[1][2] Born in Bullaun, County Galway, Cooney first arrived on the inter-county scene when he made his senior debut in the 1979 championship.
[citation needed] In 1980 Sarsfields qualified for the final of the senior championship for the first time in history, with Cooney lining out at midfield.
The free-taking of Michael Mulkerrins secured a narrow 0–11 to 0–9 defeat of Meelick-Eyrecourt and a Galway Senior Hurling Championship medal for Cooney.
Cooney made his senior championship debut for Galway on 1 July 1979 in a 1–23 to 3–10 defeat of Laois in the All-Ireland quarter-final.
It was Galway's first All-Ireland title since 1923, with Cooney picking up a winners' medal and the celebrations surpassed anything ever seen in Croke Park.
Cooney retained his place on the team in 1980 as Connacht faced Railway Cup specialists Munster in the decider.
One of the biggest assignments in the early stages of his career was as referee for Limerick's 4–16 to 2–17 defeat of Kilkenny in the All-Ireland decider in the intermediate grade in 1998.
On 22 August 1998, Cooney was assigned to referee the 1998 All-Ireland semi-final replay between Clare and Offaly at Croke Park.
Before he could restart the match he was bundled away by some security officials, while the Offaly supporters took to the Croke Park pitch to stage a sit-down protest.
Offaly were subsequently granted a replay, which they won, while Cooney, who received death threats after the match, ended his inter-county refereeing career.