Joe Deane

Joe Deane (born 15 November, 1977 in Killeagh, County Cork, Ireland) is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Killeagh and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1996 until 2009. Deane is one of the top ten championship scorers of all-time and is regarded as one of Cork's all-time greatest-ever players.^[1]

Biography

Joe Deane was born in Killeagh, County Cork in 1977. He was born into a family that had a strong link to Cork's hurling glories of the past. His great-grandfather, Tom Mahony, won an All-Ireland title with Cork in 1902. Through Mahony's lineage, Deane is also related to former Cork stars of the 1970s and 1980s Seánie O'Leary and John Fitzgibbon.^[2]

Deane was educated at the local national school in Killeagh village and later attended nearby Midleton CBS. It was here that his hurling talents first came to the fore. Deane quickly became a key fixture in the forward line of the school's senior hurling team and, in 1995, he landed a Dr. Harty Cup title - the Munster senior colleges' hurling title. In the game itself Deane scored an impressive 2-2 from play.^[3] Midleton CBS later qualified for the All-Ireland colleges' final with St. Raphael's of Loughrea providing the opposition. An exciting game developed, however, at the full-time whistle St. Raphael's were the champions by 3-10 to 3-5. Deane had another day of sharp shooting and contributed 3-1 of his team's tally.^[4]

Deane subsequently studied at University College Cork between 1995 and 1998. It was during his tenure here that his hurling skills were further developed. He was a member of the UCC panel who won three Fitzgibbon Cup titles in-a-row in 1996, 1997 and 1998. Deane is one of only a handful of players who have never lost a Fitzgibbon Cup game.^[5] He also won a Freshers’ Gaelic football All-Ireland title with UCC in 1996.

Deane graduated from UCC with a BSc in finance and currently works as relationship manager with regard to property and business banking with ACCBank in Cork.^[6]

Playing career

Club

Deane plays his club hurling with his local club in Killeagh and has enjoyed much success. He first tasted victory with the club in 1995 when Killeagh defeated Ballinhassig by 3-9 to 0-8 to take the county junior championship title.^[7] It was Killeagh's first major championship victory.

Although Deane played for Killeagh, his attendance at UCC also made him eligible to line out with the university's team in the senior county championship. He played with UCC from 1995 until 1999. Because of this he missed out on Imokilly's back-to-back county final triumphs in 1997 and 1998.

Deane lined out in his first senior county championship final in 1999, when UCC took on Blackrock. That game turned into a rout as the collegians were trounced by 3-17 to 0-8. Two years later Deane played in a second county final, this time as part of the Imokilly team. Blackrock provided the opposition and, once again, they secured a 4-8 to 2-7 victory.^[8]

In 2001 Deane tasted further success with Killeagh. The club reached the county final of the intermediate championship that year, with Mallow providing the opposition. A 2-14 apiece draw was followed by an exciting replay. The final whistle in that game saw Killeagh claim a 3-9 to 2-8 victory, giving Deane a county intermediate championship winners' medal.^[9]

Minor & under 21

Deane's hurling skills at colleges and club championship levels brought him to the attentions of the Cork inter-county selectors and he was soon picked for the minor team. In 1995 he won his sole Munster minor winners' medal as Cork trounced Waterford by 3-18 to 0-10.^[10] Cork later qualified for the All-Ireland final against Kilkenny with Deane lining out at full-forward. The game turned into a rout as Cork won easily, giving Deane a coveted All-Ireland winners' medal in the minor grade.^[11]

The following year Deane moved onto the Cork under-21 team and more success quickly followed. He won a Munster title in this grade that same year as Clare were totally outclassed on a score line of 3-16 to 2-7.^[12] Cork, however, fell in the All-Ireland semi-final against Galway.

In 1997 Deane added a second Munster under-21 medal to his collection when Tipperary were defeated by a single point. It took a late goal by Timmy McCarthy to secure a 1-11 to 0-13 victory. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork take on Galway and Deane lining out in his usual left corner-forward spot. Cork were victorious on that occasion on a score line of 3-11 to 0-13 giving Deane a coveted All-Ireland under-21 winners' medal.

1998 saw Cork maintaining their provincial dominance with Deane collecting a third consecutive Munster under-21 medal with a 3-18 to 1-10 victory over Tipp. This victory marks Deane out as one of the few players who never lost a provincial under-21 championship game. For the third year in-a-row Cork played in the All-Ireland final and, for the second consecutive year, Galway were the opponents. In a close game Cork just about secured a 2-15 to 2-10 win. It was Deane’s second consecutive All-Ireland under-21 winners' medal.

Senior

Deane’s move onto the Cork senior team was a natural progression for such a talented player. He made his senior debut in a National League game against Kerry in 1996 and made his championship debut later that summer. Seán Óg Ó hAilpín made his first senior start that same day also as Limerick provided the opposition in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Cork were hammered in that game by 3-18 to 1-8 as the county surrendered a seventy-five year-old unbeaten run at home.^[13]

Two years later in 1998 Deane tasted success at senior level for the first time as Cork defeated Waterford to take the National Hurling League title.^[14] It was a welcome return to the big time for Cork; however, success in the championship was slow in coming. Between 1996 and 1999 Deane played in every championship game for Cork and only ended up on the winning side on one occasion, a Munster quarter-final game against Limerick in 1998.

In 1999 Cork were back in their first Munster final since 1992 and Deane was named in the full-forward position. Clare, the team that had won three of the last four provincial titles, together with two All-Ireland titles, provided the opposition and were very much the favourites going into the game. An exciting contest unfolded with Deane scoring a key goal after an excellent pass from Seánie McGrath. A score line of 1-15 to 0-14 gave Cork the victory and gave Deane his first senior Munster title.^[15] Cork later defeated Offaly in one of the games of the year to set up an All-Ireland final meeting with arch-rivals Kilkenny. A wet and windy day meant that the classic game that everyone expected failed to materialise. Both sides shot seventeen wides over the course of the seventy minutes as a young and inexperienced Cork came back from five points down to win by 0-13 to 0-12. Deane himself chipped in with three points. It was Cork’s first senior All-Ireland title since 1990 and it was Deane’s first.^[16] He finished off the year by claiming his first All-Star award.

In 2000 Cork were the favourites to retain their All-Ireland title. The team got off to a good start by retaining their Munster title, however, Tipperary put up a good fight. Deane’s personal tally that day was an impressive ten points as Cork won by 0-23 to 3-12. Cork’s next game was an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Offaly. While Cork were expected to win the game without breaking a sweat Offaly caught Deane’s side on the hop and recorded a 0-19 to 0-15 win. In spite of surrendering their All-Ireland crown Deane was later honoured by collecting a second All-Star award.

While the Cork hurling team should have gone from strength to strength as a result of a solid foundation at minor and under-21 levels the opposite happened. Embarrassing defeats in 2001 and 2002 saw the Cork hurling team reach rock bottom and call a players' strike just before Christmas in 2002. Deane played a huge role as one of the main spokesmen in representing the welfare of his fellow players. Had the strike failed it could have meant the end of his and his fellow teammates' careers, however, in the end the county board relented and met the demands. Although still amateur sportsmen the Cork senior hurling team were treated as professional athletes.

In 2003 Cork’s players were vindicated in taking a stand as the team reached the Munster final for the first time in three years. Waterford provided the opposition on that occasion as one of hurling’s modern rivalries began in earnest. An exciting game resulted between the two teams; however, victory went to Cork by 3-16 to 3-12. It was Deane’s third Munster medal and it gave a signal that Cork were back.^[17] Deane’s side were hot favourites going into the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final against Wexford, however, it was far from a walkover. In one of the most exciting games of the championship both sides finished level: Cork 2-20, Wexford 3-17. Both sides met again six days later with Cork making no mistake and taking the spoils on a score line of 3-17 to 2-7. This win set up an All-Ireland final meeting with Kilkenny. In another thrilling game of hurling both teams were level for much of the game, exchanging tit-for-tat scores. A Setanta Ó hAilpín goal steadied the Cork ship, however, a Martin Comerford goal five minutes from the end settled the game as Kilkenny went on to win by 1-14 to 1-11.^[18] Deane later added a third All-Star to his collection.

2004 saw Cork reach the Munster final once again and, for the second consecutive year, Waterford provided the opposition. In what many consider to be the greatest provincial decider of them all, both sides fought tooth-and-nail for the full seventy minutes. Unfortunately for Deane Cork lost the game by just a single point on a score line of Waterford 3-16, Cork 1-21.^[19] Although Cork surrendered their provincial crown they were still in with a chance of landing the All-Ireland title. After maneuvering through the qualifiers Cork reached a second consecutive All-Ireland final and, once again, Kilkenny provided the opposition. This game took on a life of its own for a number of reasons. Chief among these was the fact that Kilkenny were attempting to capture a third All-Ireland in-a-row and go one ahead of Cork in the All-Ireland roll of honour. The game was expected to be another classic; however, a damp day put an end to this. The first-half was a low-scoring affair and provided little excitement for fans. The second-half saw Cork completely take over. For the last twenty-three minutes Cork scored nine unanswered points and went on to win the game by 0-17 to 0-9. It was Deane’s second All-Ireland winners' medal.^[20]

In 2005 Cork were on form again. They won back the provincial crown that year with a 1-12 to 1-16 victory over Tipperary.^[21] It was Deane’s fourth Munster winners’ medal as Cork went on the march for glory once again. In the All-Ireland semi-final against Clare their championship campaign was nearly derailed when they fell behind by seven points at the start of the second-half. A huge performance by Cork turned this deficit around and Deane’s side eventually went on to win the game by 0-16 to 0-15. While it was expected that Cork and Kilkenny would do battle again in a third consecutive All-Ireland final Galway were the surprise winners of the second semi-final. It was the first meeting of Cork and Galway in an All-Ireland final since 1990 and even more daunting was the fact that men from the west had never beaten Cork in a championship decider. Once again neither side broke away into a considerable lead, however, at the final whistle Cork were ahead by 1-21 to 1-16. For the second year in-a-row Cork were the All-Ireland champions and Deane collected his third winners’ medal.^[22]

2006 saw Cork turn their attentions to a first three-in-a-row of All-Ireland titles since 1978. The team’s championship campaign got off to a good start with a 0-20 to 0-14 defeat of Clare in the opening round of the Munster championship. Deane gave a superb display that day as he score ten points. The subsequent provincial decider saw Cork take on Tipp for the second consecutive year. Once again Deane was to the fore, scoring an impressive eight points and contributing greatly to Cork’s 2-11 to 1-11 victory over their old rivals.^[23] Subsequent victories over Limerick and Waterford saw Cork qualify for their fourth consecutive All-Ireland final and for the third time Kilkenny were the opponents. Like previous encounters neither side took a considerable lead, however, Kilkenny had a vital goal from Aidan Fogarty. Cork were in arrears coming into the final few minutes, however, Ben O'Connor goaled for Cork. It was too little too late as ‘the Cats’ denied ‘the Rebels’ the three-in-a-row on a score line of 1-16 to 1-13.^[24]

Shortly after this defeat it was revealed that Deane was recovering following an operation for testicular cancer. While rumours about his illness had been circulating in GAA circles for several weeks, Deane refused to confirm the nature of his illness until after the surgery. Good-will cards flooded in from many of his past and present foes on the playing field, including the entire Tipperary team, as it seemed possible that the cancer may prove fatal. Although there were some traces in his stomach Deane did not have to go through chemotherapy after surgery. It was an incredible recovery for someone whose career had been written off.^[25]

Although many feared for Deane during his battle with illness he returned to playing with Cork in January 2007 in a Waterford Crystal League game. Later that year Cork’s championship ambitions were hampered from the beginning. The so-called Semplegate affair resulted in Seán Óg Ó hAilpín, Donal Óg Cusack and Diarmuid O'Sullivan being suspended for a crucial Munster semi-final clash with Waterford. In spite of being without three of their best players Cork put up a good fight but only lost by a goal. After maneuvering through the qualifiers Cork reached the All-Ireland quarter-final. Deane was named as Cork senior hurling captain for that game, replacing the dropped Kieran Murphy. This was his first time getting the honour. Once again Waterford provided the opposition as the game controversially ended in a draw – 3-16 apiece. The replay was less exciting; however, it was still a good game as Waterford triumphed by 2-17 to 0-20.

In 2008 Cork were draw to play Tipperary in the Munster semi-final. It was a date that all hurling fans were looking forward to. In the lead up to the game there was speculation as to the formation of the Cork team. When the team was announced it was revealed that Deane was not starting. It was only the second time in his career that he would not be starting in the championship for Cork. Cork played well in the first-half, however, after the interval Tipp took over. When Cork were floundering Deane was sprung from the subs bench, however, it was too late for him to make an impact. Cork lost by six points and had to take their chances in the win of bust qualifiers. A goal by Deane in their next outing helped Cork to limp over the finish line against Dublin. The team’s overall performance was less than impressive in the 1-17 to 0-15 win. Cork’s next game saw Galway, a team regarded as one of the best in the country, provided the opposition. The first-half was a poor affair with Cork’s goalkeeper, Donal Óg Cusack, being sent off. In the second-half Cork took charge with Deane giving a great display and scoring four crucial points from play to help his team to a 0-23 to 2-15 victory and a place in the All-Ireland quarter-final. Clare were the opposition on that occasion and, once again, Cork gave a poor first-half display. The second-half was a different story with Cork taking charge once again and securing a 2-19 to 2-17 victory. This win allowed Cork to advance to the All-Ireland semi-final where Kilkenny provided the opposition. It was the first time that these two teams met in the championship outside of an All-Ireland final. That game was an intriguing encounter; however, ‘the Cats’ won the day by 1-23 to 0-17.

Following the defeat by Kilkenny in 2008 manager Gerald McCarthy's two-year contract came to an end. He was later re-appointed for a further two-year term by the Cork County Board, in spite of the majority of the players not wanting him to stay on. The players on the 2008 panel then refused to play or train under McCarthy. (see 2008-2009 Cork players strike). McCarthy accordingly began the 2009 National League camapign with a new squad, none of whom had been able to make the previous year's panel. After months of pressure McCarthy eventually stepped down as manager.

Just over a month later Deane confirmed his retirement from inter-county hurling.^[26]

Inter-provincial

Deane has also played with Munster in the inter-provincial championship. He first lined out for his province in 1999, however, it was 2000 before he collected his sole Railway Cup medal after a 3-15 to 2-15 win over Leinster. Deane lined out again in 2002 and 2004, however, Munster were defeated on both occasions.^[27]

Championship Appearances

Scores and results list Cork's tally first.

Honours

Killeagh/Imokilly/UCC

• Cork Senior Hurling Championship:
  • Winner (0):
  • Runner-up (2): 1999, 2001
• Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship:
  • Winner (1): 2001
  • Runner-up (1): 1998
• Cork Junior Hurling Championship:
  • Winner (1): 1995

Cork

• All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship:
  • Winner (3): 1999, 2004, 2005
  • Runner-up (2): 2003, 2006
• Munster Senior Hurling Championship:
  • Winner (5): 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006
  • Runner-up (1): 2004
• National Hurling League:
  • Winner (1): 1997-98
• All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship:
  • Winner (1): 1997, 1998
• Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship:
  • Winner (1): 1996, 1997 (sub), 1998
• All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship:
  • Winner (1): 1995
• Munster Minor Hurling Championship:
  • Winner (1): 1995

Munster

• Railway Cup:
  • Winner (1): 2000
  • Runner-up (3): 1999, 2002, 2004

Sources

• Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005).
• Walsh, Denis, Hurling: the Revolution Years (Penguin Ireland, 2005).

References

Teams