography:...

 and 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...

. In spite of being named player of the year McCarthy was not the recipient of a Cu Chulainn award, the precursor of the 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...

 awards.

Tipperary emerged as the Munster champions in both 1967 and 1968, however, Cork were back in 1969. That year McCarthy tasted success early in the year Cork defeated Wexford by 3-12 to 1-14 to take the 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...

 title. This victory gave Cork a huge boost going into the Munster campaign where the team qualified to meet Tipperary in the final. Cork were out to avenge the nine-point defeat administered by the same side in 1968 while Tipp were out to capture a third provincial title in-a-row. The game was a major triumph for Cork as "the Rebels" won by 4-6 to 0-9. It was a victory that made up for all the beatings that Tipp had dished out to Cork in the early part of the decade and it gave McCarthy a second Munster winners’ medal. Once again this victory paved the way for an All-Ireland showdown with Kilkenny. On the week of the game, however, McCarthy was on his way to training when he was involved in a horrific motorbike accident and he broke his leg in three places. In the short-term this meant that he had to watch the entire All-Ireland final from a wheelchair on the sideline. Cork lost the game after leading "the Cats" coming into the last quarter. In the long-term McCarthy’s injury meant that he also missed out on Cork’s championship campaign in 1970, the year which saw the team capture further National League, Munster and All-Ireland honours.

McCarthy returned to the Cork set-up in 1972, making his comeback in a national League game against Dublin. Cork defeated Limerick in the final of that competition, giving McCarthy a second National League medal. Later that summer Cork lined out 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....

 in the Munster final. It was McCarthy’s first championship game in three years. Cork recorded a huge 6-18 to 2-8 victory over the "banner" men. It was McCarthy’s third Munster winners’ medal. Another comprehensive victory over surprise package London
London GAA
The London County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or London GAA is one of the county boards outside Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in London...

 in the All-Ireland semi-final allowed Cork to advance to the championship decider where, once again, Kilkenny provided the opposition. The game itself is regarded as one of the classic games of the modern era. With time running out Cork were cruising to victory and led "the Cats" by eight points. A Kilkenny fight-back, however, saw the team draw level with Cork and score seven further points without reply to capture a 3-24 to 5-11 victory. It was a huge blow to a Cork team that seemed destined for victory.

Cork lost their provincial crown in to Limerick in 1973, however, in 1974 the team bounced back with McCarthy capturing a third National League medal as a non-playing substitute. Success in the championship was not so easy and Cork were defeated by Waterford in the opening round of the provincial campaign. Following this defeat McCarthy decided to retire from inter-county hurling.

Provincial

McCarthy also lined out with Munster
Munster GAA
The Munster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Munster.-Constituent counties:*Cork*Clare*Kerry*Limerick*Tipperary*Waterford-Honours:...

 in the inter-provincial hurling competition, the Railway Cup. He first played with his province in 1967, however, Munster were defeated on that occasion by their great rivals Leinster
Leinster GAA
The Leinster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Leinster. The Leinster Council has been partnered with the European County Board to help develop Gaelic Games in Europe...

. McCarthy was picked on the Munster team again in 1968. That year Munster overcame Leinster in the final to capture the title. McCarthy won a second consecutive Railway Cup medal in 1969 as Munster trounced Connacht
Connacht GAA
The Connacht Council are a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Connacht.-Constituent counties:*Galway*Leitrim*Mayo*Roscommon*Sligo-Special counties:...

 by 3-13 to 4-4. This was his last outing with the province.

Antrim

Over the last four decades McCarthy has been hugely interested in managing and coaching various teams at various levels all over the country. He first became involved in coaching in 1969 when he was recuperating following his motorcycle accident. During his time out from the playing McCarthy travelled to the opposite end of the country where he was invited to give coaching lessons to the Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...

 hurlers. He was hugely successful in this capacity as Antrim claimed the All-Ireland title at intermediate level
All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship is a hurling competition played between the strong hurling counties of Ireland. In some cases the teams consist of players who are not on the senior squads for their county , or in others of players who are from junior or intermediate clubs...

 in 1970 following a convincing win over Warwickshire
Warwickshire GAA
The Warwickshire County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the county boards outside Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in Warwickshire. The county board is also responsible for the Warwickshire inter-county teams-Hurling:In 2005 Warwickshire fielded a hurling team in...

.

Cork (1975-1976)

Not long after his retirement from playing McCarthy became fully involved in the management side of hurling. In 1975 he was appointed trainer of the Cork senior hurling team for the first time. In this regard he guided his native county to a Munster final victory over Limerick, the first of five provincial wins in-a-row. Cork were subsequently 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 by just two points. Following this defeat McCarthy resigned as trainer.

Clare

In late 1976 McCarthy was approached by manager Fr. Harry Bohan to become the new coach of the 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....

 senior hurlers. McCarthy accepted the offer, a decision which came as a surprise to many people in Cork. His first season in charge was a successful one from the very beginning. Clare had had a good National League campaign and qualified for the final in 1977. Kilkenny, the reigning champions and victors over Clare in the final of 1976, provided the opposition on this occasion and an interesting game ensued. Clare’s ability to get goals at crucial times proved vital and they claimed the 2-8 to 0-9 victory. With this victory under their belt Clare were widely tipped for success in the provincial championship. The team did reach the Munster final that year where McCarthy’s native county of Cork provided the opposition. Clare got off to a really bad start when they conceded a penalty after seventy-five seconds which was duly converted by Tim Crowley
Tim Crowley
Tim Crowley is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with Newcestown and Cork in the 1970s and 1980s.-Playing career:...

. Instead of crumbling Clare battled back and really put Cork to the pin of their collar. At half-time they trailed by only one point, however, they were reduced to fourteen men after Jim Power was sent off. The second-half was another interesting tussle, however, Cork won by 4-15 to 4-10.

In 1978 Clare stormed through the National League again and qualified for the final for the third year in-a-row. Once again Kilkenny provided the opposition and, once again, an interesting game ensued. Clare’s ability to get goals once proved the defining feature of a close game as McCarthy’s side went on to win by 3-10 to 1-10. This victory buoyed up Clare for the provincial championship where they qualified for a second consecutive Munster showdown with Cork. Over 54,000 spectators turned up 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....

 that day to see Clare attempt to dethrone Cork. At half-time it looked as if Clare were about to triumph as they trailed by 0-5 to 0-3 after Cork recorded thirteen wides. With ten minutes left Cork led by five points, however, a late rally gave Clare some hope. At the full-time whistle Cork still had a narrow 0-13 to 0-11 win.

This victory proved to be Clare’s last chance of a championship breakthrough. McCarthy remained with the Clare hurlers until their exit from the championship in June 1980.

Cork (1984-1985)

In 1984, McCarthy was back as joint-coach of the Cork senior hurling team with Fr. Michael O’Brien. It was the second time that he was coach of his native county. That year McCarthy helped guide Cork to their third Munster title in succession. The provincial final win over Tipperary was truly remarkable given the fact that Cork were trailing by four points with four minutes to go and ended up winning the game by four points. This victory allowed Cork to advance directly to the centenary year All-Ireland final. 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...

 provided the opposition on that occasion in a very special championship decider 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...

. It was their first meeting in the history of the championship, however, Cork were the favourites. A 3-16 to 1-12 victory gave McCarthy’s Cork a reasonably easy but a very special victory nonetheless.

In 1985 both McCarthy and O’Brien guided Cork to another Munster final appearance. Once again provincial rivals Tipperary stood in their way. The coaches had prepared their team well and a 4-17 to 4-11 victory was the result. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final saw Cork take on Galway. McCarthy’s side were the favourites going into the game, however, Galway had other ideas. A 4-12 to 5-5 defeat showed that the Cork team were far off the championship pace. This defeat was McCarthy's last championship in charge of the side and a new management team was installed at the end of the year.

Cashel King Cormac's

Another challenge beckoned in 1990 when McCarthy took charge of the Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...

 side Cashel King Cormac’s
Cashel King Cormacs GAA
Cashel King Cormacs GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the town of Cashel, County Tipperary in Ireland. They play their games in Leahy Park, on the Clonmel Road in Cashel....

. It had been fifty years since the side had reached the final of the Tipperary County Championship
Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship
The Tipperary Senior Hurling Club Championship is an annual club competition between the top Tipperary hurling clubs...

, however, in his first year in charge McCarthy steered them towards the final which they lost by one point. The following year they won the county championship before claiming the Munster club title
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...

. McCarthy’s side almost reached the All-Ireland club final, however, they were beaten by eventual winners Kiltormer of Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...

 at the semi-final stage after playing two replays to decide the winner. McCarthy remained with Cashel until 1995.

Managing Waterford

McCarthy was appointed manager of the Waterford senior hurling team on 30 July 2001. He wasn't the only candidate nominated for the position and was initially appointed for a two-year term. He succeeded his former team-mate Gerald McCarthy as manager and beat off several former Waterford greats for the post.

McCarthy’s very first championship game in charge posed quite a challenge. Waterford were drawn to play McCarthy’s native county of Cork in the Munster semi-final. It was a tough assignment for the new manager, however, Waterford came through it to win by a single point. With his first victory behind him McCarthy’s team subsequently lined out against reigning Munster and All-Ireland champions 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...

 in the provincial final
2002 Munster Senior Hurling Championship Final
The 2002 Munster Senior Hurling Championship Final was a hurling match played on Sunday 30 June 2002 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork, County Cork between Waterford and Tipperary...

. The game was in the balance for much of the seventy minutes with both sides being level six times in all. The last quarter saw Waterford assert themselves and they went on to win the game on a score line of 2-23 to 3-12. It was Waterford’s first Munster title
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....

 since 1963 and McCarthy was lauded as a hero. Waterford’s next game was an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with 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....

. Clare were defeated in the first-round of the provincial championship, however, the reached the penultimate stage of the All-Ireland series via the qualifiers. Waterford were expected to win, however, victory went to the men from the West.

In 2003 McCarthy’s side set out to retain their provincial title. Once again the team swept through Munster and reached the provincial final where Cork provided the opposition. At half-time Waterford looked on course to capture a second consecutive Munster title, however, Cork fought back in the second-half to snatch a 3-16 to 3-12 victory. McCarthy’s team were down but not out, however, their next outing in the All-Ireland qualifiers system ended in defeat.

In 2004 McCarthy’s side marched to a third consecutive Munster final appearance following defeat in the 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...

 final. Once again Cork provided the opposition and Waterford were out to avenge the previous year’s defeat. McCarthy’s side got off to the worst possible start when Cork scored a soft goal after just three minutes. The Deise settled down quickly after that and got right back into the game. The result was still in the balance up until the final second, however, McCarthy’s men won on a score line of 3-16 to 1-21. The game itself is considered one of the greatest of all-time. Waterford’s next outing was an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with 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...

. "The Cats" were not as spectacular as they had been in previous seasons, however, McCarthy’s side were defeated by 3-12 to 0-18.

In 2005 Waterford faced Cork in the Munster championship for the fourth season in-a-row. Once again McCarthy’s team conceded an early goal, however, the result was much tighter at the end. Cork won the day on a score line of 2-17 to 2-15 and confined Waterford to the qualifiers. McCarthy’s side came through the qualifiers system successfully, however, the random draw for the All-Ireland quarter-finals meant that Waterford had to play Cork for a second time. The game was less exciting than previous meetings with Cork winning by five points.

In 2006 McCarthy’s side fell to Tipperary in the Munster semi-final. The qualifiers proved a happy hunting ground for Waterford as they won every one of their games in the round robin and topped the group. The men from the Deise later gained refenge on Tipp in the All-Ireland quarter-final before lining out against Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final. Once again the game proved to be an exciting and close affair, with neither side gaining any huge lead. Cork led with just seconds remaining in the game when Donal Óg Cusack
Dónal Óg Cusack
Donal Óg Cusack is a well-known Irish hurler and Ireland's first openly gay elite sportsman. He plays hurling at club level with Cloyne and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999....

, Cork’s goalkeeper, saved a ‘65’ from going over the bar. The sliothar was subsequently cleared, and Cork won the game by just a single point. After the game McCarthy came in for some criticism, however, the players insisted that he was the men to lead them again for another season.

The players’ faith in McCarthy was rewarded early in 2007 when he led them to a National League title. The victory over Kilkenny was all the sweeter as it was Waterford’s first league success since 1963. The subsequent Munster championship saw Waterford take on Cork once again. Cork were severely depleted due to the suspension of some of their key players, however, the game turned out to be another classic between the greatest hurling rivals of the decade. The score line of 5-15 to 3-18 tells its own story with McCarthy’s men capturing the victory. The Munster final saw the Decies paired against 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...

. It was the teams’ first meeting in the provincial decider since 1958. Justin's men showed their class in the final quarter and won by eight points. Waterford captured their third Munster titles in six years under McCarthy. McCarthy’s men later faced Cork for the second time, however, the game ended in a draw after a controversial free. Waterford won the replay setting up a second meeting with Limerick. Waterford has to play a third high profile game in two weeks and this showed on the day when Limerick caught them on the hop and won a place in the All Ireland final. Most people believed that Waterford were unfairly treated by the system and they should have got at least two weeks to prepare for the semi final after playing two tough games against Cork. McCarthy’s men had failed at the All-Ireland semi-final stage. Once again there was some criticisim of the manager, however, the players indicated that they wished McCarthy to stay on for another year. Dan Shanahan and John Mullane spoke out and publicly said that he was the only man they wanted for the job and Once again their request was granted.

In 2008 expectations were high that Waterford would retain their Munster title and challenge for the All-Ireland once again. After a disappointing National League campaign and a nine point loss to Clare in the first round of the championship a players meeting was held where it was indicated that some of the team no longer wanted McCarthy in charge. From that another meeting with the County Board was held where McCarthy resigned as manager. McCarthy had a successful reign over Waterford and most will remember all the great games that he was involved in but will also remember the fact that Waterford never reached an All-Ireland final under him.

Managing Limerick

On 7 October 2008 McCarthy was named as the new manager of the Limerick senior hurling team. His side started the Munster Championship with a draw with 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...

, but were beaten in the replay. They then entered the Qualifier System and had wins over 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...

 and Laois
Laois GAA
The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:...

. They then were drawn against beaten Leinster finalists 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...

 in 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....

. Despite going into the game as underdogs 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...

 came out 2-18 to 1-17 winners. The semi final paired 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...

 with 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...

 however 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...

 proved too strong on the day and won 6-19 to 2-07.

In 2009 following the heavy loss to 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...

, McCarthy dropped a number of high profile players from the training panel for the 2010 season
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2010
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship 2010 was the 114th staging of Ireland's premier hurling competition since its establishment in 1887. A total of thirteen teams competed in the championship, with Tipperary unseating the four-time defending champions Kilkenny by 4-17 to 1-18 in the...

 which led to a number of other players not making themselves available.
In January 2010, members of the ousted Limerick hurling panel issued a lengthy statement hitting out at McCarthy and his management team ahead of the EGM of all county board delegates. The statement highlighted their six main issues detailing back to the lack of communication in the lead up to the announcement of McCarthy's winter training panel in November 2009.
A vote on McCarthy's leadership took place in December 2009, and it was decided to retain McCarthy's services as manager. His role as Limerick hurling manager came under more pressure in March 2010 as it became clear that a special county board meeting had been arranged. At the meeting on 23 March, McCarthy retained his post following a failed vote of no confidence.
On 19 July 2010 McCarthy resigned as manager after his side was knocked out of the qualifiers by 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...

.

Player

Cork
  • All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
    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 (1): 1966
    • Runner-up (1): 1972
  • Munster Senior Hurling Championship
    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 (3): 1966, 1969, 1972
    • Runner-up (3): 1964, 1965, 1968
  • 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...

    :
    • Winner (3): 1969, 1972, 1974 (sub)
  • All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
    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...

    :
    • Winner (1): 1966
  • Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship
    Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship
    The Munster GAA Hurling Under-21 Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for players aged between 18 and 21 in the province of Munster in Ireland...

    :
    • Winner (1): 1966


Munster
  • Railway Cup:
    • Winner (2): 1968, 1969
    • Runner-up (1): 1967

Coach/Manager

Antrim
  • All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship
    All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship
    The All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship is a hurling competition played between the strong hurling counties of Ireland. In some cases the teams consist of players who are not on the senior squads for their county , or in others of players who are from junior or intermediate clubs...

    :
    • Winner (1): 1970
  • Ulster Intermediate Hurling Championship
    Ulster Intermediate Hurling Championship
    The Ulster Intermediate Hurling Championship is an inter county competition between the Intermediate Hurling county teams in the province of Ulster in Ireland...

    :
    • Winner (1): 1970


Clare
  • Munster Senior Hurling Championship
    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....

    :
    • Runner-up (2): 1977, 1978
  • 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...

    :
    • Winner (2): 1977, 1978


Cork
  • All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
    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 (1) 1984
  • Munster Senior Hurling Championship
    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 (3): 1975, 1984, 1985


Cashel King Cormac’s
  • Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship
    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...

    :
    • Winner (1): 1991
  • Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship
    Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship
    The Tipperary Senior Hurling Club Championship is an annual club competition between the top Tipperary hurling clubs...

    :
    • Winner (1): 1991
    • Runner-up (2): 1990, 1994


Waterford
  • Munster Senior Hurling Championship
    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 (3): 2002, 2004, 2007
    • Runner-up (1): 2003
  • 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...

    :
    • Winner (1): 2007
    • Runner-up (1): 2004
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