Andy Comerford
Andrew James Comerford (born 10 October 1972) is an Irish retired hurling manager and former player who played for Kilkenny Senior Championship club O'Loughlin Gaels.
He played for the London and Kilkenny senior hurling teams for nearly a decade, during which time he usually lined out at midfield or centre-forward.
From his debut, he was a regular at midfield, centre-forward or wing-forward and made a combined total of 53 League and Championship appearances in a career that ended with his last game in 2003.
At inter-provincial level, he was selected to play with Leinster on a number of occasions, with his sole Railway Cup medal being won in 2002.
On 15 April 1989, he lined out at right wing-forward when St. Kieran's College drew 1-07 apiece with Birr CBS in the Leinster final.
On 1 April 1990, Comerford won a second successive Leinster Championship medal after a 2–09 to 1–07 defeat of local rivals Kilkenny CBS in the final.
On 24 September 1995, he lined out at centre-back when Brothers Pearse faced St. Gabriel's in the final, but ended the game on the losing side following a 3–07 to 0–12 defeat.
Comerford joined the O'Loughlin Gaels club at a young age and played in all grades at juvenile and underage levels.
On 15 October 2000, Comerford lined out at centre-back when O'Loughlin Gaels qualified to play Graigue-Ballycallan in the Kilkenny Senior Championship final.
[1] Comerford was appointed captain of the O'Loughin Gaels senior team prior to the start of the 2001 Kilkenny Championship.
[4] On 30 November 2003, he won a Leinster Championship medal after captaining O'Loughlin Gaels to a 0–15 to 0–09 defeat of Birr in the final.
On 2 September 1990, he lined out at centre-forward when Kilkenny qualified to play Cork in the All-Ireland final but was held scoreless in the 3-14 apiece draw.
On 1 December 1996, he claimed his first silverware at senior level when he won an Oireachtas Cup medal after lining out at left wing-forward in the 0–11 to 1–04 defeat of Clare.
On 13 July 1997, Comerford scored a point from midfield when Kilkenny suffered a 2–14 to 1–11 defeat by Wexford in the Leinster final.
On 13 September 1998, Comerford was back on the starting fifteen and lined out at centre-forward when Kilkenny once again faced Offaly in the All-Ireland final.
[6] On 11 July 1999, Comerford won his second Leinster Championship medal after scoring a point from midfield in the 5–14 to 1–16 defeat of Offaly in the final.
[15] On 7 July 2002, Comerford captained Kilkenny to a fifth successive Leinster Championship title after a 0–19 to 0–17 defeat of fourteen-man Wexford.
[17] On 6 July 2003, he won his sixth successive Leinster Championship medal - albeit as an unused substitute - following the 2–23 to 2–12 defeat of Wexford in the final.
In the subsequent Christy Ring Cup campaign, Comerford's side topped their group before exiting at the quarter-final stage following a 2–22 to 3–13 defeat by Westmeath.
Comerford's second National League campaign in charge saw Kildare finish in second place in the group stage and qualifying for the final.
[22] Shortly after stepping down as Kildare manager, Comerford was appointed coach of the O'Loughlin Gaels senior team for the 2010 Kilkenny Championship.
