Humphrey Kelleher Explained

Code:Football
Sport:Gaelic football
Humphrey Kelleher
Irish:Amhlaoibh Ó Céileachair
Fullname:Humphrey Kelleher
Birth Date:1946
Feet:6
Inches:2
County:Cork
Province:Munster
Club:Millstreet
Clposition:Full-back
Clyears:1960s–1980s
Clcounty:0
Counties:Cork
Icposition:Full-back
Icyears:1971–1975
Icapps(Points):14 (0–00)
Icprovince:3
Icallireland:1
Nfl:0
Allstars:0
Birth Place:Millstreet, Cork, Ireland

Humphrey Kelleher (1946–2005) was an Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Millstreet and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1971 until 1975.

Playing career

Club

Kelleher played his club football with his local club in Millstreet.

Inter-county

By the late 1960s Kelleher had joined the Cork senior team, however, the team was forced to play second fiddle to Kerry. In 1971 Cork were back. A 0–25 to 0–14 trouncing of back-to-back All-Ireland champions Kerry gave Kelleher a Munster winners' medal.[1] Cork, however, were later defeated by eventual champions Offaly in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Two years later Kelleher secured his second Munster winners' medal. The 5–12 to 1–15 defeat of Kerry showed the traditional football powers that Cork were coming. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Cork against Galway. Jimmy Barry-Murphy scored the first of his two goals after two minutes before scored a third for Cork after switching to left wing-forward. At full-time Cork were the champions by 3–17 to 2–13. This victory gave Kelleher an All-Ireland winners' medal.[2]

Cork continued their provincial dominance in 1974. A 1–11 to 0–7 defeat of Kerry gave Kelleher a third Munster winners' medal. This victory resulted in Cork being installed as the favourites to retain their All-Ireland title. Kelleher's side were defeated by eventual champions Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Inter-provincial

Kelleher also lined out with Munster in the inter-provincial football competition. He first played with his province in 1974. In 1975 Kelleher was a member of the team again and he captured a Railway Cup winners' medal following a victory over Ulster. Kelleher was a non-playing substitute when Munster retained the title in 1976.[3]

Death

Humphrey Kelleher died on 21 September 2005, after a short illness.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Senior Football - Munster Final Winning Teams (1887-2007). Munster GAA. 2009-03-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080719154851/http://munster.gaa.ie/teams/seniorfootball.html . 2008-07-19.
  2. Web site: Cork Hurling Profile. www.hoganstand.com. 2009-03-25. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090216074254/http://hoganstand.com/Cork/Profile.aspx. 2009-02-16.
  3. Web site: Munster Railway Cup Football Teams . . 2009-03-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080719201059/http://munster.gaa.ie/teams/railwaycupfootball.html . 19 July 2008 .
  4. Web site: 2023-11-01 . Cork GAA laments Kelleher passing - HoganStand . https://web.archive.org/web/20231101214617/https://www.hoganstand.com/county/cork/article/index/51697 . 2023-11-01 . 2023-11-01 . www.hoganstand.com.