Séamus Harnedy

Séamus Harnedy (born 17 July 1990) is an Irish hurler who plays as a centre-forward for the Cork senior team.^[1]

Born in Gortroe near Youghal, County Cork, Harnedy first excelled at hurling during his schooling at Pobalscoil na Tríonóide. Although he never played in the minor or under-21 grades at inter-county level, he first came to prominence at the age of twenty when he joined the Cork senior team for the 2011 Waterford Crystal Cup. Harnedy made his senior championship debut during the 2013 championship, and has since won an All Star Award and won one Munster medal. He has been an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion.

At club level Harnedy plays hurling with St. Ita's and Gaelic football with Glenbower Rovers.

Harnedy's mother, Cathy Landers, was an All-Ireland-winning captain with the Cork camogie team, while his father, Seán Harnedy, played with the Waterford team.^[2]

Playing career

Club

In 2007 Harnedy was just seventeen years old when he lined out with St. Ita's against Castlemagner in the final of the junior "B" championship. A point from centre-back and team captain Michael Cronin three minutes into injury time saved St Ita's and secured an 0-11 apiece draw.^[3] The subsequent replay saw St. Ita's secure a 0-12 to 0-7 victory, giving Harnedy a championship medal.

University

During his tenure at University College Cork, Harnedy played a key role for the university's various hurling teams.

In 2010 he was at corner-forward when UCC faced fierce local rivals and three-in-a-row Cork Institute of Technology in the final of the All-Ireland Freshers Championship. UCC went on to secure a 3-8 to 1-7 victory, giving Harnedy a winners' medal.^[4]

Harnedy progressed onto the UCC senior team during the 2011-12 college year, and lined out in the final of the Fitzgibbon Cup. CIT provided the opposition, however, UCC claimed a thrilling extra-time success as they celebrated the centenary of the competition in style on home soil with a narrow 2-15 to 2-14 victory.^[5] It was Harnedy's first Fitzgibbon Cup medal.

In 2012-13 UCC reached the Fitzgibbon decider once again. Mary Immaculate College were the surprise opponents, however, tradition prevailed and UCC retained their title with a 2-17 to 2-12 victory.^[6] It was Harnedy's second Fitzgibbon Cup medal.

Inter-county

Harnedy made his senior debut for the Cork team in the 2011 Waterford Crystal Cup but remained off the inter-county scene for a number of years.^[7]

Two years later Harnedy returned to the Cork team for the National League and was included on the starting fifteen for the subsequent championship.^[8][9] He made his senior championship debut on 23 June 2013 in a 0-23 to 0-15 Munster semi-final defeat of Clare.^[10] Both sides later faced each other again on 8 September 2013 in the All-Ireland final. Three second-half goals through Conor Lehane, Anthony Nash and Pa Cronin, and a tenth point of the game from Patrick Horgan gave Cork a one-point lead as injury time came to an end. A last-gasp point from corner-back Domhnall O'Donovan earned Clare a 0-25 to 3-16 draw.^[11] The replay on 28 September was regarded as one of the best in recent years. Clare's Shane O'Donnell was a late addition to the team, and went on to score a hat-trick of goals in the first nineteen minutes of the game. Harnedy goaled for Cork, however, further goals from Conor McGrath and Darach Honan secured a 5-16 to 3-16 victory for Clare.^[12]

In 2014 Harnedy was one of the goal-scorers when he won his first Munster medal following a 2-24 to 0-24 defeat of Limerick in the Munster Final.^[13]

Career statistics

As of match played 3 April 2016.

Honours

Team

Pobalscoil na Tríonóide

• Cork Colleges Under-16 B Hurling Championship (1): 2007

University College Cork

• Fitzgibbon Cup (2): 2012, 2013
• All-Ireland Freshers' Hurling Championship (1): 2010

St. Ita's

• Cork Junior B Hurling Championship (1): 2007

Cork

• Munster Senior Hurling Championship (1): 2014

References