He played hurling with his local club Dungourney and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1902 until 1907.
O'Shea played his club hurling as goal keeper with the famous Dungourney team in Cork and enjoyed some success.
O'Shea first tasted success on the inter-county scene with Cork in 1902 when he lined out in his first Munster final.
[1] Galway and Dublin were later defeated as Cork booked their place in the All-Ireland final with London providing the opposition.
[2] O'Shea did not take part in any inter-county activity for the next few years, however, in 1907 he finally picked up a second Munster winners’ medal following a 1–6 to 1–4 defeat of Tipperary.