He played Gaelic football with his local club Millstreet and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1971 until 1975.
A 0–25 to 0–14 trouncing of back-to-back All-Ireland champions Kerry gave Kelleher a Munster winners' medal.
[citation needed] A 1–11 to 0–7 defeat of Kerry gave Kelleher a third Munster winners' medal.
[citation needed] Kelleher's side were defeated by eventual champions Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1975 Kelleher was a member of the team again and he captured a Railway Cup winners' medal following a victory over Ulster.