Kevin Foley (hurler) explained

Kevin Foley
Irish:Caoimhín Ó Foghlú
Birth Date:5 February 1995
Birth Place:Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland
Feet:5
Inches:9
Sport:Hurling
Code:Hurling
County:Wexford
Province:Leinster
Club:Rapparees Starlights
Clcountyh:0
Clcountyf:1
Counties:Wexford
Icyears:2015-present
Icposition:Midfield
Icapps(Points):15 (0-05)
Icprovince:1
Icallireland:0
Nhl:0
Allstars:0
Icupdate:16:47, 1 July 2019

Kevin Foley (born 5 February 1995) is an Irish hurler who plays for Wexford Senior Championship club Rapparees and at inter-county level with the Wexford senior hurling team. He is usually selected at midfield but generally operates as a sweeper. Kevin studied at St. Patrick's College, Thurles qualifying as a teacher and he teaches business and religion at St. Mary's CBS Enniscorthy. [1]

Playing career

St. Patrick's College, Thurles

Foley was part of the 2013 Fergal Maher Cup All Ireland Colleges tier 3, winning team.

Rapparees Starlights

Foley joined the Rapparees Starlights club at a young age and played in all grades at juvenile and underage levels as a dual player. He eventually joined the club's top adult teams in both codes.

On 28 October 2017, Foley lined out at right wing-back when Starlights faced St. Martin's in the Wexford Football Championship final. He scored a point from play and ended the game with a winners' medal following the 0-17 to 1-08 victory.[2]

Wexford

Minor and under-21

Foley first played for Wexford when he was selected for the minor team during the 2011 Leinster Championship. He made his first appearance for the team on 23 April 2011 when he lined out at midfield in Wexford's 3-13 to 3-10 defeat of offaly.[3]

On 8 July 2012, Foley lined out at right wing-forward when Wexford faced Dublin in the Leinster final. He scored a point from play but ended the game on the losing side after a 2-14 to 1-15 defeat.[4]

Foley was once again eligible for the minor grade in 2013 and was appointed joint captain of the team prior to the start of the championship. A broke finger resulted in him missing the entire championship.

Foley was drafted onto the Wexford under-21 team in advance of the 2014 Leinster Championship. He made his debut in the grade on 4 June 2014 when he lined out at left wing-forward in Wexford's 2-14 to 0-10 defeat of Kilkenny.[5] On 9 July 2014, Foley won a Leinster Championship medal after lining out at left corner-forward in Wexford's 1-20 to 0-18 defeat of Dublin in the final.[6] On 13 September 2014, he was again selected at left corner-forward for the All-Ireland final against Clare, but ended on the losing side following a 2-20 to 3-11 defeat.[7]

On 8 July 2015, Foley won a second successive Leinster Championship after scoring three points from centre-forward in Wexford's 4-17 to 1-09 defeat of Kilkenny in the final.[8] He retained his position at centre-forward for the All-Ireland final against Limerick on 12 September 2015, however, he ended on the losing side for the second year in succession following a 0-26 to 1-07 defeat.[9]

Foley was once again included on the Wexford under-21 team for the 2016 Leinster Championship, however, he lost his place on the starting fifteen. He played his last game in the grade on 1 June 2016 when he came on as a substitute in a 2-12 to 1-08 defeat by Dublin.[10]

Senior

Foley made his first appearance for the Wexford senior team on 15 February 2015 when he lined out at right corner-forward in a 1-24 to 2-20 defeat of Antrim in the National League.[11] He made his Leinster Championship debut on 7 June 2015 when he came on as a 46th-minute substitute for Jack Guiney in a 1-24 to 1-16 defeat of westmeath.[12] Foley withdrew from the Wexford panel at the end of the season.[13]

Foley returned to the Wexford panel after a on-year absence. On 2 July 2017, he was an unused substitute when Wexford suffered a 0-29 to 1-17 defeat by Galway in the Leinster final at Croke Park.[14]

On 20 January 2018, Foley scored a goal from right wing-back in Wexford's 1-24 apiece draw with Kilkenny in the Walsh Cup final. Wexford won the subsequent free-taking shoot-out, with Foley claiming his first silverware at senior level with Wexford.[15]

Wexford reached a second Leinster final in three years on 30 June 2019. Foley was selected at midfield but fulfilled a sweeper role for the entire game. He ended the game with a winners' medal following the 1-23 to 0-23 defeat of Kilkenny.[16]

Career statistics

TeamYearNational LeagueLeinsterAll-IrelandTotal
DivisionAppsScoreAppsScoreAppsScoreAppsScore
Wexford2015Division 1B50-0120-0010-0190-02
2016
201720-0210-0000-0030-02
2018Division 1A70-1440-0320-00130-17
201960-0450-0100-00110-05
Career total200-21120-0430-01350-26

Honours

Starlights
Wexford

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Player Watch: Davy Fitz converts former Wexford forward into brilliantly effective sweeper. The 42. 12 March 2019. 14 February 2019. Kevin. O'Brien.
  2. Web site: Slick Starlights mark centenary in style. 4 November 2017. New Ross Standard. 7 June 2017. Alan. Aherne.
  3. Web site: Guiney guides Wexford home. 25 April 2011. Irish Independent. 21 July 2019.
  4. Web site: Leinster MHC final: Dublin retain provincial crown. 9 July 2012. Hogan Stand. 7 June 2017.
  5. Web site: Late blast underlines Wexford superiority. 5 June 2014. Irish Examiner. 7 June 2017. John. Knox.
  6. Web site: Superb McDonald goal helps Wexford claim Leinster U21 hurling title against Dublin. 9 July 2014. The 42. 1 July 2019. Fintan. O'Toole.
  7. Web site: Kelly on fire as Clare young guns shoot down Wexford for a third title in a row. 14 September 2014. Irish Independent. 1 July 2019. Jackie. Cahill.
  8. Web site: Leinster U21 HC final: Magical Model maul Cats for three-in-a-row. 8 July 2015. Hogan Stand. 1 July 2019.
  9. Web site: Limerick ease past Wexford to claim U21 hurling title. 12 December 2015. Irish Examiner. 1 July 2019. Eoghan. Cormican.
  10. Web site: Dublin produce sparkling performance to end Wexford's bid for four-in-a-row. 1 June 2016. The 42. 5 August 2018. Ryan. Bailey.
  11. Web site: Antrim were the puck of a ball away from a remarkable comeback against Wexford. 15 February 2015. The 42. 5 August 2018.
  12. Web site: Wexford up and running but it was far from a Model display to beat Westmeath. 7 June 2015. The 42. 5 August 2018. Declan. Rooney.
  13. Web site: Foley opts out of hurling squad. 1 December 2015. Wexford People. 5 August 2018.
  14. Web site: Conor Cooney masterclass leads Galway past Wexford to their first Leinster title since 2012. The 42. 2 July 2017. 23 February 2019. Kevin. O'Brien .
  15. Web site: Fanning hits winner in historic shoot-out. Gorey Guardian. 27 January 2018. 23 February 2019. Alan. Aherne .
  16. Web site: Wexford land first Leinster title in 15 years with thrilling victory over Kilkenny. The 42. 30 June 2019. 1 July 2019. Kevin. O'Brien.